Home / Places / South East / East Sussex East Sussex: population and ethnicity County council area. 5 district councils.
Brighton and Hove is a unitary council in ceremonial East Sussex, shown with its own figures and outside the county council's area.
ONS estimates show that the county council area's population rose by 34,646 residents (6.6%) between mid-2011 and mid-2025, from 527,209 to 561,855. Source: ONS MYE4 .
561,855 Residents, mid-2025 ONS MYE4 estimate 545,847 Residents, Census 2021 ethnicity table ONS TS021 county row 526,671 Residents, Census 2011 ONS KS201EW county row Ethnic groups in the county council area Census 2011
White British 91.7% White Other 4.3% Asian 1.7% Black 0.6% Mixed 1.4% Other 0.3% Census 2021
White British 88.3% White Other 5.6% Asian 2.1% Black 0.8% Mixed 2.3% Other 0.9% Published county counts. Changes are percentage points calculated from unrounded shares. Group 2011 2021 Change White British 482,769 482,043 -3.4pp White Other 22,653 30,394 +1.3pp Asian 9,143 11,618 +0.4pp Black 2,912 4,497 +0.3pp Mixed 7,473 12,313 +0.8pp Other 1,721 4,982 +0.6pp
How county and district counts relate County figures use the ONS county council row. Districts use their own published rows. Census 2021 counts include disclosure-control changes, so district figures may not add exactly to the county figure. The reconciliation table shows each difference. Census 2011 counts and annual population estimates agree exactly with the district sums.
The 2021 district total is 3 residents higher than the published county total. Both figures are retained as published. The ethnicity table's all-residents count is the denominator for every county ethnic group share.
ONS explains Census 2021 disclosure controls . The audit does not establish the precise cause of each individual difference.
Reconciliation: every county and district-sum comparison Difference means district sum minus published county count. Year and measure County District sum Difference 2011: All residents 526,671 526,671 0 2011: White British 482,769 482,769 0 2011: White Other 22,653 22,653 0 2011: Asian 9,143 9,143 0 2011: Black 2,912 2,912 0 2011: Mixed 7,473 7,473 0 2011: Other 1,721 1,721 0 2021: All residents 545,847 545,850 +3 2021: White British 482,043 482,043 0 2021: White Other 30,394 30,393 -1 2021: Asian 11,618 11,619 +1 2021: Black 4,497 4,499 +2 2021: Mixed 12,313 12,313 0 2021: Other 4,982 4,983 +1
Raw source rows: KS201EW, 2011 , row 76. TS021, 2021 , row 134.
Download all county reconciliation records (CSV)
Annual county population estimates, 2011 to 2025 ONS MYE4. Every value agrees exactly with the sum of constituent districts. Year Residents 2011 527,209 2012 530,358 2013 533,183 2014 537,577 2015 540,620 2016 543,389 2017 544,697 2018 544,719 2019 545,261 2020 544,582 2021 546,861 2022 550,876 2023 556,481 2024 560,334 2025 561,855
Population change since 2011 Map: Population change since 2011, mid-2025 estimate. East Sussex: 5 district councils, 1 unitary council. Brighton and Hove +4.1%; Eastbourne +4.6%; Hastings +0.8%; Lewes +5.2%; Rother +6.0%; Wealden +12.6%. Brighton and Hove: +4.1% Eastbourne: +4.6% Hastings: +0.8% Lewes: +5.2% Rother: +6.0% Wealden: +12.6% Wealden +12.6% 168,308 people Rother +6.0% 96,150 people Lewes +5.2% 102,648 people Eastbourne +4.6% 103,894 people ukdemographics.co.uk ukdemographics.co.uk UK Demographics Population data for every community 2025 Population change since 2011 East Sussex: 5 district councils, 1 unitary council ONS ESTIMATE −4 −1 +1 +4 +8 +12% Change in the estimated resident population at 30 June, compared with mid-2011. Source: ONS, Mid-Year Population Estimates, England and Wales, June 2025, table MYE4 (published 29 July 2026). Brighton and Hove is a unitary council in ceremonial East Sussex, shown with its own figures and outside the county council's area. Boundaries: ONS LAD (May 2026) BSC. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. ukdemographics.co.uk Every figure sourced. Map: Population change since 2011, mid-2025 estimate. East Sussex: 5 district councils, 1 unitary council. Brighton and Hove +4.1%; Eastbourne +4.6%; Hastings +0.8%; Lewes +5.2%; Rother +6.0%; Wealden +12.6%. Brighton and Hove: +4.1% Eastbourne: +4.6% Hastings: +0.8% Lewes: +5.2% Rother: +6.0% Wealden: +12.6% Wealden +12.6% 168,308 people Rother +6.0% 96,150 people Lewes +5.2% 102,648 people Brighton and Hove +4.1% 284,170 people Eastbourne +4.6% 103,894 people Hastings +0.8% 90,855 people ukdemographics.co.uk ukdemographics.co.uk UK Demographics Population data for every community 2025 Population change since 2011 East Sussex: 5 district councils, 1 unitary council ONS ESTIMATE −4 −1 +1 +4 +8 +12% Change in the estimated resident population at 30 June, compared with mid-2011. Source: ONS, Mid-Year Population Estimates, England and Wales, June 2025, table MYE4 (published 29 July 2026). Brighton and Hove is a unitary council in ceremonial East Sussex, shown with its own figures and outside the county council's area. Boundaries: ONS LAD (May 2026) BSC. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. ukdemographics.co.uk Every figure sourced. ONS mid-year estimates. Councils A to Z. Council 2011 2025 Change Brighton and Hove Unitary, outside county total 272,952 284,170 +4.1% Eastbourne 99,308 103,894 +4.6% Hastings 90,173 90,855 +0.8% Lewes 97,584 102,648 +5.2% Rother 90,729 96,150 +6.0% Wealden 149,415 168,308 +12.6%
