Arun: population and statistics
Arun has a population of 172,326 (2025) across 221.0 km², or 780 people per km². It ranks 141 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +9.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 172,326 residents
- 221.0 km²
- 780 people/km²
Arun in numbers
Population of Arun over time
Arun had 157,474 residents in 2015 and 172,326 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 163,661 |
| 2021 | 165,219 |
| 2022 | 166,610 |
| 2023 | 168,733 |
| 2024 | 170,692 |
| 2025 | 172,326 |
All indicators for Arun
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 | Arun | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 29.3% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 15 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.8% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 330 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Arun | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 80,660 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 121 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 25.2% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 225 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 19.0% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 139 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 72,661 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 123 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 77.6% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 227 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 21.0% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 97 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 72.4% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 56 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.2% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 137 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 9.3% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 299 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £321,460 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 132 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.9% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 232 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Arun | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 117 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 77.5% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 140 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 9.4% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 99 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 1.0% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 154 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Arun | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,470 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 195 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 37.5 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 269 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,600 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 191 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £34,546 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 305 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Arun | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.4% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 126 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.7% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 115 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Arun | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 16.9% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 179 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Arun ranks 12 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 29.3% in Arun, compared with an average of 20.2% in South East and 19.4% across the UK.
Households in social housing: 9.3% in Arun, compared with an average of 13.7% in South East and 17.1% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 16.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Households in social housing”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 30,952 football pitches.
- 2.7 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Worthing, 11.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Brighton and Hove (284,170 residents), 27 km away.
Business sectors: Arun
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction16.9% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade16.7% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical12.1% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services8.2% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services7.3% ×1.0
- Health and social work6.2% ×1.1
- Manufacturing5.4% ×1.3
- Information and communication5.0% ×0.8
Where is Arun?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Arun?
Arun has 172,326 residents (2025), ranking 141 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Arun?
Arun covers 221.0 km², with a density of 780 people per km².
Is the population of Arun growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Arun went from 157,474 to 172,326, a change of +9.4%.
Where is Arun?
Arun is in South East (region). Latitude 50.808, longitude −0.538.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Arun?
In Arun, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 29.3% (2025), ranking 15 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Households in social housing: what is the figure for Arun?
In Arun, “Households in social housing” stands at 9.3% (2021), ranking 299 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 14.3%.
Which local authorities border Arun?
The nearest to Arun are Worthing (11 km), Chichester (17 km), Adur (19 km), Brighton and Hove (27 km), Havant (32 km).