East Suffolk: population and statistics
East Suffolk has a population of 250,106 (2025) across 1,261.0 km², or 198 people per km². It ranks 85 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +4.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 250,106 residents
- 1,261.0 km²
- 198 people/km²
East Suffolk in numbers
Population of East Suffolk over time
East Suffolk had 240,479 residents in 2015 and 250,106 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 245,482 |
| 2021 | 246,776 |
| 2022 | 247,177 |
| 2023 | 248,519 |
| 2024 | 249,581 |
| 2025 | 250,106 |
All indicators for East Suffolk
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | East Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 29.6% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 13 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.1% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 318 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | East Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 123,400 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 60 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 31.2% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 165 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 17.4% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 170 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 110,749 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 63 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 89.3% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 72 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 10.0% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 248 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 69.3% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 113 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 17.6% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 157 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.1% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 209 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £276,301 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 175 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −1.0% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 295 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | East Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 117 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 67.6% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 250 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.6% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 122 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 8.7% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 59 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | East Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 11,165 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 79 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 44.6 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 178 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 9,405 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 80 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,793 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 232 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | East Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 83.4% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 29 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.8% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 216 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | East Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 15.9% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 198 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, East Suffolk ranks 2 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 29.6% in East Suffolk, compared with an average of 20.3% in East and 19.4% across the UK.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 83.4% in East Suffolk, compared with an average of 78.4% in East and 75.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: higher than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 176,605 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Ipswich, 28.2 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Newham (376,542 residents), 126 km away.
Business sectors: East Suffolk
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade15.6% ×1.0
- Construction12.8% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical11.5% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services8.0% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services7.6% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.4% ×1.7
- Transport and storage6.7% ×1.6
- Health and social work5.2% ×0.9
Where is East Suffolk?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of East Suffolk?
East Suffolk has 250,106 residents (2025), ranking 85 of 361 local authorities.
How big is East Suffolk?
East Suffolk covers 1,261.0 km², with a density of 198 people per km².
Is the population of East Suffolk growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of East Suffolk went from 240,479 to 250,106, a change of +4.0%.
Where is East Suffolk?
East Suffolk is in East (region). Latitude 52.200, longitude 1.500.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for East Suffolk?
In East Suffolk, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 29.6% (2025), ranking 13 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for East Suffolk?
In East Suffolk, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 83.4% (2025-2026), ranking 29 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Which local authorities border East Suffolk?
The nearest to East Suffolk are Ipswich (28 km), Mid Suffolk (31 km), South Norfolk (37 km), Babergh (41 km), Norwich (48 km).