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Tonbridge and Malling, in numbers

People and living standards: Tonbridge and Malling

Tonbridge and Malling local authority area. Every figure carries its own date.

How the population is changing, who lives here and what living standards look like.

Tonbridge and Malling local authority area. These are council-area figures. They are not a separate history for every ward or the city centre.

More people? A different age mix?

The population grew from 102,129 in 1991 to 137,913 in 2025.

A growing number of children, working-age adults or older residents can mean different needs for homes, schools, jobs and care.

Population

1996 to 2025

Tonbridge and Malling council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 104,270 people in 1996; 137,913 people in 2025. 32.3% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Population — Tonbridge and Malling council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
1991102,129
1992101,706
1993101,656
1994102,262
1995103,498
1996104,270
1997104,671
1998105,167
1999106,376
2000106,884
2001107,771
2002108,673
2003109,494
2004110,441
2005111,719
2006113,536
2007115,469
2008116,967
2009118,459
2010120,054
2011121,087
2012122,046
2013123,006
2014124,603
2015125,712
2016127,090
2017128,680
2018130,149
2019131,502
2020131,791
2021132,363
2022133,709
2023135,495
2024136,685
2025137,913
Source →
People aged 0 to 15

People aged 0 to 15

1996 to 2025

Tonbridge and Malling council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 22,076 people in 1996; 27,127 people in 2025. 22.9% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 0 to 15 — Tonbridge and Malling council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199120,867
199221,017
199321,252
199421,632
199521,967
199622,076
199722,184
199822,406
199923,066
200023,082
200123,201
200223,375
200323,603
200423,727
200523,842
200623,990
200724,275
200824,553
200924,763
201024,901
201124,933
201225,021
201325,076
201425,233
201525,352
201625,599
201726,035
201826,281
201926,611
202026,574
202126,553
202226,886
202327,176
202427,095
202527,127
Source →
People aged 16 to 64

People aged 16 to 64

1996 to 2025

Tonbridge and Malling council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 67,392 people in 1996; 83,559 people in 2025. 24% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 16 to 64 — Tonbridge and Malling council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199167,444
199266,695
199366,242
199466,334
199567,012
199667,392
199767,416
199867,392
199967,750
200067,864
200168,296
200268,688
200369,011
200469,534
200570,348
200671,592
200772,772
200873,419
200974,104
201075,070
201175,472
201275,407
201375,617
201476,319
201576,887
201677,762
201778,542
201879,357
201980,006
202079,997
202180,371
202280,954
202382,105
202482,918
202583,559
Source →
People aged 65 or over

People aged 65 or over

1996 to 2025

Tonbridge and Malling council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 14,802 people in 1996; 27,227 people in 2025. 83.9% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 65 or over — Tonbridge and Malling council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199113,818
199213,994
199314,162
199414,296
199514,519
199614,802
199715,071
199815,369
199915,560
200015,938
200116,274
200216,610
200316,880
200417,180
200517,529
200617,954
200718,422
200818,995
200919,592
201020,083
201120,682
201221,618
201322,313
201423,051
201523,473
201623,729
201724,103
201824,511
201924,885
202025,220
202125,439
202225,869
202326,214
202426,672
202527,227
Source →

Population growth alone does not show whether services are under pressure. Capacity, location and residents’ needs also matter.

How residents described their ethnic group

These are census snapshots, not annual estimates. Open a year to see both the number of people and their share of the population.

2021 census · 132,201 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Tonbridge and Malling · 2021
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh3,8762.9%
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African1,3141%
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups2,9432.2%
White123,28793.3%
Other ethnic group7810.6%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2011 census · 120,805 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Tonbridge and Malling · 2011
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White115,87295.9%
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups1,6771.4%
Asian/Asian British2,4312%
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British4210.3%
Other ethnic group4040.3%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2001 census · 107,561 residents
How this census compares with other years

Census snapshots use the categories and boundaries published for each year. They are not annual estimates. In England and Wales, Chinese moved from Chinese/Other in 2001 to Asian in 2011; mixed categories and later write-in categories also changed. No change is calculated across these categories.

