Lewes: house prices, jobs and local statistics

Detached

£592,980

Semi-detached

£398,378

Terraced

£324,315

Flat or maisonette

£197,656

First-time buyers

£295,855

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

  88,214 in 1991 → 102,363 in 2024 (+16.0%)

  England over the same years: +22.4%

• Average house price

  £208,266 in 2005 → £368,408 in 2026 (+76.9%)

  England over the same years: +85.9%

• Median weekly pay

  £422 in 2008 → £629 in 2025 (+49.1%)

  England over the same years: +63.7%

• Employment rate

  77.1% in 2004 → 71.2% in 2023 (−7.7%)

  England over the same years: +4.4%

• Claimant count

  1.5% in 2001 → 3.4% in 2025 (+126.7%)

  England over the same years: +60.0%

• Disposable income per head

  £12,326 in 1997 → £30,837 in 2024 (+150.2%)

  England over the same years: +143.8%

40 official indicators are published for Lewes; 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

• Three-year business survival · Economy & work63.0% (2021) · 33rd highest of 374
• Preventable heart deaths · Health & wellbeing20.9 per 100,000 (2022 to 2024) · 38th lowest of 292
• Disposable income per head · Economy & work£30,837 (2024) · 60th highest of 361
• High-growth businesses · Economy & work5.3% (2024) · 84th highest of 361

Where it ranks worst

• Economic inactivity · Economy & work28.0% (2023) · 311th lowest of 348
• Gigabit broadband · Connectivity & access74.4% (January 2026) · 322nd highest of 361
• Business births · Economy & work8.8% (2024) · 298th highest of 361
• No qualifications · Education & skills10.2% (2023) · 244th lowest of 293

These figures are published for county councils, so they are for East Sussex, which includes Lewes.

• Life expectancy (male) (2025)80.3 years · England 80.0 · 58th highest of 151
• Life expectancy (female) (2025)84.4 years · England 83.8 · 48th highest of 151
• Healthy life expectancy (male) (2022 - 24)59.2 years · England 60.9 · 90th highest of 151
• Healthy life expectancy (female) (2022 - 24)59.9 years · England 61.3 · 84th highest of 151
• Under-75 mortality, all causes (2025)299.4 per 100k · England 321.0 · 56th lowest of 151
• Adult smoking prevalence (2024)11.2% · England 10.4 · 88th lowest of 148
• Adults overweight or obese (2024/25)63.3% · England 64.6 · 60th lowest of 153

These figures are published for county councils, so they are for East Sussex, which includes Lewes.

• School readiness (good development at Reception) (2024/25)70.3% · England 68.3 · 48th highest of 153
• GCSE Attainment 8 score (2024/25)43.8 score · England 46.0 · 117th highest of 153
• 16–17 year-olds NEET or activity not known (2025/26)6.4% · England 5.8 · 113th lowest of 150
• Children in absolute low-income families (2024/25)16.7% · England 19.8 · 62nd lowest of 153