South Hams: population and statistics
South Hams has a population of 93,171 (2025) across 886.6 km², or 105 people per km². It ranks 316 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +10.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 93,171 residents
- 886.6 km²
- 105 people/km²
South Hams in numbers
Population of South Hams over time
South Hams had 84,616 residents in 2015 and 93,171 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 87,371 |
| 2021 | 89,161 |
| 2022 | 89,758 |
| 2023 | 90,954 |
| 2024 | 92,054 |
| 2025 | 93,171 |
All indicators for South Hams
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 | South Hams | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 29.3% | 23.2% | 20.4% | ranked 15 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.4% | 16.2% | 17.4% | ranked 301 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | South Hams | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 48,210 dwellings | 2,721,250 | 27,429,300 | ranked 247 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 32.8% | 31.7% | 31.6% | ranked 145 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 19.0% | 20.6% | 18.1% | ranked 139 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 39,337 households | 143,797 | 61,440 | ranked 276 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 88.7% | 80.6% | 84.7% | ranked 83 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 10.5% | 18.6% | 14.8% | ranked 235 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 72.1% | 66.9% | 67.3% | ranked 66 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 16.1% | 19.7% | 17.6% | ranked 203 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 11.8% | 13.3% | 14.3% | ranked 250 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £355,483 | £307,411 | £272,474 | ranked 96 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −5.3% | 1.1% | 2.2% | ranked 349 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | South Hams | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 2.4% | 1.7% | 1.2% | ranked 18 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 52.8% | 67.1% | 76.7% | ranked 299 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 11.3% | 10.3% | 7.8% | ranked 53 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 13.5% | 7.0% | 0.9% | ranked 29 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | South Hams | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 6,020 sites | 278,765 | 3,232,440 | ranked 208 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 64.6 per 1,000 | 47.2 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 22 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 5,320 businesses | 237,935 | 2,786,975 | ranked 200 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £38,638 | £37,598 | £38,490 | ranked 170 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | South Hams | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 71.4% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 283 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.1% | 2.7% | 3.2% | ranked 316 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | South Hams | South West | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 11.7% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 284 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 27 local authorities in South West, South Hams ranks 21 by population.
House price change over 12 months: −5.3% in South Hams, compared with an average of 1.1% in South West and 1.9% across the UK.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 29.3% in South Hams, compared with an average of 23.2% in South West and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 15.0% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “House price change over 12 months”: lower than in 97% of local authorities.
- “Share of residents aged 65 and over”: higher than in 96% of local authorities.
- “Households heated by mains gas only”: lower than in 94% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 124,168 football pitches.
- 2.7 times less dense than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Torbay, 9.8 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Plymouth (271,361 residents), 32 km away.
Business sectors: South Hams
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing15.0% ×3.4
- Wholesale and retail trade14.8% ×0.9
- Construction12.2% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical11.2% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services8.6% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services6.2% ×0.8
- Manufacturing5.9% ×1.4
- Real estate4.8% ×1.1
Where is South Hams?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of South Hams?
South Hams has 93,171 residents (2025), ranking 316 of 361 local authorities.
How big is South Hams?
South Hams covers 886.6 km², with a density of 105 people per km².
Is the population of South Hams growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of South Hams went from 84,616 to 93,171, a change of +10.1%.
Where is South Hams?
South Hams is in South West (region). Latitude 50.431, longitude −3.691.
House price change over 12 months: what is the figure for South Hams?
In South Hams, “House price change over 12 months” stands at −5.3% (2026), ranking 349 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is 2.2%.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for South Hams?
In South Hams, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 29.3% (2025), ranking 15 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Which local authorities border South Hams?
The nearest to South Hams are Torbay (9.8 km), Teignbridge (17 km), Plymouth (32 km), Exeter (34 km), West Devon (37 km).