Population estimates … in brief
Contents
- Key findings
- Age structure
- Population change
- Children and young people (aged 0 to 17)
- Working-age people (aged 18 to 64)
- Older population (aged 65 and over)
- Districts
- Population change in Sussex as a whole
- Detailed components of change data
- Further information
Key findings
See the population profile for East Sussex elsewhere on ESiF.
Note that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have made some substantial revisions to their methodology, so users need to make sure that they are using the latest data for the period since 2021.
The population of East Sussex was estimated to be 561,900 in mid-2025.
Population growth has been slower than England and the South East. The number of people has increased by 0.3% (1,500 more people) since mid-2024 (England up 0.4%, South East up 0.6%). This is slightly lower than in 2024 when numbers rose by 0.7% (3,900).
Wealden grew fastest in the year to June 2025, with an increase of 0.9% over the year, while Eastbourne (down 0.4%) and Hastings (down 0.2%) both saw declines over the year.
The population of the county has increased by 3.9% over the 10 years since 2015 (21,200 more people), a much slower rate than the national increase (7.3%) over this period, but at 8.3%, Wealden saw a rise higher than the national average. Hastings has seen population numbers decline by 1.0% in the last ten years.
The population of the whole Sussex and Brighton Strategic Authority (SBSA) area increased by 0.4% over the year from mid-2024 to mid-2025, with a significant increase in West Sussex (up 0.8% since 2024), but a small decline in Brighton and Hove (down 0.3%) over the year. Of all the districts in the combined area, Mid Sussex grew fastest, with 1.5% more people in 2025.
East Sussex has a much older population profile than the average for England with 27.1% of the population aged 65 or over, the 7th highest of all Upper Tier authorities in the country, and the county is joint fourth highest for percentage of people aged 85 and over (4.0%). Rother ranks 2nd of all lower tier authorities (behind North Norfolk) for proportion of population aged 65+ (33.2%), and joint first for percentage aged 85+ (5.0%, with North Norfolk and New Forest districts).
The median age of people in East Sussex is 48.7 years, among the 10 oldest upper tier authorities in England. Rother, at 54.4 years, has the third oldest median age of all districts/unitaries.
But the older population in the county has been growing more slowly than the national average, with 1.5% more people aged 65+ in 2025, compared to a 2.0% rise nationally, and a 13.3% increase since 2015, compared to a 16.3% national rise.
The number of children aged 0-17 fell in the year to June 2025, by 1.0% in the county, with numbers of children and young people down in all districts except Wealden which saw a slight increase of 0.2%. Nationally the number of children and young people in this age group fell by 0.6%.
There has also been a decline of 1.8% in the number of children in East Sussex over the 10 years since 2015, compared to a national increase of 3.1%. Hastings has seen a decline of 8.4% in the number of children and young people since 2015.
Births are at an all-time low in the county (since at least 1991) with just 4,125 live births in the year to mid-2025. This was considerably lower than the number of deaths (7,147) over the year, giving natural change of -3,022, the largest loss to natural change since at least 2001.
The biggest component of population change in the county comes from internal (UK) migration, with net arrivals from within the country of 4,073, a slightly lower level than the average for the previous 10 years.
With just 501 net arrivals from overseas in the county in 2025, net international migration into the county is at its lowest level since 2021 (when numbers were negative due to the pandemic).
Fig. 1: East Sussex population in 2015 and 2025, by age and sex
| Population in 2024 | 560,330 |
| + Natural change | 3,020 |
| + Net migration from UK | 4,070 |
| + Net international migration | 500 |
| + Other change | -30 |
| Population in 2025 | 561,860 |
Note: rounded numbers do not quite sum to total.
Age Structure
East Sussex has a much older age profile compared to England and the South East. In 2025, over a quarter (27.1%) of the county’s population was aged 65 or over (highest of all 21 shire counties, and seventh highest of all counties/UAs in England), compared to 19.1% in England and 20.2% regionally. On the other hand, only 15.9% of the county is aged under 16, compared to 17.9% nationally and 18.1% in the South East. The population aged under 16 fell in all East Sussex districts, the region and England as a whole in the year to end June 2025.
