Aantal inwoners van alleen de stad Enschede.
| 1784 | -> | 1.503 | |
| 1801 | -> | 1.835 | |
| 1830 | -> | 3.253 | |
| 1883 | -> | 5.801 |
Aantal inwoners op 31 december van de gemeente Enschede en tot 1934 samen met de gemeente Lonneker daarna werd het 1 gemeente.
| 1859 | -> | 12.941 | |
| 1870 | -> | 15.902 | |
| 1880 | -> | 18.642 | |
| 1890 | -> | 23.246 | 1) |
| 1900 | -> | 37.939 | |
| 1910 | -> | 52.963 | |
| 1920 | -> | 63.012 | |
| 1930 | -> | 82.934 | |
| 1940 | -> | 92.895 | 2) |
| 1945 | -> | 97.338 | |
| 1950 | -> | 109.326 | |
| 1960 | -> | 126.122 | |
| 1970 | -> | 141.204 | |
| 1980 | -> | 144.346 | |
| 1990 | -> | 146.509 | |
| 2000 | -> | 150.449 | |
| 2009 | -> | 157.076 | |
| 2010 | -> | 157.947 | |
| 2011 | -> | 157.848 | |
| 2012 | -> | 158.031 | |
| 2013 | -> | 158.621 | |
| 2014 | -> | 158.585 | |
| 2015 | -> | 158.557 | |
| 2016 | -> | 158.343 | |
| 2017 | -> | 158.140 | |
| 2018 | -> | 158.224 | |
| 2019 | -> | 158.964 | |
| 2020 | -> | 159.640 | |
| 2021 | -> | 159.237 | |
| 2022 | -> | 160.640 | |
| 2023 | -> | 161.235 | |
| 2024 | -> | 161.738 | |
| 2025 | -> | 162.317 |
1) Grenswijziging Lonneker-Hengelo(O) 1881: – 659 personen.
2) Grenswijziging Enschede-Hengelo(O) 1940: – 934 personen.