Hastings: population and statistics
Hastings has a population of 90,855 (2025) across 29.8 km², or 3,049 people per km². It ranks 321 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is falling: −1.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 90,855 residents
- 29.8 km²
- 3,049 people/km²
Hastings in numbers
Population of Hastings over time
Hastings had 91,795 residents in 2015 and 90,855 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 91,130 |
| 2021 | 90,974 |
| 2022 | 90,672 |
| 2023 | 91,091 |
| 2024 | 91,017 |
| 2025 | 90,855 |
All indicators for Hastings
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 | Hastings | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.4% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 154 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 16.9% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 218 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Hastings | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 45,070 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 265 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 50.3% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 35 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 9.9% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 307 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 40,451 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 268 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 63.6% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 287 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 36.2% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 57.1% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 264 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 28.6% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 33 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.3% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 157 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £238,757 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 215 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −4.9% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 344 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Hastings | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.2% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 32 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 77.0% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 148 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 10.5% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 67 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.1% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 246 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Hastings | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 3,490 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 332 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 38.4 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 262 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 2,930 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 331 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £34,714 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 300 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Hastings | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 61.7% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 346 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.0% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 43 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Hastings | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 29.2% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 47 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Hastings ranks 59 by population.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 61.7% in Hastings, compared with an average of 79.1% in South East and 75.6% across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 9.9% in Hastings, compared with an average of 19.8% in South East and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 17.2% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built since 2000”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by oil only”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 4,174 football pitches.
- 10.7 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Rother, 11.4 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Wealden (168,308 residents), 30 km away.
Business sectors: Hastings
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
- Construction14.7% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical11.9% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services10.2% ×1.4
- Health and social work8.2% ×1.4
- Information and communication6.9% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services6.7% ×0.8
- Manufacturing4.7% ×1.1
Where is Hastings?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Hastings?
Hastings has 90,855 residents (2025), ranking 321 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Hastings?
Hastings covers 29.8 km², with a density of 3,049 people per km².
Is the population of Hastings growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Hastings went from 91,795 to 90,855, a change of −1.0%.
Where is Hastings?
Hastings is in South East (region). Latitude 50.850, longitude 0.570.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Hastings?
In Hastings, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 61.7% (2025-2026), ranking 346 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Hastings?
In Hastings, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 9.9% (2026), ranking 307 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Hastings?
The nearest to Hastings are Rother (11 km), Eastbourne (22 km), Wealden (30 km), Tunbridge Wells (38 km), Ashford (39 km).