About the area
The statistics on this page provide key information relating to West Suffolk. Detailed statistical reports about each of the 43 wards in West Suffolk can be found on our Ward reports page.
For more specific information about an area, use our Find my nearest mapping tool which provides a wealth of information such as local councillors, nearest schools and NHS services as well as bin collection days.
The area of West Suffolk is a predominantly rural district in the heart of East Anglia. Well-connected with London, the rest of East Anglia and the Midlands, West Suffolk is a safe and comparatively prosperous place in which to live. It also has some beautiful and accessible countryside areas, including grassland, heath and forest.
West Suffolk has six market towns, Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Clare, Haverhill, Mildenhall and Newmarket.
Bury St Edmunds, the largest settlement in West Suffolk, has been a prosperous town for centuries. People are drawn to its market and Georgian architecture, shops, leisure and cultural facilities.
Newmarket is known as the 'home of horseracing'. It has more racehorses, trainers, stable staff, stud farms and racing organisations in and around the town than anywhere else in the world. Racing accounts for a significant number of local jobs.
Haverhill, Mildenhall and Brandon expanded significantly in the 1970s due to the construction of new housing to accommodate families moving as part of the Greater London Council's expansion programme.
Today, West Suffolk has a thriving, diverse economy, embracing a number of business sectors. These include tourism, food and drink, life sciences and advanced manufacturing, including a number of businesses trading with the two major US Air Force bases in West Suffolk. In all of West Suffolk's towns and rural areas, many of our residents benefit from a good quality of life. However, some areas have suffered more than others from the impact of the economic downturn. Others are facing issues such as: rural isolation, a lack of skills or qualifications amongst young people, an ageing population with some in need of more specialist housing or care, poverty, or health deprivation.
Where data are not yet available for West Suffolk then figures for Forest Heath District Council (FHDC) and St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC) are shown:
Population
Latest population data for West Suffolk from Census 2021 are available on: Office of National Statistics (ONS) - West Suffolk population change, Census 2021 We have also produced topical summaries of census data relating to West Suffolk:
- Census 2021 – West Suffolk data summary 1 - Population, migration, veterans, ethnicity, nationality, language and religion
- Census 2021 – West Suffolk data summary 2 - Labour market, travel to work and education
- Census 2021 – West Suffolk data summary 3 - Disability, unpaid care, and sexual orientation
| Population | West Suffolk |
|---|---|
| Total population Source: ONS mid year estimates (MYE) 2023 | West Suffolk 186,063 England 57,690,323 |
| Between 2013 and 2023 the population grew by Source: ONS MYE 2013 and 2023 | West Suffolk 7.50% England 7.10% |
| West Suffolk has an ageing population: % of the population aged over 65 Source: ONS (MYE) 2013 and 2023 | West Suffolk 20.80% England 18.70% |
| Ethnic diversity. Percentage of White (English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Ireland or British) people Source: Nomis Census 2021 | West Suffolk 82.20% England 73.50% |
| Percentage of people who considered themselves to be in very good health Source: Nomis Census 2021 | West Suffolk 47.70% England 48.50% |
| West Suffolk's population is spread across a large rural area, plus five main settlements. The distribution of the population is: villages and outlying areas 42.2%, Bury St Edmunds 23.2%, Haverhill 15.1%, Newmarket 9.3%, Brandon 5.3%, and Mildenhall 4.9% Source: Nomis Census 2021 |
Economy and skills
| Economy and skills | West Suffolk |
|---|---|
| Percentage of 16-64 year olds who were economically active Source: Annual Population Survey (APS) April 2022 to March 2023 | West Suffolk 77.30% England 78.60% |
| Sectors of employment. Percentage of employees working in: | |
| Business administration and support services Source: Business Register and Employment Survey 2021 (BRES): open access | West Suffolk 22.00% England 9.00% |
| Health Source: Business Register and Employment Survey 2021 (BRES): open access | West Suffolk 12.00% England 13.30% |
| Manufacturing Source: Business Register and Employment Survey 2021 (BRES): open access | West Suffolk 9.00% England 7.50% |
| Retail Source: Business Register and Employment Survey 2021 (BRES): open access | West Suffolk 8.00% England 9.00% |
| Accommodation and food services Source: Business Register and Employment Survey 2021 (BRES): open access | West Suffolk 7.00% England 7.50% |
| Percentage of residents aged over 16 with at least NVQ Level 1 or equivalent qualifications Source: Annual Population Survey (APS) January to December 2021 | West Suffolk 83.10% England 87.70% |
| Between 2021-22, the proportion of young people achieving a 9-4 pass in both English and Maths GCSE Source: Department for Education data published October 2022 for academic year 2021-22, sourced from LG Inform | West Suffolk 67.40% England 69.10% |
Housing
| Housing | West Suffolk |
|---|---|
| Average household size Source: Census 2021 | West Suffolk 2.28 people England 2.41 people |
| Between 2011 and 2021, the number of households increased by Source: Census 2011 and 2021 | West Suffolk increased by 10.60% England increased by 6.20% |
| Ratio of lower quartile earnings to lower quartile house prices. Ratios are calculated by dividing house price by annual earnings. The higher the ratio the more expensive it is to buy a house Source: Office of National Statistics (ONS) - Ratio of house price to resident based earnings. Year ending September 2022 | West Suffolk 9.46 times England 7.36 times |
| Average (mean) cost of renting a home (3 bedroomed) Source: ONS - Private rental market summary statistics April 2022 to March 2023 | West Suffolk £1,171 England £1,039 per month |
| Rate of homelessness: Households assessed as homeless Source: Statutory homelessness: Households initially assessed as homeless (owed relief duty) April 2021 to March 2022 | West Suffolk 7.49 households per 1,000 England 6.06 households per 1,000 |
More information about the districts and the rest of Suffolk can be found at: Suffolk Observatory