Test Valley: population and statistics
Test Valley has a population of 135,698 (2025) across 627.7 km², or 216 people per km². It ranks 217 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +11.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 135,698 residents
- 627.7 km²
- 216 people/km²
Test Valley in numbers
Population of Test Valley over time
Test Valley had 122,256 residents in 2015 and 135,698 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 128,858 |
| 2021 | 131,158 |
| 2022 | 132,879 |
| 2023 | 134,368 |
| 2024 | 135,169 |
| 2025 | 135,698 |
All indicators for Test Valley
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 | Test Valley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.5% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 123 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.8% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 153 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Test Valley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 59,210 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 196 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 17.9% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 283 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 24.5% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 50 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 54,706 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 190 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 86.2% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 144 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 13.1% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 175 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 70.9% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 89 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 14.8% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 252 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 14.3% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 157 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £368,131 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 91 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.6% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 279 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Test Valley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 0.9% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 242 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 65.1% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 271 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 8.4% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 128 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 11.6% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 39 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Test Valley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,720 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 185 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 49.5 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 114 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,800 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 180 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £40,576 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 128 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Test Valley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 76.9% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 161 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.0% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 331 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Test Valley | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 11.9% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 279 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Test Valley ranks 35 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 2.0% in Test Valley, compared with an average of 3.1% in South East and 3.8% across the UK.
Dwellings built before 1940: 17.9% in Test Valley, compared with an average of 28.0% in South East and 34.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 95% of local authorities.
- “Dwellings built before 1940”: lower than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 87,908 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Winchester, 14.9 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Southampton (259,230 residents), 26 km away.
Business sectors: Test Valley
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 trade15.4% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical15.4% ×1.1
- Construction12.7% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services8.3% ×1.0
- Information and communication6.4% ×1.0
- Health and social work5.7% ×1.0
- Manufacturing5.4% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services4.8% ×0.7
Where is Test Valley?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Test Valley?
Test Valley has 135,698 residents (2025), ranking 217 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Test Valley?
Test Valley covers 627.7 km², with a density of 216 people per km².
Is the population of Test Valley growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Test Valley went from 122,256 to 135,698, a change of +11.0%.
Where is Test Valley?
Test Valley is in South East (region). Latitude 51.139, longitude −1.491.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Test Valley?
In Test Valley, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 2.0% (2026), ranking 331 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Test Valley?
In Test Valley, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 17.9% (2026), ranking 283 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Which local authorities border Test Valley?
The nearest to Test Valley are Winchester (15 km), Eastleigh (25 km), Southampton (26 km), Basingstoke and Deane (29 km), New Forest (31 km).