Swale: population and statistics
Swale has a population of 160,671 (2025) across 373.4 km², or 430 people per km². It ranks 157 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +12.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 160,671 residents
- 373.4 km²
- 430 people/km²
Swale in numbers
Population of Swale over time
Swale had 142,723 residents in 2015 and 160,671 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 150,584 |
| 2021 | 152,218 |
| 2022 | 154,683 |
| 2023 | 156,521 |
| 2024 | 158,754 |
| 2025 | 160,671 |
All indicators for Swale
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 | Swale | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 19.4% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 219 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 19.4% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 68 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Swale | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 67,890 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 160 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 29.1% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 183 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 22.3% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 80 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 60,495 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 162 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 87.5% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 112 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 11.6% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 208 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 68.3% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 136 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 18.4% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 132 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.3% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 195 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £298,985 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 152 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 3.2% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 122 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Swale | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 86 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 78.5% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 123 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.0% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 224 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 2.1% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 131 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Swale | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,185 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 204 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 38.5 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 260 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,345 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 199 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £38,432 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 177 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Swale | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.0% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 138 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 | Swale | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 16.6% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 188 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Swale ranks 20 by population.
Share of residents aged under 16: 19.4% in Swale, compared with an average of 18.1% in South East and 17.7% across the UK.
Dwellings built since 2000: 22.3% in Swale, compared with an average of 19.8% in South East and 18.6% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 18.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
Business sectors: Swale
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction18.0% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade15.0% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical11.3% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services8.2% ×1.0
- Transport and storage6.9% ×1.6
- Accommodation and food services6.8% ×1.0
- Manufacturing6.0% ×1.4
- Health and social work5.2% ×0.9
Where is Swale?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Swale?
Swale has 160,671 residents (2025), ranking 157 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Swale?
Swale covers 373.4 km², with a density of 430 people per km².
Is the population of Swale growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Swale went from 142,723 to 160,671, a change of +12.6%.
Where is Swale?
Swale is in South East (region). Latitude 51.340, longitude 0.731.
Share of residents aged under 16: what is the figure for Swale?
In Swale, “Share of residents aged under 16” stands at 19.4% (2025), ranking 68 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 17.4%.
Dwellings built since 2000: what is the figure for Swale?
In Swale, “Dwellings built since 2000” stands at 22.3% (2026), ranking 80 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 18.1%.
Which local authorities border Swale?
The nearest to Swale are Medway (14 km), Maidstone (16 km), Southend-on-Sea (22 km), Ashford (24 km), Gravesham (24 km).