New Forest: population and statistics
New Forest has a population of 175,930 (2025) across 752.1 km², or 234 people per km². It ranks 138 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is falling: −1.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 175,930 residents
- 752.1 km²
- 234 people/km²
New Forest in numbers
Population of New Forest over time
New Forest had 177,813 residents in 2015 and 175,930 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 175,937 |
| 2021 | 176,217 |
| 2022 | 175,914 |
| 2023 | 175,724 |
| 2024 | 175,845 |
| 2025 | 175,930 |
All indicators for New Forest
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 | New Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 31.3% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 4 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.6% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 334 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | New Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 83,680 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 114 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 22.2% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 259 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 11.9% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 283 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 77,567 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 112 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 84.7% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 158 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 13.7% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 169 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 74.8% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 24 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.3% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 267 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 10.8% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 275 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £384,977 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 84 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.0% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 262 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | New Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.1% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 75.5% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 176 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.6% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 203 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 3.7% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 103 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | New Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 9,125 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 122 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 51.9 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 90 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 7,855 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 123 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £38,571 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 173 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | New Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.8% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 80 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.3% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 288 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | New Forest | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 11.7% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 284 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, New Forest ranks 11 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 31.3% in New Forest, compared with an average of 20.2% in South East and 19.4% across the UK.
Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership): 74.8% in New Forest, compared with an average of 67.0% in South East and 62.3% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 14.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership)”: higher than in 93% of local authorities.
- “Households without a car or van”: lower than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 105,338 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Southampton, 18.0 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (405,829 residents), 25 km away.
Business sectors: New Forest
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 trade14.9% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical14.7% ×1.1
- Construction13.9% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services7.9% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services6.7% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.3% ×1.2
- Health and social work5.3% ×0.9
- Information and communication5.1% ×0.8
Where is New Forest?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of New Forest?
New Forest has 175,930 residents (2025), ranking 138 of 361 local authorities.
How big is New Forest?
New Forest covers 752.1 km², with a density of 234 people per km².
Is the population of New Forest growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of New Forest went from 177,813 to 175,930, a change of −1.1%.
Where is New Forest?
New Forest is in South East (region). Latitude 50.879, longitude −1.633.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for New Forest?
In New Forest, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 31.3% (2025), ranking 4 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership): what is the figure for New Forest?
In New Forest, “Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership)” stands at 74.8% (2021), ranking 24 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 67.3%.
Which local authorities border New Forest?
The nearest to New Forest are Southampton (18 km), Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (25 km), Eastleigh (25 km), Winchester (30 km), Test Valley (31 km).