Eastbourne: population and statistics
Eastbourne has a population of 103,894 (2025) across 44.2 km², or 2,353 people per km². It ranks 286 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +1.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 103,894 residents
- 44.2 km²
- 2,353 people/km²
Eastbourne in numbers
Population of Eastbourne over time
Eastbourne had 101,996 residents in 2015 and 103,894 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 101,984 |
| 2021 | 101,601 |
| 2022 | 102,320 |
| 2023 | 103,876 |
| 2024 | 104,271 |
| 2025 | 103,894 |
All indicators for Eastbourne
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 | Eastbourne | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.4% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 68 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.9% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 275 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Eastbourne | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 49,940 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 240 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 36.2% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 112 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 12.3% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 274 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 45,610 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 239 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 62.3% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 291 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 37.6% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 28 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 60.3% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 241 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 26.6% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 43 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.0% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 212 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £254,636 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 198 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −1.6% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 312 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Eastbourne | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.7% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 73 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 76.3% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 164 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 12.8% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 28 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Eastbourne | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 3,805 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 325 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 36.6 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 276 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 3,075 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 328 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £37,236 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 216 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Eastbourne | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 69.3% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 309 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 4.9% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 47 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Eastbourne | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 26.5% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 64 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Eastbourne ranks 53 by population.
Households heated by oil only: 0.1% in Eastbourne, compared with an average of 3.2% in South East and 3.4% across the UK.
Households living in a house or bungalow: 62.3% in Eastbourne, compared with an average of 77.8% in South East and 77.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Households living in a house or bungalow”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- “Registered businesses (enterprises)”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 6,185 football pitches.
- 8.3 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Lewes, 21.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Wealden (168,308 residents), 26 km away.
Business sectors: Eastbourne
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 trade17.2% ×1.1
- Construction12.8% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical12.8% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services10.7% ×1.5
- Health and social work9.4% ×1.7
- Administrative and support services8.0% ×1.0
- Other service activities5.3% ×1.3
- Information and communication4.9% ×0.8
Where is Eastbourne?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Eastbourne?
Eastbourne has 103,894 residents (2025), ranking 286 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Eastbourne?
Eastbourne covers 44.2 km², with a density of 2,353 people per km².
Is the population of Eastbourne growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Eastbourne went from 101,996 to 103,894, a change of +1.9%.
Where is Eastbourne?
Eastbourne is in South East (region). Latitude 50.773, longitude 0.276.
Households heated by oil only: what is the figure for Eastbourne?
In Eastbourne, “Households heated by oil only” stands at 0.1% (2021), ranking 246 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 0.9%.
Households living in a house or bungalow: what is the figure for Eastbourne?
In Eastbourne, “Households living in a house or bungalow” stands at 62.3% (2021), ranking 291 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 84.7%.
Which local authorities border Eastbourne?
The nearest to Eastbourne are Lewes (22 km), Hastings (22 km), Wealden (26 km), Rother (27 km), Brighton and Hove (31 km).