Census 2021 ethnic groups Map: White British share of residents, Census 2021. East Sussex: 5 district councils, 1 unitary council. Brighton and Hove 73.9%; Eastbourne 82.1%; Hastings 85.1%; Lewes 88.9%; Rother 91.7%; Wealden 91.8%. England and Wales 2021: 74.4%. Brighton and Hove: 73.9% Eastbourne: 82.1% Hastings: 85.1% Lewes: 88.9% Rother: 91.7% Wealden: 91.8% Wealden 91.8% fell 2.1 points from 2011 Rother 91.7% fell 2.5 points from 2011 Lewes 88.9% fell 3.6 points from 2011 Eastbourne 82.1% fell 5.3 points from 2011 ukdemographics.co.uk ukdemographics.co.uk UK Demographics Population data for every community 2021 White British share of residents East Sussex: 5 district councils, 1 unitary council CENSUS · OBSERVED 40 50 60 70 80 90% England and Wales 2011: 80.5% England and Wales 2021: 74.4% Share of usual residents in the White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British group. Source: ONS Census 2011, table KS201EW. Brighton and Hove is a unitary council in ceremonial East Sussex, shown with its own figures and outside the county council's area. Boundaries: ONS LAD (May 2026) BSC. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Share of usual residents in the White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British group. Source: ONS Census 2021, table TS021; change from Census 2011, table KS201EW. Brighton and Hove is a unitary council in ceremonial East Sussex, shown with its own figures and outside the county council's area. Boundaries: ONS LAD (May 2026) BSC. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. ukdemographics.co.uk Every figure sourced. Map: White British share of residents, Census 2021. East Sussex: 5 district councils, 1 unitary council. Brighton and Hove 73.9%; Eastbourne 82.1%; Hastings 85.1%; Lewes 88.9%; Rother 91.7%; Wealden 91.8%. England and Wales 2021: 74.4%. Brighton and Hove: 73.9% Eastbourne: 82.1% Hastings: 85.1% Lewes: 88.9% Rother: 91.7% Wealden: 91.8% Wealden 91.8% fell 2.1 points from 2011 Rother 91.7% fell 2.5 points from 2011 Lewes 88.9% fell 3.6 points from 2011 Brighton and Hove 73.9% fell 6.6 points from 2011 Eastbourne 82.1% fell 5.3 points from 2011 Hastings 85.1% fell 4.3 points from 2011 ukdemographics.co.uk ukdemographics.co.uk UK Demographics Population data for every community 2021 White British share of residents East Sussex: 5 district councils, 1 unitary council CENSUS · OBSERVED 40 50 60 70 80 90% England and Wales 2021: 74.4% Share of usual residents in the White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British group. Source: ONS Census 2011, table KS201EW. Brighton and Hove is a unitary council in ceremonial East Sussex, shown with its own figures and outside the county council's area. Boundaries: ONS LAD (May 2026) BSC. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Share of usual residents in the White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British group. Source: ONS Census 2021, table TS021; change from Census 2011, table KS201EW. Brighton and Hove is a unitary council in ceremonial East Sussex, shown with its own figures and outside the county council's area. Boundaries: ONS LAD (May 2026) BSC. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. ukdemographics.co.uk Every figure sourced. Each bar shows all six groups. Figures are observed Census 2021 shares; they are not projections.
Unitary council, outside the county council total.
White British 73.9% White Other 11.4% Asian 4.8% Black 2.0% Mixed 4.8% Other 3.1% White British 82.1% White Other 8.7% Asian 3.5% Black 1.3% Mixed 2.8% Other 1.7% White British 85.1% White Other 6.3% Asian 2.8% Black 1.4% Mixed 2.9% Other 1.5% White British 88.9% White Other 5.3% Asian 1.9% Black 0.7% Mixed 2.5% Other 0.7% White British 91.7% White Other 3.9% Asian 1.5% Black 0.6% Mixed 1.8% Other 0.5% White British 91.8% White Other 4.3% Asian 1.4% Black 0.4% Mixed 1.7% Other 0.5% Sources: ONS MYE4 population estimates, Census 2011 KS201EW and Census 2021 TS021. Boundaries: ONS Open Geography. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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