Is South Downs in Wealden a nice place to live or is it a bit rough? We have collated a series of socio-economic statistics and demographics from UK government sources such as the 2021 Census and the Index of Multiple Deprivation. They should give you a broad snapshot of the area and the surrounding locations. Are the residents of South Downs older than the national average or younger? What is the population of South Downs and Wealden? What is the claimant count in South Downs and how many residents are unemployed? This page should provide you with the answers.
South Downs & Wealden Immigration Statistics
We have analysed the Census 2021 raw data on country of birth and compiled immigration statistics as percentages of the population. All percentages have been rounded to two decimal places. Below are the figures for South Downs in the Wealden local area district.
| Area | Born in UK | Born outside UK |
|---|---|---|
| South Downs | 91.33% | 8.67% |
| Wealden | 92.41% | 7.59% |
| South East | 84.24% | 15.76% |
| England | 82.65% | 17.35% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
South Downs compared to other wards in Wealden
| # | Ward | Born in UK | Born outside UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forest Row | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| 2 | Crowborough South East | 87.8% | 12.2% |
| 3 | Hartfield | 88.95% | 11.05% |
| 4 | Arlington | 89.71% | 10.29% |
| 5 | Frant & Wadhurst | 89.76% | 10.24% |
| 6 | Mayfield & Five Ashes | 90.42% | 9.58% |
| 7 | Crowborough Central | 90.64% | 9.36% |
| 8 | Uckfield East | 90.88% | 9.12% |
| 9 | South Downs | 91.33% | 8.67% |
| 10 | Danehill & Fletching | 91.46% | 8.54% |
| 11 | Maresfield | 91.86% | 8.14% |
| 12 | Heathfield North | 92% | 8% |
| 13 | Withyham | 92.02% | 7.98% |
| 14 | Crowborough Jarvis Brook | 92.17% | 7.83% |
| 15 | Crowborough St Johns | 92.23% | 7.77% |
| 16 | Crowborough North | 92.27% | 7.73% |
| 17 | Uckfield New Town | 92.33% | 7.67% |
| 18 | Buxted | 92.39% | 7.61% |
| 19 | Chiddingly, East Hoathly & Waldron | 92.51% | 7.49% |
| 20 | Hadlow Down & Rotherfield | 92.57% | 7.43% |
| 21 | Crowborough South West | 92.65% | 7.35% |
| 22 | Polegate Central | 92.72% | 7.28% |
| 23 | Heathfield South | 92.87% | 7.13% |
| 24 | Framfield & Cross-in-Hand | 92.91% | 7.09% |
| 25 | Uckfield Ridgewood & Little Horsted | 93.09% | 6.91% |
| 26 | Stone Cross | 93.1% | 6.9% |
| 27 | Polegate North | 93.28% | 6.72% |
| 28 | Hailsham East | 93.4% | 6.6% |
| 29 | Upper Willingdon | 93.42% | 6.58% |
| 30 | Hailsham Central | 93.43% | 6.57% |
| 31 | Uckfield North | 93.52% | 6.48% |
| 32 | Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill | 93.74% | 6.26% |
| 33 | Hellingly | 93.93% | 6.07% |
| 34 | Horam & Punnetts Town | 94.35% | 5.65% |
| 35 | Lower Willingdon | 94.42% | 5.58% |
| 36 | Pevensey Bay | 94.57% | 5.43% |
| 37 | Hailsham West | 94.57% | 5.43% |
| 38 | Hailsham South | 94.83% | 5.17% |
| 39 | Hailsham North | 95.02% | 4.98% |
| 40 | Hailsham North West | 95.24% | 4.76% |
| 41 | Herstmonceux & Pevensey Levels | 95.44% | 4.56% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
South Downs Unemployment Statistics
Since the introduction of Universal Credit, The Department for Work & Pensions have not issued any statistics (in our view) that can be used to ascertain the levels of unemployment or under employment in the UK, just meaningless geographic counts. However, the Office of National Statistics does publish claimant counts of people receiving out of work benefits, be that legacy Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit as a proportion of people over 16. These figures are usually updated once a month and are for Local Authority Districts and Unitary Authority Districts. So below are the figures of Wealden.| Area | Unemployed | Yearly Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wealden | 2.1% | -0.4% |
| South East | 2.9% | -0.3% |
| England | 3.8% | -0.3% |
| UK | 3.7% | -0.3% |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), Last Retrieved: March 2023
| Economic Status | Proportion |
|---|---|
| In Employment | 43.53% |
| In Part-Time Work | 35.97% |
| Unemployed | 2% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
How many residents own or rent their home in South Downs and Wealden
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census and calculated what proportion of people in South Downs either own or rent their home. All percentages have been rounded to two decimal places. 81.21 of residents own their home either outright or mortgaged. 18.79 of South Downs residents rent their home either privately or through a social landlord.| Area | Owned | Rented |
|---|---|---|
| South Downs | 81.21% | 18.79% |
| Wealden | 76.97% | 23.03% |
| South East | 65.66% | 34.34% |
| England | 61.31% | 38.69% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
South Downs has a significantly higher level of home ownership than the national average. This is indicative or an economically wealthy area.