Rother has the second highest proportion of people aged 65 and over (33.2%) (behind North Norfolk, 35.6%), and joint highest proportion aged 85 and over (5.0%) along with North Norfolk and New Forest, of all local authority districts/UAs in England. At 54.4 years, Rother has the third highest median age of all districts/UAs, behind North Norfolk (56.5 years) and East Lindsey (54.7 years). It has the highest median age out of all SBSA districts/UAs.
Fig. 2. Median ages in all Sussex (SBSA) districts/UAs in mid-2025
Fig. 3. Actual population change over the period 2015 to 2025
Overall, the East Sussex population has grown by 3.9% since 2015. While the population aged 65 and over has increased by 13.3%, older people aged 45-64 have risen by 2.0%, and people aged 30-44 have risen by 9.8%, there were declines among the 18-29 age group (down 9.6%) and among children aged 0-17 (down 1.8%).
There were two ‘baby booms’ in the 20th century, one just after World War II and another in the mid-1960s, which can be seen as ‘bulges’ in the population pyramid above. However, population growth in those age groups has been augmented by migration, mainly by people moving to East Sussex from within the UK (“internal migration”).
The overall number of children under 18 has fallen since 2015, but while there are considerably fewer children aged 0-4 in 2025 than there were in 2015 (down 15.6%) and those aged 5-9 (down 4.2%) but there was a rise in the numbers of children aged 10-14 (up 8.6%).
Other groups seeing significant falls in numbers include those in the 20-24 age group (down 18.4% since 2015), and those in their late 40s (aged 45-49, down 18.9% since 2015), partly as a consequence of the population ‘bulge’ in those age groups ageing on ten years and the next age group being far less numerous.
But the 35-39 age group rose by 22.8% over the ten years, suggesting that adults of family-building age are choosing to move into the county.
Population change
Fig. 4: Components of population change in East Sussex, 2003-2025
2025 saw a considerably lower international migration inflow than in 2024 (79.6% fewer net arrivals: 501 compared to 2,460 in 2024), but it is still at a slightly higher level compared to the average for the whole period from 2002-2021 (378 net arrivals per year).
In the year to June 2025, there were 4,125 births (down 5.5% from 2024) and 7,147 deaths (up 3.3% from 2024), giving natural change of -3,022, the largest loss to natural change since at least 2002. All East Sussex districts also saw a negative natural change in the year to June 2025, in contrast to England where positive natural change was recorded, but at a very low level (28,792, the second lowest level seen since 2002).
The decline in population due to natural change has been counteracted by levels of internal migration and, to a much lesser extent, international migration (see chart above). In 2025 there was a net internal migration of 4,073 into East Sussex from other parts of the UK and a net migration of 501 people into East Sussex from abroad. Net international migration was much lower in 2025 than in 2024.
Between 2024 and 2025, the population grew in Wealden, Lewes and Rother, and rose the fastest in Wealden (up 0.9%). Wealden has also seen the fastest growth in the county over the past 10 years, with an increase of 8.3%. Eastbourne and Hastings both saw population decline in the year to mid-2025, with 0.4% fewer people in Eastbourne and 0.2% fewer in Hastings. Hastings has also seen a decline in population over the last decade, down 1.0% since 2015, whereas Eastbourne saw an increase of 1.9% in the decade to 2025.
Table 1: Population change between 2015 and 2025
| Mid-2015 population | Mid-2025 population | Absolute change 2015-2025 | Percentage change 2015-2025 | |
| Eastbourne | 102,000 | 103,890 | 1,900 | 1.9% |
| Hastings | 91,800 | 90,860 | -940 | -1.0% |
| Lewes | 99,720 | 102,650 | 2,930 | 2.9% |
| Rother | 91,750 | 96,150 | 4,400 | 4.8% |
| Wealden | 155,360 | 168,310 | 12,950 | 8.3% |
| East Sussex | 540,620 | 561,860 | 21,240 | 3.9% |
| South East | 8,969,640 | 9,691,840 | 722,210 | 8.1% |
| England | 54,808,680 | 58,834,810 | 4,026,140 | 7.3% |
Table 2: Population change 2024-2025
| Mid-2024 population | Mid-2025 population | Absolute change 2024-2025 | Percentage change 2024-2025 | |
| Eastbourne | 104,270 | 103,890 | -380 | -0.4% |
| Hastings | 91,020 | 90,860 | -160 | -0.2% |
| Lewes | 102,320 | 102,650 | 330 | 0.3% |
| Rother | 95,950 | 96,150 | 200 | 0.2% |
| Wealden | 166,780 | 168,310 | 1,530 | 0.9% |
| East Sussex | 560,330 | 561,860 | 1,520 | 0.3% |
| South East | 9,638,650 | 9,691,840 | 53,200 | 0.6% |
| England | 58,607,170 | 58,834,810 | 227,640 | 0.4% |
Children and young people (aged 0 to 17)
The number of children and young people in East Sussex has fallen since 2015, while numbers have increased across England and the South East. The decline is being driven by substantial reductions in younger children, particularly those aged 0-3, although numbers of secondary school pupils and sixth formers remain higher than a decade ago. East Sussex also has a smaller proportion of children and young people than the regional and national average.
