A few figures that are published for every council area in
England, for Hastings beside England, East Sussex and the county's other
four districts, and beside three nearby towns beyond the county:
Brighton and Hove, Folkestone and Hythe, and Thanet.
Each table keeps the same order: Hastings, England, East
Sussex, the county's other districts alphabetically, then the nearby towns
beyond it alphabetically. They aren't sorted by the figure, and a difference
isn't a verdict: each area has its own make-up. Where a publisher ranks areas
itself, its rank is quoted as its own. The Local Government Association's LG
Inform compares more measures, for councils and members with a login.
People living here
mid-2025 estimate. The ONS's estimate of everyone usually resident.
Area
People living here
Hastings
90,855
England
58,834,812
East Sussex (county)
561,855
Eastbourne
103,894
Lewes
102,648
Rother
96,150
Wealden
168,308
Nearby towns beyond East Sussex
Brighton and Hove
284,170
Folkestone and Hythe
112,163
Thanet
143,618
From ONS mid-year population estimates, through Nomis; Open Government Licence. Read 15 October 2026.
People claiming unemployment-related benefits
share of residents aged 16 to 64, August 2026. The claimant count: Jobseeker's Allowance, and Universal Credit claimants required to look for work. Not the same as the unemployment rate.
Area
People claiming unemployment-related benefits
Hastings
5.0%
England
4.0%
East Sussex (county)
3.7%
Eastbourne
4.9%
Lewes
3.5%
Rother
3.2%
Wealden
2.4%
Nearby towns beyond East Sussex
Brighton and Hove
4.3%
Folkestone and Hythe
3.8%
Thanet
5.4%
From ONS claimant count, through Nomis; Open Government Licence. Read 15 October 2026.
Neighbourhoods among England's most deprived tenth
share of the area's neighbourhoods (LSOAs), Indices of Deprivation 2025. The index ranks England's 33,755 small neighbourhoods on income, work, education, health, crime, housing and living environment. In the government's ranks of whole areas, 1 is the most deprived.
Area
Neighbourhoods among England's most deprived tenth
Hastings
34.0%
the government ranks it 7 of 296 districts by average score
England
–
a tenth, by definition
East Sussex (county)
8.7%
the government ranks it 84 of 153 county and unitary councils by average score
Eastbourne
13.3%
the government ranks it 93 of 296 districts by average score
Lewes
0.0%
the government ranks it 175 of 296 districts by average score
Rother
5.2%
the government ranks it 109 of 296 districts by average score
Wealden
0.0%
the government ranks it 239 of 296 districts by average score
Nearby towns beyond East Sussex
Brighton and Hove
7.9%
the government ranks it 133 of 296 districts by average score
Folkestone and Hythe
7.5%
the government ranks it 79 of 296 districts by average score
Thanet
18.6%
the government ranks it 26 of 296 districts by average score
2026-27, every council's share together. What a Band D home pays in a year, including the county, police and fire shares and, where there are parishes, their average.
Area
Average Band D council tax
Hastings
£2,676.58
England
£2,391.52
East Sussex (county)
–
the table gives this for each district, not the county
Eastbourne
£2,654.28
Lewes
£2,756.17
Rother
£2,700.95
Wealden
£2,728.43
Nearby towns beyond East Sussex
Brighton and Hove
£2,580.54
a unitary council: one council's share where Hastings pays the county's and the borough's
East Sussex here is the county council's area: Hastings,
Eastbourne, Lewes, Rother and Wealden together. Rother takes in Bexhill and Rye; Folkestone and Hythe takes in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh; Thanet takes in Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs. Brighton and Hove is a unitary council: one council does the work the county and a district share here.