West Suffolk: population and statistics
West Suffolk has a population of 189,407 (2025) across 1,034.7 km², or 183 people per km². It ranks 129 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 189,407 residents
- 1,034.7 km²
- 183 people/km²
West Suffolk in numbers
Population of West Suffolk over time
West Suffolk had 176,177 residents in 2015 and 189,407 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 178,236 |
| 2021 | 180,813 |
| 2022 | 182,319 |
| 2023 | 186,052 |
| 2024 | 188,197 |
| 2025 | 189,407 |
All indicators for West 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 | West Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.3% | 20.3% | 20.4% | ranked 159 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.8% | 18.4% | 17.4% | ranked 153 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | West Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 84,980 dwellings | 2,888,720 | 27,429,300 | ranked 112 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 17.7% | 23.4% | 31.6% | ranked 288 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 23.7% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 57 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 78,747 households | 65,170 | 61,440 | ranked 110 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 87.0% | 81.7% | 84.7% | ranked 128 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 12.4% | 17.7% | 14.8% | ranked 191 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 61.4% | 66.1% | 67.3% | ranked 233 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 22.4% | 18.3% | 17.6% | ranked 70 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 16.2% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 114 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £294,810 | £353,838 | £272,474 | ranked 157 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.3% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 253 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | West Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 58.8% | 70.3% | 76.7% | ranked 289 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.7% | 9.5% | 7.8% | ranked 62 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 16.6% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 18 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | West Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,700 sites | 315,875 | 3,232,440 | ranked 99 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 51.2 per 1,000 | 47.8 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 95 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 8,215 businesses | 276,720 | 2,786,975 | ranked 111 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £39,628 | £41,339 | £38,490 | ranked 149 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | West Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 77.0% | 78.4% | 76.3% | ranked 159 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.5% | 3.3% | 3.2% | ranked 260 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | West Suffolk | East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 14.9% | 16.9% | 18.5% | ranked 215 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 45 local authorities in East, West Suffolk ranks 10 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 16.6% in West Suffolk, compared with an average of 7.0% in East and 3.4% across the UK.
Dwellings built before 1940: 17.7% in West Suffolk, compared with an average of 23.4% in East and 34.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.6% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households heated by oil only”: higher than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built before 1940”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 144,920 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Mid Suffolk, 26.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Central Bedfordshire (321,605 residents), 85 km away.
Business sectors: West 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 trade16.6% ×1.0
- Construction12.7% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical12.2% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services8.3% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services6.5% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.8% ×1.3
- Manufacturing5.3% ×1.2
- Information and communication5.2% ×0.8
Where is West Suffolk?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of West Suffolk?
West Suffolk has 189,407 residents (2025), ranking 129 of 361 local authorities.
How big is West Suffolk?
West Suffolk covers 1,034.7 km², with a density of 183 people per km².
Is the population of West Suffolk growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of West Suffolk went from 176,177 to 189,407, a change of +7.5%.
Where is West Suffolk?
West Suffolk is in East (region). Latitude 52.250, longitude 0.700.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for West Suffolk?
In West Suffolk, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 16.6% (2021), ranking 18 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for West Suffolk?
In West Suffolk, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 17.7% (2026), ranking 288 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Which local authorities border West Suffolk?
The nearest to West Suffolk are Mid Suffolk (26 km), Babergh (28 km), East Cambridgeshire (32 km), Ipswich (38 km), Cambridge (39 km).