Tunbridge Wells: house prices, jobs and local statistics

Detached

£869,817

Semi-detached

£505,060

Terraced

£407,999

Flat or maisonette

£258,513

First-time buyers

£350,900

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

  101,487 in 1991 → 119,694 in 2024 (+17.9%)

  England over the same years: +22.4%

• Average house price

  £229,883 in 2005 → £456,227 in 2026 (+98.5%)

  England over the same years: +85.9%

• Median weekly pay

  £445 in 2008 → £681 in 2025 (+53.1%)

  England over the same years: +63.7%

• Employment rate

  78.5% in 2004 → 82.9% in 2023 (+5.6%)

  England over the same years: +4.4%

• Claimant count

  0.9% in 2001 → 2.4% in 2025 (+166.7%)

  England over the same years: +60.0%

• Disposable income per head

  £15,285 in 1997 → £34,689 in 2024 (+126.9%)

  England over the same years: +143.8%

40 official indicators are published for Tunbridge Wells; 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

• GCSE English and maths · Education & skills83.9% (2024/25) · 12th highest of 313
• Obesity in Year 6 · Health & wellbeing15.3% (2024/25) · 22nd lowest of 292
• Preventable heart deaths · Health & wellbeing19.8 per 100,000 (2022 to 2024) · 24th lowest of 292
• Disposable income per head · Economy & work£34,689 (2024) · 33rd highest of 361

Where it ranks worst

• Home gas use · Environment10,932 kWh (2024/25) · 289th lowest of 347
• Gigabit broadband · Connectivity & access80.8% (January 2026) · 283rd highest of 361
• Housing affordability · Housing9.0× earnings (April 2025) · 220th lowest of 316
• No qualifications · Education & skills8.1% (2023) · 199th lowest of 293

These figures are published for county councils, so they are for Kent, which includes Tunbridge Wells.

• Life expectancy (male) (2025)80.3 years · England 80.0 · 58th highest of 151
• Life expectancy (female) (2025)84.0 years · England 83.8 · 69th highest of 151
• Healthy life expectancy (male) (2022 - 24)62.5 years · England 60.9 · 49th highest of 151
• Healthy life expectancy (female) (2022 - 24)63.9 years · England 61.3 · 31st highest of 151
• Under-75 mortality, all causes (2025)313.2 per 100k · England 321.0 · 68th lowest of 151
• Adult smoking prevalence (2024)10.8% · England 10.4 · 82nd lowest of 148
• Adults overweight or obese (2024/25)66.5% · England 64.6 · 85th lowest of 153

These figures are published for county councils, so they are for Kent, which includes Tunbridge Wells.

• School readiness (good development at Reception) (2024/25)68.9% · England 68.3 · 67th highest of 153
• GCSE Attainment 8 score (2024/25)46.2 score · England 46.0 · 67th highest of 153
• 16–17 year-olds NEET or activity not known (2025/26)8.0% · England 5.8 · 133rd lowest of 150
• Children in absolute low-income families (2024/25)15.3% · England 19.8 · 49th lowest of 153