Rother: population and statistics
Rother has a population of 96,150 (2025) across 511.7 km², or 188 people per km². It ranks 308 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +4.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 96,150 residents
- 511.7 km²
- 188 people/km²
Rother in numbers
Population of Rother over time
Rother had 91,751 residents in 2015 and 96,150 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 92,734 |
| 2021 | 93,409 |
| 2022 | 94,255 |
| 2023 | 95,035 |
| 2024 | 95,947 |
| 2025 | 96,150 |
All indicators for Rother
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 | Rother | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 33.2% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 2 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 14.4% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 339 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Rother | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 47,140 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 254 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 39.4% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 90 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 13.4% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 256 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 42,102 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 257 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 77.9% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 224 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 21.6% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 91 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 73.6% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 35 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 16.2% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 199 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 10.2% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 287 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £337,816 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 110 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.5% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 248 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Rother | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 99 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 67.1% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 253 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 9.6% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 92 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 7.6% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 64 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Rother | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 4,775 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 269 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 49.7 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 113 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,280 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 259 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £36,197 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 249 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Rother | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 79.6% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 85 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 169 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Rother | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 16.0% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 196 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Rother ranks 56 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 33.2% in Rother, compared with an average of 20.2% in South East and 19.4% across the UK.
Households in social housing: 10.2% in Rother, compared with an average of 13.7% in South East and 17.1% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 15.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South East for “Share of residents aged 65 and over”.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 100% of local authorities.
- “Households in social housing”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 71,672 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Hastings, 11.4 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Wealden (168,308 residents), 23 km away.
Business sectors: Rother
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction15.9% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade15.1% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical12.9% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services8.3% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.9% ×1.8
- Administrative and support services7.5% ×0.9
- Health and social work5.3% ×0.9
- Information and communication4.7% ×0.8
Where is Rother?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rother?
Rother has 96,150 residents (2025), ranking 308 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Rother?
Rother covers 511.7 km², with a density of 188 people per km².
Is the population of Rother growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Rother went from 91,751 to 96,150, a change of +4.8%.
Where is Rother?
Rother is in South East (region). Latitude 50.950, longitude 0.533.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Rother?
In Rother, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 33.2% (2025), ranking 2 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Households in social housing: what is the figure for Rother?
In Rother, “Households in social housing” stands at 10.2% (2021), ranking 287 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 14.3%.
Which local authorities border Rother?
The nearest to Rother are Hastings (11 km), Wealden (23 km), Eastbourne (27 km), Tunbridge Wells (28 km), Ashford (32 km).