Lewes: population and statistics
Lewes has a population of 102,648 (2025) across 292.1 km², or 351 people per km². It ranks 292 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +2.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 102,648 residents
- 292.1 km²
- 351 people/km²
Lewes in numbers
Population of Lewes over time
Lewes had 99,717 residents in 2015 and 102,648 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 100,443 |
| 2021 | 100,166 |
| 2022 | 100,655 |
| 2023 | 101,645 |
| 2024 | 102,323 |
| 2025 | 102,648 |
All indicators for Lewes
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 | Lewes | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 27.4% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 34 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.9% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 275 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lewes | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 47,540 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 250 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 26.6% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 211 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 14.2% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 244 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 43,688 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 248 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 80.4% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 201 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 18.8% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 121 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 72.1% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 66 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 16.9% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 184 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 10.9% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 270 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £368,408 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 90 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.8% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 236 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lewes | 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) | 72.8% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 210 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.9% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 112 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 4.8% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 90 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lewes | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 4,845 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 266 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 47.2 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 141 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,220 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 260 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £40,807 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 124 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Lewes | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 83.5% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 28 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.5% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 132 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lewes | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 18.8% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 152 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Lewes ranks 55 by population.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: 83.5% in Lewes, compared with an average of 79.1% in South East and 75.6% across the UK.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 27.4% in Lewes, compared with an average of 20.2% in South East and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Professional, scientific and technical, with 15.8% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Employment rate, aged 16-64”: higher than in 92% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 40,912 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Brighton and Hove, 12.5 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Brighton and Hove (284,170 residents), 12 km away.
Business sectors: Lewes
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Professional, scientific and technical15.8% ×1.1
- Construction14.5% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade14.4% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services7.6% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services6.4% ×0.9
- Information and communication6.4% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.3% ×1.2
- Health and social work5.1% ×0.9
Where is Lewes?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lewes?
Lewes has 102,648 residents (2025), ranking 292 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Lewes?
Lewes covers 292.1 km², with a density of 351 people per km².
Is the population of Lewes growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Lewes went from 99,717 to 102,648, a change of +2.9%.
Where is Lewes?
Lewes is in South East (region). Latitude 50.874, longitude 0.009.
Employment rate, aged 16-64: what is the figure for Lewes?
In Lewes, “Employment rate, aged 16-64” stands at 83.5% (2025-2026), ranking 28 of 347 local authorities; the UK median is 76.3%.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Lewes?
In Lewes, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 27.4% (2025), ranking 34 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Which local authorities border Lewes?
The nearest to Lewes are Brighton and Hove (12 km), Mid Sussex (19 km), Adur (20 km), Wealden (20 km), Eastbourne (22 km).