Thanet: population and statistics
Thanet has a population of 143,618 (2025) across 103.6 km², or 1,386 people per km². It ranks 194 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +2.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 143,618 residents
- 103.6 km²
- 1,386 people/km²
Thanet in numbers
Population of Thanet over time
Thanet had 139,668 residents in 2015 and 143,618 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 139,945 |
| 2021 | 140,658 |
| 2022 | 140,511 |
| 2023 | 140,794 |
| 2024 | 142,158 |
| 2025 | 143,618 |
All indicators for Thanet
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 | Thanet | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.2% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 89 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.4% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 177 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Thanet | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 70,710 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 147 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 46.5% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 46 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 13.1% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 260 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 62,200 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 156 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 72.1% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 266 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 27.1% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 53 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 61.8% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 231 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 26.3% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 46 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 11.9% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 248 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £269,708 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 185 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 1.8% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 193 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Thanet | 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) | 79.0% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 112 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 9.6% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 92 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 0.3% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 199 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Thanet | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 5,560 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 229 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 38.7 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 256 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 4,790 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 226 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £35,775 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 261 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Thanet | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 72.5% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 266 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 5.4% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 34 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Thanet | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 26.1% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 68 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Thanet ranks 28 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 5.4% in Thanet, compared with an average of 3.1% in South East and 3.8% across the UK.
Dwellings built before 1940: 46.5% in Thanet, compared with an average of 28.0% in South East and 34.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 15.7% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: higher than in 90% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 14,511 football pitches.
- 4.9 times denser than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Canterbury, 25.5 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Medway (292,697 residents), 59 km away.
Business sectors: Thanet
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Construction15.7% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade15.5% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical12.1% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services11.4% ×1.6
- Administrative and support services7.9% ×1.0
- Information and communication6.0% ×1.0
- Health and social work5.3% ×0.9
- Manufacturing4.5% ×1.0
Where is Thanet?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Thanet?
Thanet has 143,618 residents (2025), ranking 194 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Thanet?
Thanet covers 103.6 km², with a density of 1,386 people per km².
Is the population of Thanet growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Thanet went from 139,668 to 143,618, a change of +2.8%.
Where is Thanet?
Thanet is in South East (region). Latitude 51.369, longitude 1.419.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Thanet?
In Thanet, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 5.4% (2026), ranking 34 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Thanet?
In Thanet, “Dwellings built before 1940” stands at 46.5% (2026), ranking 46 of 318 local authorities; the UK median is 31.6%.
Which local authorities border Thanet?
The nearest to Thanet are Canterbury (26 km), Dover (28 km), Folkestone and Hythe (36 km), Ashford (46 km), Swale (48 km).