Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02004421

Polegate

Polegate is a Census neighbourhood of about 9,339 residents in Wealden. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

9,339

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,207

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

1,327.3

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

74.6%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

17.3%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

25.4%

Adults with a degree or above

ONS Census 2021 · qualifications

Neighbourhoods most like this one

Closest matches elsewhere in England and Wales, across 14 Census themes. Similarity is statistical, not a recommendation, and says nothing about how anywhere feels to live in.

Gillingham, Dorset7,315 residents · 69.3% owned · 15.8% no carSt Anthony's Hill, Eastbourne8,995 residents · 68.8% owned · 20.3% no carNethercourt, Pegwell & Cliffsend, Thanet7,814 residents · 79.9% owned · 15.8% no carNew Costessey, South Norfolk7,535 residents · 72.2% owned · 15.5% no carTotton Town, New Forest7,736 residents · 68.2% owned · 19.8% no carCrewkerne, South Somerset8,370 residents · 69.5% owned · 13.9% no car

Most similar within Wealden

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Hailsham Central & East, Wealden6,517 residents · 76.0% owned · 15.5% no carHailsham South & West, Wealden5,791 residents · 70.6% owned · 16.0% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Polegate

People, households and homes at the stated Census geography. These describe the 2021 population, not the occupants of a particular home.

Tenure

Owned74.6%
3,139 households
Private rented15.7%
659 households
Social rented7.9%
332 households
Shared ownership1.8%
75 households
Lives rent free0%
2 households
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached48%
2,019 households
Detached22.1%
930 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement13.9%
585 households
Terraced13%
549 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits1.5%
62 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1%
41 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.3%
13 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.2%
8 households
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household44.3%
1,864 households
2 cars or vans in household28.5%
1,199 households
No cars or vans in household17.3%
726 households
3 or more cars or vans in household9.9%
418 households
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

2 bedrooms44.5%
1,873 households
3 bedrooms33.6%
1,415 households
4 or more bedrooms13.2%
554 households
1 bedroom8.7%
366 households
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household63.9%
2,688 households
One-person household32%
1,348 households
Other household types4.1%
171 households
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household38.3%
1,612 households
1 person in household32%
1,348 households
3 people in household14.6%
613 households
4 people in household10.6%
448 households
5 people in household3.2%
136 households
6 people in household1%
40 households
7 people in household0.2%
7 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
4 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1515.8%
1,477 residents
15–2913.2%
1,237 residents
30–4417.6%
1,639 residents
45–6426.1%
2,441 residents
65 and over27.3%
2,545 residents
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White95.6%
8,922 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh1.9%
180 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.7%
155 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.5%
44 residents
Other ethnic group0.4%
34 residents
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above25.4%
1,973 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications18.9%
1,469 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications18.1%
1,409 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.7%
1,216 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications11.9%
921 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.9%
539 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.1%
240 residents aged 16 and over
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)55.3%
4,290 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive43.3%
3,361 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.5%
113 residents aged 16 and over
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations21%
1,633 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations14.7%
1,138 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations13.8%
1,072 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers13.1%
1,021 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations10.2%
794 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations9.9%
767 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations6.8%
529 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed6.4%
499 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4%
314 residents aged 16 and over
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health41.7%
3,899 residents
Good health36.2%
3,378 residents
Fair health16.1%
1,499 residents
Bad health4.7%
439 residents
Very bad health1.3%
124 residents
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act78.8%
7,355 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act21.2%
1,984 residents
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension46.2%
1,946 households
Household is deprived in one dimension36.2%
1,522 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions14.8%
624 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions2.7%
114 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0%
2 households
Polegate · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Each percentage uses its Census table’s own total. Rounding and source categories can affect totals. ONS Census data · OGL v3.0.

How the similarity is worked out

Alike on the Census, which is not the same as alike to live in.

Every neighbourhood is described by its shares across the Census themes above — tenure, housing, cars, household make-up, age, ethnic group, qualifications, work, health and deprivation — each theme weighted equally, which is the approach ONS takes in its own Output Area Classification. The neighbourhoods listed are the closest on those numbers, published in full rather than folded into a score. Nothing here measures schools, crime, prices or what a place is like to be in, and a close match is a statistical fact rather than a suggestion to move.

Browse every neighbourhood in Wealden

Evidence ledger

Source and date are part of the record.

Shared catalogue checked 2026-08-28: 88 candidate data layers listed. Catalogue presence is not publication approval; only separately approved public projections may be shown.