Southend-on-Sea: population and statistics
Southend-on-Sea has a population of 185,214 (2025) across 41.7 km², or 4,445 people per km². It ranks 133 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +3.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 185,214 residents
- 41.7 km²
- 4,445 people/km²
Southend-on-Sea in numbers
Population of Southend-on-Sea over time
Southend-on-Sea had 179,203 residents in 2015 and 185,214 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 181,276 |
| 2021 | 180,655 |
| 2022 | 180,685 |
| 2023 | 182,327 |
| 2024 | 184,503 |
| 2025 | 185,214 |
All indicators for Southend-on-Sea
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 | Southend-on-Sea | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.7% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 209 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 18.6% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 112 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Southend-on-Sea | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 83,440 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 115 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 51.8% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 28 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 9.1% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 311 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 78,344 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 111 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 63.8% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 286 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 36.1% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 33 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 61.9% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 229 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 26.5% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 45 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 11.5% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 257 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £328,383 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 124 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 205 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Southend-on-Sea | 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) | 78.4% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 125 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.1% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 78 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.0% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 310 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Southend-on-Sea | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 7,900 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 150 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 42.7 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 203 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,050 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 143 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £41,554 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 106 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Southend-on-Sea | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.2% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 106 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.2% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 82 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Southend-on-Sea | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 24.6% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 87 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, Southend-on-Sea ranks 11 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.0% in Southend-on-Sea, compared with an average of 7.0% in East and 3.4% across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 9.1% in Southend-on-Sea, compared with an average of 21.0% in East and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.3% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in East for “Dwellings built before 1940”.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: lower than in 98% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,836 football pitches.
- 15.6 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Rochford, 5.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Medway (292,697 residents), 17 km away.
Business sectors: Southend-on-Sea
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 trade16.3% ×1.0
- Construction15.2% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical12.9% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services9.2% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services7.9% ×1.1
- Health and social work6.7% ×1.2
- Information and communication6.2% ×1.0
- Other service activities5.1% ×1.2
Where is Southend-on-Sea?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Southend-on-Sea?
Southend-on-Sea has 185,214 residents (2025), ranking 133 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Southend-on-Sea?
Southend-on-Sea covers 41.7 km², with a density of 4,445 people per km².
Is the population of Southend-on-Sea growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Southend-on-Sea went from 179,203 to 185,214, a change of +3.4%.
Where is Southend-on-Sea?
Southend-on-Sea is in East (region). Latitude 51.537, longitude 0.715.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Southend-on-Sea?
In Southend-on-Sea, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.0% (2021), ranking 310 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Southend-on-Sea?
In Southend-on-Sea, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 9.1% (2026), ranking 311 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Southend-on-Sea?
The nearest to Southend-on-Sea are Rochford (5.0 km), Castle Point (10 km), Maldon (16 km), Medway (17 km), Basildon (18 km).