The population of children and young people in East Sussex has declined by 1.8% (-1,880 children) since 2015, from 104,500 in 2015 to 102,620 in 2025.
Young people make up 18.3% of the total population in East Sussex in 2025. This is lower than the regional (20.6%) and national (20.3%) averages.
Whilst the total number of children aged 0-17 fell by 1.8% in East Sussex between 2015 and 2025, in England and the South East numbers rose by 3.1% and 4.8% respectively.
The 0-3 age group fell by 16.3% between 2015 and 2025, and saw a 3.1% fall in the year to 2025.
Overall numbers of school-age children (aged 4-15) have risen slightly in the county over the last decade (up 1.8%). However, the number of primary aged children (4-10) fell by 4.3%, while the number of secondary age (11-15) increased by 10.6%.
Both of these older child age groups saw numbers decline in the year to 2025, with the 4-10 age group falling by 0.9% and the 11-15 age group decreasing by 0.6% since mid-2024.
The number of sixth formers (aged 16-17) rose by 3.3% between 2015 and 2025 and rose by 0.9% in the year to 2025.
Fig. 5: Population change among children in East Sussex, 2015-2025
Only in Wealden and Rother were there increases in the number of children and young people between 2015 and 2025, with numbers up by 3.2% in Wealden (up 980) and just 0.5% in Rother (80 children). But numbers fell in Hastings by 8.4% (down 1,610), in Lewes by 3.5% (down 690) and in Eastbourne by 3.3% (down 650).
Fig. 6: Change in the number of children and young people in districts of East Sussex over the period 2015-2025
Working-age people (aged 18 to 64)
East Sussex’s working-age population has grown only slightly over the past decade and remains a smaller share of the population than nationally. Growth has been driven mainly by people moving into the county from elsewhere in the UK, while international migration has recently declined. The age structure of the working-age population is also changing. Numbers of younger adults have declined over the past decade, while growth has been concentrated among people aged 30 to 44 and older working-age adults.
The population of working-age people in East Sussex has increased from 301,680 in 2015 to 306,930 in 2025, an increase of 1.7% in the decade (up 5,240). This compares to an increase from 2015 of 6.2% nationally and 6.4% regionally. Numbers rose by 0.1% (340 people) in the year to 2025 in the county.
Working-age people make up 54.6% of the total population in East Sussex in 2025. This is lower than the regional (59.2%) and national (60.6%) averages.
Internal migration (from within the UK) is the main driver of population change among the 18-64 age group, with a net inflow of 23,780 working age people moving into the county from within the UK in the decade to 2025.
Between 2016 and 2025, 18% of net migration of working age people in the county was from overseas (5,210 people), but in the year 2024-2025 there was a net outflow of working aged people to overseas – while 2,270 working aged (18-64) people arrived in the county from abroad in 2025, a larger number, 2,530, moved overseas, leading to net international migration in the year of -260 working aged people (note rounded numbers).
In East Sussex numbers of young working age adults (aged 18-29) fell by 9.6% in the last decade, however this age group saw no change in the year to 2025 (down 7). The decline was focused on the 18-24 age group which saw a net change of 14.9% over the ten years to 2025.
The oldest age group 45-64 have risen 2.0% in the last decade, however this age group also saw no real change (up 50) in the year to 2025. The age group which saw the biggest rise was the 30 to 44 year-olds, with an increase of 9.8% since 2015, but even this group saw a rise of just 0.3% in the year to 2025. The increase in the number of 30 to 44 year-olds may be due to young families moving into newly built family homes, from places like Brighton and London.