South Downs compared to other wards in Wealden
| # | Ward | Owned | Rented |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lower Willingdon | 88.31% | 11.69% |
| 2 | Upper Willingdon | 87.98% | 12.02% |
| 3 | Crowborough St Johns | 87.63% | 12.37% |
| 4 | Hailsham North | 86.73% | 13.27% |
| 5 | Framfield & Cross-in-Hand | 83.35% | 16.65% |
| 6 | Hadlow Down & Rotherfield | 82.92% | 17.08% |
| 7 | Arlington | 82.81% | 17.19% |
| 8 | Heathfield South | 82.51% | 17.49% |
| 9 | Horam & Punnetts Town | 81.97% | 18.03% |
| 10 | Crowborough South East | 81.92% | 18.08% |
| 11 | Maresfield | 81.61% | 18.39% |
| 12 | Hailsham South | 81.5% | 18.5% |
| 13 | South Downs | 81.21% | 18.79% |
| 14 | Stone Cross | 81.21% | 18.79% |
| 15 | Crowborough North | 81.19% | 18.81% |
| 16 | Danehill & Fletching | 80.67% | 19.33% |
| 17 | Pevensey Bay | 80.39% | 19.61% |
| 18 | Buxted | 79.82% | 20.18% |
| 19 | Chiddingly, East Hoathly & Waldron | 79.37% | 20.63% |
| 20 | Withyham | 79.1% | 20.9% |
| 21 | Herstmonceux & Pevensey Levels | 78.95% | 21.05% |
| 22 | Hailsham North West | 78.45% | 21.55% |
| 23 | Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill | 78.27% | 21.73% |
| 24 | Frant & Wadhurst | 77.29% | 22.71% |
| 25 | Mayfield & Five Ashes | 77.22% | 22.78% |
| 26 | Polegate Central | 77.06% | 22.94% |
| 27 | Hartfield | 76.51% | 23.49% |
| 28 | Uckfield Ridgewood & Little Horsted | 76.14% | 23.86% |
| 29 | Uckfield New Town | 75.49% | 24.51% |
| 30 | Crowborough South West | 75.39% | 24.61% |
| 31 | Hellingly | 72.32% | 27.68% |
| 32 | Forest Row | 72.26% | 27.74% |
| 33 | Crowborough Central | 72.18% | 27.82% |
| 34 | Uckfield East | 72.11% | 27.89% |
| 35 | Crowborough Jarvis Brook | 71.38% | 28.62% |
| 36 | Polegate North | 70.35% | 29.65% |
| 37 | Hailsham Central | 69.25% | 30.75% |
| 38 | Hailsham West | 67.98% | 32.02% |
| 39 | Heathfield North | 67.98% | 32.02% |
| 40 | Uckfield North | 64.48% | 35.52% |
| 41 | Hailsham East | 51.4% | 48.6% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
South Downs Education Statistics
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census to found of the level of education South Downs residents have in terms of formal qualifications as a percentage. The UK government breaks qualifications down into 7 levels. A detailed explanation of these levels can be found here. However, the Census groups these into just 4 \'levels\'. Here are some examples of the qualifications each census level represents when not stated;- Level 1 - GCSE grades D, E, F, or G & below
- Level 2 - GCSE A*, A, B, C or O Level grades A, B or C
- Level 3 - A or AS qualification at any grade
- Level 4 - HNC, Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree or Phd
| Level | South Downs | England |
|---|---|---|
| No Qualifications | 11.98% | 18.08% |
| Level 1 | 6.99% | 9.69% |
| Level 2 | 13.31% | 13.32% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.58% | 5.32% |
| Level 3 | 14.68% | 16.92% |
| Level 4 | 45.88% | 33.92% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
What are the occupations of the residents of South Downs?
