South East: population and official figures
South East is a region of England of the United Kingdom, the largest of 12 by population. The South East had 9,642,942 residents in mid-2024, 16.4% of England's 58.62 million and the largest of 9 English regions by population. That is 8.4% more than in 2014.
9,642,942
£43,178
£29,577
£678
64.3 years
62%
20.8%
£379,953
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in South East: Gross domestic product in the South East was £43,178 per resident in 2024 at current prices, 2nd highest of 9 English regions and above the UK figure of £41,627.
- Health in South East: A girl born in the South East in 2022-2024 could expect 64.3 years in good health and a boy 63.0 years; women's figure is the longest of 9 English regions (England: 61.3 and 60.9 years).
- Education in South East: 62% of pupils finishing primary school in the South East met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25, 4th highest result of 9 English regions (England 63%).
- Poverty and living standards in South East: 20.8% of children under 16 in the South East lived in relative low-income families after housing costs in 2024/25 (DWP), the lowest rate of 9 English regions; before housing costs the figure was 13.0%. UK-wide rates were 26.0% and 19.3%.
- Government budget and revenue in South East: Government spent £116.0 billion on public services identifiable to the South East in 2024-25, £12,031 per resident: the lowest of 9 English regions and 89% of the UK average of £13,504 (HM Treasury Country and Regional Analysis).
- Government and politics in South East: At the general election of 4 July 2024 the South East elected 91 of England's 543 MPs: 36 Labour, 30 Conservatives, 24 Liberal Democrats and 1 Green.
How old is the population of the South East?
The median resident of the South East was 41 years old in 2024, and 19.8% of the population was 65 or over (England: 18.7%).
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyOther region of Englands of the United Kingdom
- London 9,089,736
- North West 7,737,414
- East of England 6,576,306
- West Midlands 6,187,204
- South West 5,889,695
- Yorkshire and the Humber 5,672,962
- Scotland 5,546,900
- East Midlands 5,063,164
- Wales 3,186,581
- North East 2,760,678
- Northern Ireland 1,927,855
Up a level: the United Kingdom · government and power in the United Kingdom
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Explore Local Statistics: all datasets (116 indicators for UK local areas, regions and nations), spreadsheet generated 22 October 2026, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ae2f3a7b3960…)
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: English devolution: Area factsheets (published 10 July 2025), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3a7b4a7e2f28…)
- HM Treasury: Country and Regional Analysis 2025: Chapter A tables (identifiable public spending by country and region, 2020-21 to 2024-25), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9a6a7af9e2bd…)
- House of Commons Library: Results for the UK general election on 4 July 2024, England: candidate-level results (CSV), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 03d1ec16fb4d…)
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