Ethnic group · Tonbridge and Malling · 2001
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White105,71498.3%
Mixed7560.7%
Asian/Asian British5390.5%
Black/Black British1470.1%
Chinese/Other4050.4%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →

A complete, comparable 30-year ethnicity history is not available for every current area. Missing years have not been estimated.

How comfortable is life here?

Pay, housing costs, health and opportunities tell different parts of the story. An area average can hide large differences between households.

In 2024, average disposable income per person was 17.4% above the UK average.

Money available to spend or save per person

1997 to 2024

Tonbridge and Malling council area · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: £14,052 per person in 1997; £30,480 per person in 2024. 116.9% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Money available to spend or save per person — Tonbridge and Malling council area: full reviewed history
Period£ per person, current prices
199714,052
199813,859
199914,245
200015,017
200115,392
200215,589
200315,658
200416,311
200516,660
200617,212
200717,803
200818,132
200918,522
201018,514
201118,638
201219,335
201320,493
201420,855
201522,036
201622,316
201722,693
201823,416
201924,298
202024,022
202125,388
202226,613
202328,439
202430,480
Source →
Has the gap with the UK average changed?

Above zero means income is above the UK average; below zero means it is below. Each year is compared with the UK average for that same year.

Income above or below the UK average

1997 to 2024

Tonbridge and Malling council area · %

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: 32.4% in 1997; 17.4% in 2024. 15 percentage points lower.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils. Displayed as the published UK=100 value minus 100, giving the percentage above or below the UK average.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Income above or below the UK average — Tonbridge and Malling council area: full reviewed history
Period%
199732.4
199828
199925.9
200026.2
200124.4
200223.2
200320.1
200420.2
200518.5
200617.5
200716
200815.1
200915.7
201014.6
201114.4
201214.5
201317
201415.3
201515.8
201615.9
201715.2
201814.7
201915.3
202014.4
202116.2
202215.9
202316.3
202417.4
Source →

Mixed-source official estimates: administrative records and surveys. Income here is the average money per resident available to spend or save after tax and benefits. It is not typical pay or household wealth. Cash figures do not show how much prices changed.

Adults in work

61.1%

21 March 2021 · Tonbridge and Malling local authority area

Show the workings

All usual residents aged 16 and over

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

Source →

Households facing several disadvantages

14.1%

21 March 2021 · Tonbridge and Malling local authority area

Show the workings

All households

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Adults with no qualifications

15.5%

21 March 2021 · Tonbridge and Malling local authority area

Show the workings

Residents aged 16 and over

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

People reporting bad or very bad health

4%

21 March 2021 · Tonbridge and Malling local authority area

Show the workings

All usual residents; self-reported, not age-standardised

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Source →

Average home price

£408,000

July 2026 · Tonbridge and Malling local authority area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Source →

Average monthly private rent

£1,489

August 2026 · Tonbridge and Malling local authority area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

Official local housing data feed. House prices are provisional, not seasonally adjusted; rents use the Price Index of Private Rents. Local short-term estimates are variable. Country references use only the explicitly country-coded ctry object, never the local place object.

Source →

Deprivation describes several kinds of disadvantage. It is not a measure of household wealth. A change in an area's ranking does not by itself show whether living conditions improved.

See differences between neighbourhoods →

What could the changes mean locally?

Use the age profile alongside school places and care capacity, and look at housing costs alongside pay. Then check whether local plans respond to the needs shown by the evidence.

Read the local action plan →
Which histories are missing or need care?

These histories describe the stated whole area. A consistent historical series for its current wards has not been established.

1991 ethnicity has not been reconstructed to this current area. No annual ethnicity values are inferred between census dates.

These local income figures include inflation. No local inflation-adjusted income series has been substituted or inferred from regional prices.

This series describes the stated council or reference area. A comparable 30-year income history for its current wards has not been established.

The reviewed release starts in 1997. Earlier income values have not been invented or joined from another definition.