New Forest: local statistics
New Forest is a district council area in the South East, home to an estimated 175,930 people (mid-2025). This page brings together 10 official figures for the area, each with its period, publisher and the address it was read from. See also who has power over New Forest, from the council up to the G20.
Key figures
What the figures show
In mid-2025 the population of New Forest was estimated at 175,930, unchanged on a year earlier. The ten-year change since mid-2015 is -1.1% (the South East: +8.1%), the 2nd slowest growth of all 64 council areas in the South East. The series peaked at 177,855 in mid-2016.
In April 2025 the middle full-time earner living in New Forest took home £732.90 a week before tax, or £38,571 over a year. It is the 52nd highest of 64 in the South East, and 10.1% less than across the South East. For full-time jobs located in New Forest the median is £702.00 a week (−£30.90 on the residents' figure). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was £536.60: a change of +37% before inflation.
In March 2026, 9,125 VAT or PAYE-registered businesses were based in New Forest, 1% more than in 2016. There are 52 per 1,000 residents, 22nd of 64 in the South East, counting from the highest.
Life expectancy at birth in New Forest is 85.3 years for women and 81.7 years for men (2022 to 2024), compared with 83.3 and 79.5 years across England. For women that is 0.4 years more than in 2012 to 2014; for men, 0.2 less. It is 16th of 64 in the South East, counting from the highest for women.
Police recorded 9,309 crimes in New Forest in the year to March 2026, 52.9 for every 1,000 residents, the 40th highest rate of 55 in the South East. That compares with 58.8 per 1,000 the year before. In the year to March 2016 it was 48.4 per 1,000. Fraud is not included.
The claimant count for New Forest stood at 2,215 in August 2026, or 2.3% of residents aged 16 to 64 (the South East: 3.1%). The rate was the same a year earlier. Over the last five years it peaked at 2.9% in August 2021 and was lowest at 1.8% in May 2023.
A Band D home in New Forest pays an average of £2,419.76 in council tax in 2026-27, 5.1% more than in 2025-26. It is the 41st highest of all 64 council areas in the South East. In 2016-17 the figure was £1,534.44, so it has risen 58%.
A typical home in New Forest cost £384,977 in July 2026, on the UK House Price Index, about the same as a year before. Among council areas that puts it mid-table in the South East, 32nd of 64 (regional average £380,878). The July peak was £412,377 in 2022, and prices are 25% above July 2016. Dividing the average price by the median annual pay of full-time employees living in New Forest (£38,571) gives a ratio of 10.0. That ratio is the 20th highest ratio of all 64 council areas in the South East.
An estimated 79.8% of people aged 16 to 64 living in New Forest were in work in April 2025 to March 2026, according to the ONS Annual Population Survey (give or take 6.1 points), against 78.9% across the South East. Its lowest reading in the series was 76.8% and its highest 82.8%.
History
Population (mid-year)
| 2015 | 177,813 |
| 2016 | 177,855 |
| 2017 | 177,616 |
| 2018 | 177,525 |
| 2019 | 177,111 |
| 2020 | 175,937 |
| 2021 | 176,217 |
| 2022 | 175,914 |
| 2023 | 175,724 |
| 2024 | 175,845 |
| 2025 | 175,930 |
Average house price (same month each year)
| July 2016 | £309,131 |
| July 2017 | £332,609 |
| July 2018 | £340,783 |
| July 2019 | £331,570 |
| July 2020 | £334,877 |
| July 2021 | £363,704 |
| July 2022 | £412,377 |
| July 2023 | £406,349 |
| July 2024 | £388,656 |
| July 2025 | £384,883 |
| July 2026 | £384,977 |
Median weekly pay, residents
| 2015 | £536.60 a week |
| 2016 | £558.70 a week |
| 2017 | £574.90 a week |
| 2018 | £587.10 a week |
| 2019 | £619.90 a week |
| 2020 | £590.50 a week |
| 2021 | £635.00 a week |
| 2022 | £612.40 a week |
| 2023 | £682.40 a week |
| 2024 | £695.90 a week |
| 2025 | £732.90 a week |
Average Band D council tax
| 2016-17 | £1,534.44 |
| 2017-18 | £1,603.72 |
| 2018-19 | £1,693.78 |
| 2019-20 | £1,765.32 |
| 2020-21 | £1,836.35 |
| 2021-22 | £1,923.90 |
| 2022-23 | £1,987.99 |
| 2023-24 | £2,090.56 |
| 2024-25 | £2,193.24 |
| 2025-26 | £2,303.37 |
| 2026-27 | £2,419.76 |
Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents
| 2015/16 | 48.4 per 1,000 |
| 2016/17 | 55.1 per 1,000 |
| 2017/18 | 61.7 per 1,000 |
| 2018/19 | 60.6 per 1,000 |
| 2019/20 | 62.7 per 1,000 |
| 2020/21 | 56.2 per 1,000 |
| 2021/22 | 67.2 per 1,000 |
| 2022/23 | 69.0 per 1,000 |
| 2023/24 | 60.8 per 1,000 |
| 2024/25 | 58.8 per 1,000 |
| 2025/26 | 52.9 per 1,000 |
Employment rate
| 2015/16 | 77.3% |
| 2016/17 | 82.1% |
| 2017/18 | 81.9% |
