Skip to content
East Sussex Counts — East Sussex, in numbers.Local help →

Hastings, in numbers

People and living standards: Hastings

Hastings local authority area. Every figure carries its own date.

How the population is changing, who lives here and what living standards look like.

Hastings local authority area. These are council-area figures. They are not a separate history for every ward or the city centre.

More people? A different age mix?

The population grew from 82,763 in 1991 to 90,855 in 2025.

A growing number of children, working-age adults or older residents can mean different needs for homes, schools, jobs and care.

Population

1996 to 2025

Hastings council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 82,247 people in 1996; 90,855 people in 2025. 10.5% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Population — Hastings council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199182,763
199283,318
199382,601
199482,446
199582,616
199682,247
199782,599
199882,154
199984,089
200084,693
200185,392
200285,873
200386,596
200486,854
200587,419
200687,516
200788,024
200888,722
200989,293
201089,623
201190,173
201290,493
201390,994
201491,356
201591,795
201692,347
201792,016
201891,963
201991,570
202091,130
202190,974
202290,672
202391,091
202491,017
202590,855
Source →
People aged 0 to 15

People aged 0 to 15

1996 to 2025

Hastings council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 17,325 people in 1996; 15,348 people in 2025. 11.4% lower between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 0 to 15 — Hastings council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199116,520
199216,939
199317,015
199417,150
199517,305
199617,325
199717,396
199817,321
199917,816
200017,927
200117,955
200217,918
200317,779
200417,489
200517,249
200617,107
200716,965
200816,934
200916,951
201016,768
201116,711
201216,761
201316,857
201416,976
201516,954
201617,104
201716,920
201816,818
201916,691
202016,545
202116,261
202216,101
202316,041
202415,722
202515,348
Source →
People aged 16 to 64

People aged 16 to 64

1996 to 2025

Hastings council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 48,965 people in 1996; 56,063 people in 2025. 14.5% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 16 to 64 — Hastings council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199149,340
199249,660
199349,120
199448,954
199549,097
199648,965
199749,417
199849,217
199950,793
200051,421
200152,116
200252,709
200353,726
200454,388
200555,248
200655,637
200756,347
200856,975
200957,331
201057,589
201157,936
201257,595
201357,508
201457,410
201557,634
201657,719
201757,499
201857,247
201956,566
202056,075
202156,216
202255,770
202356,096
202455,999
202556,063
Source →
People aged 65 or over

People aged 65 or over

1996 to 2025

Hastings council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 15,957 people in 1996; 19,444 people in 2025. 21.9% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 65 or over — Hastings council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199116,903
199216,719
199316,466
199416,342
199516,214
199615,957
199715,786
199815,616
199915,480
200015,345
200115,321
200215,246
200315,091
200414,977
200514,922
200614,772
200714,712
200814,813
200915,011
201015,266
201115,526
201216,137
201316,629
201416,970
201517,207
201617,524
201717,597
201817,898
201918,313
202018,510
202118,497
202218,801
202318,954
202419,296
202519,444
Source →

Population growth alone does not show whether services are under pressure. Capacity, location and residents’ needs also matter.

How residents described their ethnic group

These are census snapshots, not annual estimates. Open a year to see both the number of people and their share of the population.

2021 census · 90,995 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Hastings · 2021
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh2,5362.8%
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African1,2621.4%
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups2,6392.9%
White83,19191.4%
Other ethnic group1,3671.5%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2011 census · 90,254 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Hastings · 2011
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White84,63193.8%
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups1,9482.2%
Asian/Asian British2,1262.4%
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British1,0651.2%
Other ethnic group4840.5%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2001 census · 85,029 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Hastings · 2001
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White82,49697%
Mixed1,0941.3%
Asian/Asian British6290.7%
Black/Black British4100.5%
Chinese/Other4000.5%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →

A complete, comparable 30-year ethnicity history is not available for every current area. Missing years have not been estimated.

How comfortable is life here?

Pay, housing costs, health and opportunities tell different parts of the story. An area average can hide large differences between households.

In 2024, average disposable income per person was 13.1% below the UK average.

Money available to spend or save per person

1997 to 2024

Hastings council area · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: £8,201 per person in 1997; £22,562 per person in 2024. 175.1% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Money available to spend or save per person — Hastings council area: full reviewed history
Period£ per person, current prices
19978,201
19988,427
19998,740
20008,834
20019,190
20029,567
20039,876
200410,190
200510,489
200611,022
200711,735
200812,085
200912,906
201013,214
201113,256
201213,923
201314,575
201414,803
201515,289
201615,886
201716,036
201816,868
201917,741
202018,219
202119,083
202219,989
202321,066
202422,562
Source →
Has the gap with the UK average changed?

Above zero means income is above the UK average; below zero means it is below. Each year is compared with the UK average for that same year.

Income above or below the UK average

1997 to 2024

Hastings council area · %

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: -22.7% in 1997; -13.1% in 2024. 9.6 percentage points higher.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils. Displayed as the published UK=100 value minus 100, giving the percentage above or below the UK average.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Income above or below the UK average — Hastings council area: full reviewed history
Period%
1997-22.7
1998-22.2
1999-22.7
2000-25.8
2001-25.7
2002-24.4
2003-24.2
2004-24.9
2005-25.4
2006-24.7
2007-23.5
2008-23.3
2009-19.4
2010-18.2
2011-18.6
2012-17.6
2013-16.8
2014-18.1
2015-19.6
2016-17.5
2017-18.6
2018-17.4
2019-15.8
2020-13.2
2021-12.6
2022-13
2023-13.8
2024-13.1
Source →

Mixed-source official estimates: administrative records and surveys. Income here is the average money per resident available to spend or save after tax and benefits. It is not typical pay or household wealth. Cash figures do not show how much prices changed.

Adults in work

54.7%

21 March 2021 · Hastings local authority area

Show the workings

All usual residents aged 16 and over

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

Source →

Households facing several disadvantages

22.9%

21 March 2021 · Hastings local authority area

Show the workings

All households

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Adults with no qualifications

20.1%

21 March 2021 · Hastings local authority area

Show the workings

Residents aged 16 and over

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

People reporting bad or very bad health

7.3%

21 March 2021 · Hastings local authority area

Show the workings

All usual residents; self-reported, not age-standardised

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Average home price

£239,000

July 2026 · Hastings local authority area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Source →

Average monthly private rent

£1,007

August 2026 · Hastings local authority area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

Official local housing data feed. House prices are provisional, not seasonally adjusted; rents use the Price Index of Private Rents. Local short-term estimates are variable. Country references use only the explicitly country-coded ctry object, never the local place object.

Source →

Deprivation describes several kinds of disadvantage. It is not a measure of household wealth. A change in an area's ranking does not by itself show whether living conditions improved.

See differences between neighbourhoods →

What could the changes mean locally?

Use the age profile alongside school places and care capacity, and look at housing costs alongside pay. Then check whether local plans respond to the needs shown by the evidence.

Read the local action plan →
Which histories are missing or need care?

These histories describe the stated whole area. A consistent historical series for its current wards has not been established.

1991 ethnicity has not been reconstructed to this current area. No annual ethnicity values are inferred between census dates.

These local income figures include inflation. No local inflation-adjusted income series has been substituted or inferred from regional prices.

This series describes the stated council or reference area. A comparable 30-year income history for its current wards has not been established.

The reviewed release starts in 1997. Earlier income values have not been invented or joined from another definition.