Forest of Dean: house prices, jobs and local statistics

Detached

£390,233

Semi-detached

£254,558

Terraced

£214,123

Flat or maisonette

£126,283

First-time buyers

£240,367

The claimant count is people claiming unemployment-related benefits as a share of residents aged 16 to 64; the unemployment rate is the survey measure of people out of work and looking. Pay is for full-time employees who live in the area.

• Residents

  75,821 in 1991 → 89,753 in 2024 (+18.4%)

  England over the same years: +22.4%

• Average house price

  £168,464 in 2005 → £286,888 in 2026 (+70.3%)

  England over the same years: +85.9%

• Median weekly pay

  £395 in 2008 → £661 in 2025 (+67.2%)

  England over the same years: +63.7%

• Employment rate

  73.3% in 2004 → 84.1% in 2023 (+14.7%)

  England over the same years: +4.4%

• Claimant count

  1.9% in 2001 → 2.6% in 2025 (+36.8%)

  England over the same years: +60.0%

• Disposable income per head

  £9,327 in 1997 → £22,925 in 2024 (+145.8%)

  England over the same years: +143.8%

40 official indicators are published for Forest of Dean; 30 of them have a better and a worse direction and are ranked here. A rank of 1st is the best (lowest unemployment, highest pay, and so on).

Where it ranks best

• Employment rate · Economy & work84.1% (2023) · 37th highest of 348
• Three-year business survival · Economy & work61.9% (2021) · 56th highest of 374
• Economic inactivity · Economy & work15.2% (2023) · 59th lowest of 348
• No qualifications · Education & skills3.8% (2023) · 53rd lowest of 293

Where it ranks worst

• Anxiety · Health & wellbeing4.1 out of 10 (2022/23) · 353rd lowest of 363
• Time to a job centre · Connectivity & access21 min (2019) · 316th lowest of 326
• Business births · Economy & work8.2% (2024) · 334th highest of 361
• Life satisfaction · Health & wellbeing7.2 out of 10 (2022/23) · 336th highest of 363

These figures are published for county councils, so they are for Gloucestershire, which includes Forest of Dean.

• Life expectancy (male) (2025)81.1 years · England 80.0 · 32nd highest of 151
• Life expectancy (female) (2025)84.4 years · England 83.8 · 48th highest of 151
• Healthy life expectancy (male) (2022 - 24)63.4 years · England 60.9 · 33rd highest of 151
• Healthy life expectancy (female) (2022 - 24)63.4 years · England 61.3 · 34th highest of 151
• Under-75 mortality, all causes (2025)286.9 per 100k · England 321.0 · 44th lowest of 151
• Adult smoking prevalence (2024)8.3% · England 10.4 · 31st lowest of 148
• Adults overweight or obese (2024/25)66.2% · England 64.6 · 80th lowest of 153

These figures are published for county councils, so they are for Gloucestershire, which includes Forest of Dean.

• School readiness (good development at Reception) (2024/25)68.6% · England 68.3 · 69th highest of 153
• GCSE Attainment 8 score (2024/25)48.7 score · England 46.0 · 38th highest of 153
• 16–17 year-olds NEET or activity not known (2025/26)4.4% · England 5.8 · 61st lowest of 150
• Children in absolute low-income families (2024/25)15.1% · England 19.8 · 42nd lowest of 153