The largest employment sector in South Downs is Managers, Directors & Senior Officials. The smallest employment sector is Process Plant & Machine Operatives.| Sector | Proportion |
|---|---|
| Managers, Directors & Senior Officials | 24.71% |
| Professional Occupations | 24.54% |
| Associate Professional & Technical | 14.74% |
| Caring, leisure & Other Services | 8.21% |
| Skilled Trades | 8.04% |
| Administrative & Secretarial | 7.79% |
| Elementary Occupations | 5.36% |
| Process Plant & Machine Operatives | 1.93% |
South Downs Health Statistics
South Downs has a lower proportion of residents (very_good_pc-$ward_health->very_good_pc, 2)%) describing their health as very good than the national average for England.| Area | VG | G | F | B | VB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Downs | 45.72% | 36.46% | 12.69% | 4.1% | 1.04% |
| Wealden | 48.22% | 34.74% | 12.62% | 3.51% | 0.91% |
| South East | 49.98% | 34.01% | 11.77% | 3.31% | 0.93% |
| England | 48.49% | 33.71% | 12.65% | 3.98% | 1.17% |
VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, B = Bad & VB = Very Bad
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
How has the health of residents in Wealden changed since 2011?
Wealden residents who describe their health as either good or very good has increased by 0.44% between the 2011 and 2021 census.| Year | VG | G | F | B | VB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 47.59% | 34.93% | 13.03% | 3.49% | 0.96% |
| 2021 | 48.22% | 34.74% | 12.62% | 3.51% | 0.91% |
VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, B = Bad & VB = Very Bad
Source: Census 2011/2021 (Nomis/ONS)
South Downs Age Distribution Statistics
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 Census and the calculated the proportion of age groups in South Downs.| Age Band | Proportion |
|---|---|
| 4 & under |  |
| 5 - 9 years | |
| 10 - 15 years | |
| 16 - 19 years | |
| 20 - 24 years | |
| 25 - 34 years | |
| 35 - 49 years | |
| 50 - 64 years | |
| 65 - 74 years | |
| 75 - 84 years | |
| 85 years & over | |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
What is the population of South Downs and Wealden?
The table below contains the populations figures for each ward in Wealden including South Downs. These population ONS figures are estimated are dated Mid 2020.
| Ward | Population |
|---|---|
| Arlington | 3513 |
| Buxted | 4204 |
| Chiddingly, East Hoathly & Waldron | 3536 |
| Crowborough Central | 3507 |
| Crowborough Jarvis Brook | 3933 |
| Crowborough North | 4103 |
| Crowborough South East | 4195 |
| Crowborough South West | 3049 |
| Crowborough St Johns | 3450 |
| Danehill & Fletching | 4051 |
| Forest Row | 4430 |
| Framfield & Cross-in-Hand | 3323 |
| Frant & Wadhurst | 6928 |
| Hadlow Down & Rotherfield | 3371 |
| Hailsham Central | 2607 |
| Hailsham East | 4632 |
| Hailsham North | 3293 |
| Hailsham North West | 3704 |
| Hailsham South | 3384 |
| Hailsham West | 4227 |
| Hartfield | 3368 |
| Heathfield North | 3906 |
| Heathfield South | 4264 |
| Hellingly | 5137 |
| Herstmonceux & Pevensey Levels | 6973 |
| Horam & Punnetts Town | 6743 |
| Lower Willingdon | 3338 |
| Maresfield | 3838 |
| Mayfield & Five Ashes | 3693 |
| Pevensey Bay | 2993 |
| Polegate Central | 5160 |
| Polegate North | 3942 |
| Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill | 3629 |
| South Downs | 3102 |
| Stone Cross | 3537 |
| Uckfield East | 3321 |
| Uckfield New Town | 6941 |
| Uckfield North | 3047 |
| Uckfield Ridgewood & Little Horsted | 2030 |
| Upper Willingdon | 3179 |
| Withyham | 3152 |
| Wealden Total | 162733 |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Last updated: 20/02/2024, Additional Sources: Office for National Statistics & Department for Work & Pensions.