Fig. 7: Population change among working age people, 2015-2025
Older population (aged 65 and over)
The number of residents aged 65 and over has continued to grow, although at a slower rate than nationally and across the South East. More than a quarter of East Sussex residents are aged 65+, giving the county one of the oldest population profiles in England. Older age groups are particularly concentrated in Rother, which ranks among the highest areas nationally for both residents aged 65+ and those aged 85 and over.
The population of older people aged 65 and over in East Sussex has increased by 1.5% in the year to 2025 (up 2,200) and by 13.3% (up 17,870) since 2015 (from 134,440 in 2015 to 152,310 in 2025), a somewhat smaller increase than the decade change both nationally (16.3%) and regionally (17.0%).
Older people made up 27.1% of the total population in East Sussex in 2025. This is higher than the regional (20.2%) and national (19.1%) averages.
4.0% of the population in East Sussex are 85+, joint fourth highest of all counties/UAs, after Isles of Scilly (4.6%), Dorset (4.5%) and the Isle of Wight (4.2%) compared to just 2.6% nationally and 2.9% in the South East.
One third of Rother’s population (33.2%) are aged 65+, ranking second highest of all districts/UAs, behind North Norfolk.
Rother has the joint highest proportion of older people age 85+ of all lower tier authorities in England (at 5.0%, with North Norfolk and New Forest), one in 20 people. Lewes the ninth highest at 4.3%.
Fig. 8: Percentage of population aged 65 and over in districts of Sussex, 2025
Hastings has the smallest proportion of older people in the county with only 21.4% of the population being aged 65+, and 2.7% of the population being 85+ in 2025.
Fig. 9: Percentage of people aged 85 and over in local authority districts and unitary authorities in England, 2025. See also inset detail for Sussex and Brighton Strategic Authority lower tier authorities.
Fig. 10: Population change among those aged 65+, East Sussex 2015-2025
Fig. 11: Elderly dependency ratios in East Sussex districts, South East and England in 2025
Districts
Fig. 12: East Sussex population by districts in 2015 and 2025
Eastbourne
The population of Eastbourne has increased by 1.9% since 2015 (up 1,900), but this increase has been dominated by older people aged 65 and over (up 8.4% over the 10 years), and specifically the 75-79 group which increased by 38.7% over the decade to 2025. There was a decline among the youngest adult age group with 1,850 fewer people aged 18 to 29 (down 12.7%), but the 30-44 age group increased by 4.8% (up 870) and the 45-65 age group rose by 5.9% (1,480). There was a fall of 3.3% in the total number of children aged 0-17 (-650). The 10-14 age group increased by 15.3% over the decade with 780 more children in this group. However, among the 0-4 age group there was a decline of 26.3% (1,520), while the number of births fell by 31.6% over the decade from 1,114 in 2015 to 762 in 2025.
Hastings
Hastings has seen the population decrease by 1.0% since 2015, the only East Sussex district to see a decline in population in the decade to 2025. There was a significant rise in the number of older people with an increase of 2,240 (13.0%) among those aged 65 and over, including a 1,330 rise (44.6%) among people aged 75-79. This compares to a fall of 22.5% among those aged 18 to 29 (3,050 fewer people), and a decrease of 8.4% in the 0-17 age group, including a 23.9% decline among children aged 0-4 and a fall in births of 27.2% over the decade.
Lewes
Overall population numbers in Lewes have risen by 2.9% since 2015, with a large rise among people aged 65+ (up 13.2% or 3,280 more people). The largest rise was among those aged 75-79 which saw an increase of 44.2% (1,990 people). There has also been an increase in the number of 30-44 year olds (up 6.9%) in the decade to 2025. The number of young people in the district has fallen, with a decline in the number of children aged 0-17 of 3.5% (690 fewer children), including an 18.3% fall in the number of children aged 0-4 (down 910) and an 8.3% decline in young people aged 18-29 (down 940).
Rother
The population of Rother has risen by 4.8% since 2015, with an 11.4% rise among those 65 and over (3,280 more people in this age group), again dominated by the 75-79 age group which increased by 48.6% (2,530). There was an increase of 13.2% among those aged 30-44 (1,590 more people). The number of young people aged 0-17 rose by just 0.5% in the decade to 2025, with a steep decline in the number of children aged 0-4 of 11.0% (430 fewer younger children), while the number of children aged 10-14 increased by 9.8% (440 more children in this group). Young adults aged 18-29 saw a decrease of 5.6% (530 fewer young adults) over the decade. A third of Rother’s population are now aged 65 or over (33.2%) and the district has the second highest proportion of people aged 65+, and joint highest proportion aged 85 and over (5.0%), of all lower tier authorities in England.