| 2018/19 | 78.4% |
| 2019/20 | 79.6% |
| 2020/21 | 77.1% |
| 2021/22 | 77.2% |
| 2022/23 | 76.8% |
| 2023/24 | 82.8% |
| 2024/25 | 78.2% |
| 2025/26 | 79.8% |
Life expectancy, women
| 2012 to 2014 | 84.9 years |
| 2013 to 2015 | 84.9 years |
| 2014 to 2016 | 85.2 years |
| 2015 to 2017 | 85.1 years |
| 2016 to 2018 | 85.3 years |
| 2017 to 2019 | 85.3 years |
| 2018 to 2020 | 85.2 years |
| 2019 to 2021 | 85.1 years |
| 2020 to 2022 | 85.1 years |
| 2021 to 2023 | 85.4 years |
| 2022 to 2024 | 85.3 years |
Registered businesses
| 2016 | 9,000 |
| 2017 | 9,075 |
| 2018 | 9,080 |
| 2019 | 9,215 |
| 2020 | 9,140 |
| 2021 | 9,110 |
| 2022 | 9,115 |
| 2023 | 9,090 |
| 2024 | 9,040 |
| 2025 | 9,045 |
| 2026 | 9,125 |
Questions about New Forest
What is the population of New Forest?
The ONS estimates 175,930 people lived in New Forest in mid-2025.
What is the average salary in New Forest?
£732.90 a week before tax, the median for full-time employees who live there (April 2025, ONS).
What is life expectancy in New Forest?
85.3 years for women and 81.7 for men (2022 to 2024, ONS).
What is the crime rate in New Forest?
Home Office figures show 9,309 offences in the year to March 2026, or 52.9 per 1,000 people, not counting fraud.
How many people claim unemployment-related benefits in New Forest?
2,215 in August 2026 (2.3% of residents aged 16 to 64), on the ONS claimant count, which is not the unemployment rate.
How much is Band D council tax in New Forest?
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government gives an average Band D bill of £2,419.76 for 2026-27.
What is the average house price in New Forest?
£384,977 in July 2026, on HM Land Registry's UK House Price Index.
Who has power over New Forest
Every body that makes decisions for New Forest, from the street up to the G20. Each one links to its page on the official record. How the ten levels work.
Level 1: Neighbourhood and community power
Residents' and tenants' groups, neighbourhood forums and local policing panels.
Level 2: Parish, town and community councils
Parish, town and community councils, where the area has them, sit below the council.
Level 3: Local councils
- New Forest council spending, reserves, debt and council tax
- New Forest in official figures this page
Level 5: Devolved and state governments
England has no devolved parliament of its own: its laws are made by the UK Parliament.
Level 6: National government
- New Forest East: Sir Julian Lewis (Conservative) MP
- New Forest West: Sir Desmond Swayne (Conservative) MP
- All 650 MPs votes, interests and costs
- UK government and Parliament official figures and sources
Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies
- Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (CoE / ECtHR) The UK Government says the United Kingdom was one of the Council of Europe's founding members.
Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies
- United Nations (General Assembly and Security Council) The UN lists the United Kingdom as a member admitted on 24 October 1945.
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) The UK is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and holds the veto, according to the UN.
- NATO NATO lists the United Kingdom among its 12 founding members, which signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- World Health Organization (WHO) WHO's list of member states includes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO says the United Kingdom has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 1 January 1948.
- Commonwealth of Nations The UK is one of the 56 members, one of three European members with Cyprus and Malta, and the Commonwealth Secretariat is headquartered at Marlborough House in London.
Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
- World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.
Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums
Sources
Each value above links to the official file or query it was read from, on 14 October 2026. What each figure measures.
- Recorded crime: Years before April 2020 come from the earlier Home Office table.
More on this area and these figures
- Council money: spending, reserves and debt
- Figures for the whole region: the South East
- UK figures: UK population · UK average weekly earnings growth · Life expectancy at birth (UK)
- Other council areas in the South East: Arun · Cherwell · Oxford · Reading · Slough · Wealden
Related questions
- What is the population of my area?
- What is the average salary in my area?
- How healthy is my area?
- How do I find the crime rate in my area?
- Who are my local councillors?
Figures checked 14 October 2026. Link moved or figure out of date? Tell us.