Wealden
Wealden has seen the biggest increase in population in the county since 2015, of 8.3% (12,950 more people), reflecting increased housing provision in the district. The rise was dominated by older people with 17.8% more people aged 65+, and 17.1% more people aged 85 and over. But there were also rises among all other age groups, the 30-44 age group saw an increase of 15.2%, and the number of children aged 0-17 rose by 7.1% in the decade to June 2025 – although even in Wealden, there were 9.7% fewer births in 2025 compared to 2015. The 18-29 age group saw very little change, up just 0.4% (60 young adults) since 2015.
Population change in Sussex as a whole
The population of the whole of the Sussex and Brighton Strategic Authority area (SBSA), including East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove was 1,767,270 in mid-2025. The SBSA population grew by 0.4% over the year, and was 6.4% higher than in 2015. Over the decade, growth in East Sussex, at 3.9%, was lower than in West Sussex (9.3%), but higher than in Brighton and Hove (2.5%). West Sussex grew faster than England as a whole (7.3%) and the South East region (8.1%) in the 10 years from 2015 to 2025, and faster than England (0.4%) and the South East (0.6%) in the year from 2024 (West Sussex up 0.8%).
Growth in 6 of the 7 districts of West Sussex was faster than in East Sussex over the decade to June 2025. Mid Sussex saw the fastest growth of 12.3% over the decade, followed by Horsham (11.9%) and Crawley (10.2%). Mid Sussex also saw the highest annual rise in the area, 1.5%, and Arun the second highest (1.0%).
Hastings had the lowest growth in the SBSA area, with a decline in population over the 10 years of 1.0%, and a slight decline in the year to 2025 of 0.2%. But the second lowest growth in the area over the decade has been in Adur, where there were only 1.6% more people than in 2015, and growth of just 0.1% over the year 2024 to 2025.
Fig. 13: Population of districts/UAs in Sussex in 2025
Detailed components of change data
Table 3: Population and components of change, East Sussex and comparator areas, 2024-2025
| East Sussex | South East | England | |
| Population mid-2024 | 560,330 | 9,638,650 | 58,607,170 |
| Births | 4,130 | 87,570 | 561,500 |
| Deaths | 7,150 | 88,130 | 532,710 |
| Natural change | -3,020 | -560 | 28,790 |
| Internal migration – net | 4,070 | 32,130 | -10,820 |
| International migration – net | 500 | 21,690 | 210,030 |
| Other* | -30 | -60 | -370 |
| Population mid-2025 | 561,860 | 9,691,840 | 58,834,810 |
*Other changes presented in this table comprise changes to the size of armed forces stationed in the UK and other special population adjustments such the prison population.
Table 4: Population and components of change in East Sussex districts, 2024–2025
| Eastbourne | Hastings | Lewes | Rother | Wealden | |
| Population mid-2024 | 104,270 | 91,020 | 102,320 | 95,950 | 166,780 |
| Births | 760 | 790 | 760 | 570 | 1,240 |
| Deaths | 1,350 | 1,130 | 1,220 | 1,460 | 1,990 |
| Natural change | -590 | -340 | -460 | -890 | -750 |
| Internal migration – net | -70 | 40 | 840 | 990 | 2,280 |
| International migration – net | 280 | 130 | -30 | 110 | 10 |
| Other* | 0 | 10 | -20 | 0 | -10 |
| Population mid-2025 | 103,890 | 90,860 | 102,650 | 96,150 | 168,310 |
Further information
The mid-year population estimates are produced annually by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for every local authority and health area in England and Wales. The latest mid-2025 population estimates were released by ONS on 29th July 2026, alongside the detailed components of change, and revised estimates for 2023 and 2024.
This data is available by gender and age groups at district level and a useful Analysis Tool is also available from the ONS.
- For more information about mid-year population estimates see the ONS website. Data is also available to download from the Nomis website.
- Data is available in ESiF in the Population Profiles and detailed data is also available via the data explorer.
- For further information about population estimates for East Sussex, contact the Research and Intelligence team at esif@eastsussex.gov.uk