The number of inhabitants has exceeded 140,000
Between the last two censuses (held in 2011 and 2021), South Kesteven's population increased by 7.2%, from just under 133,800 in 2011 to around 143,400 in 2021.
The population here has increased by a smaller percentage than the total population of the East Midlands (7.7%), but at the same rate as the total population of England (up 6.6% since the 2011 census).
In 2021 South Kesteven had a population of around 1.1 people per football pitch size, compared to 1.0 in 2011. The area was in the lowest 15% of population density in English local authority areas at the last census.
This article generally uses percentages to allow comparisons over time and between areas. The change in percentage points is also used to show the difference between the 2011 and 2021 percentages.
Population growth was lower in South Kesteven than in the East Midlands
Percentage change in population, Sydkesteven and surrounding area, 2011 census to 2021 census.
Engleska▲6,6%East Midlands▲7,7%South Kesteven▲7,2%
| -2 | -0,5 | 0,5 | +2 | +8 | +16 % |
Kilda: Office for National Statistics - Census 2011 and Census 2021.
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Older South Kesteven
Between the last two censuses, the median age for South Kesteven rose by three years, from 43 to 46.
The median age is the age of the person in the middle of the group, which means that one half of the group is younger than that person and the other half is older.
This area had a higher median age than the East Midlands as a whole in 2021 (41 years) and a higher median age than England (40 years).
The number of persons aged 65 to 74 increased by slightly more than 3,900 (an increase of 28.3 percent), while the number of residents aged 35 to 49 decreased by approximately 3,100 (a decrease of 10.5 percent).
The share of the population aged between 65 and 74 increased by 2 percentage points between 2011 and 2021.
Percentage of general population by age group, South Kesteven, East Midlands, England
0 % 20112021
comparisons
| classification | Percentage in South Kesteven | Percentage in undefined |
|---|---|---|
| 85 years and over | 2,6 % 2,9 % | |
| 75 to 84 years old | 6,1 % 7,8 % | |
| 65 to 74 years old | 10,3 % 12,3 % | |
| 50 to 64 years | 20,9 % 21,9 % | |
| 35 to 49 years | 21,8 % 18,2 % | |
| 25 to 34 years old | 10,4 % 10,9 % | |
| 20 to 24 years | 4,7 % 4,3 % | |
| 16 to 19 years | 4,7 % 4,0 % | |
| 10 to 15 years | 7,5 % 7,3 % | |
| 5 to 9 years | 5,4 % 5,7 % | |
| 4 years and under | 5,6 % 4,7 % |
Source: Office for National Statistics - Population Census 2011 and Population Census 2021 o:blankSave as image (PNG <100KB)Save as table (CSV <100KB)Show embedded code
There are fewer and fewer couples without children
South Kesteven saw the second highest percentage point fall in the East Midlands in the proportion of households that included a couple but no children (from 22.2% in 2011 to 19.8% in 2021).
Only in the entire regionRutlandrecorded a larger decline in the percentage of households with a couple but without children (from 22.3% to 19.8%).
Despite the decline, in 2021 South Kesteven was in the top 15% of English boroughs for the proportion of households that included a couple but no children.
The proportion of households that include a childless couple in South Kesteven fell by 2.3 percentage points
Percentage of households by household composition, South Kesteven, East Midlands, England
0 % 20112021
comparisons
| classification | Percentage in South Kesteven | Percentage in undefined |
|---|---|---|
| Single-member household: 66 and over (65 and over in 2011) | 12,8 % 14,1 % | |
| Single household: Other | 14,4 % 14,9 % | |
| Family household: Non-marital family: No children | 22,2 % 19,8 % | |
| Single-family household: Non-marital family: With dependent children | 20,6 % 18,7 % | |
| Family household: Non-marital family: All children are independent | 5,9 % 6,1 % | |
| Single-family household: Single-parent household | 8,9 % 9,4 % | |
| Other household types | 15,2 % 17,0 % |
Source: Office for National Statistics - Population Census 2011 and Population Census 2021 o:blankSave as image (PNG <100KB)Save as table (CSV <100KB)Show embedded code
Changing conditions in South Kesteven
South Kesteven saw the second highest percentage point increase in the East Midlands in the proportion of people aged 16 and over divorcing or ending a civil partnership (from 9.9% in 2011 to 10.8% in 2021).
Only in the entire regionNorth East Derbyshirerecorded a greater increase in the percentage of persons aged 16 and over who divorced or terminated a civil partnership (from 9.2% to 10.3%).
During this period, South Kesteven went from being in the top 25% of English boroughs for the proportion of people aged 16 and over who are divorced or ending a civil partnership to the top 15%.
These figures include same-sex marriage and opposite-sex civil partnerships in 2021, neither of which were legally recognized in England and Wales in 2011. Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in England and Wales since 2014, and opposite-sex civil partnerships have been recognized since 2019.
The proportion of adults who divorced or ended a civil partnership in South Kesteven rose by 0.9 percentage points
Percentage of ordinary residents aged 16 and civil partnership status in a borough, South KestevenEast MidlandsEngland
0 % 20112021
comparisons
| classification | Percentage in South Kesteven | Percentage in undefined |
|---|---|---|
| He never married and never registered a civil partnership | 26,1 % 29,5 % | |
| Married or in a registered partnership | 53,7 % 50,4 % | |
| Separated but still legally married or still in a civil partnership | 2,8 % 2,3 % | |
| Divorced or civil partnership dissolved | 9,9 % 10,8 % | |
| Widow or surviving partner in a civil partnership | 7,5 % 7,0 % |
Source: Office for National Statistics - Population Census 2011 and Population Census 2021 o:blankSave as image (PNG <100KB)Save as table (CSV <100KB)Show embedded code
Religion in South Kesteven
In 2021, 37.5% of South Kesteven residents said they had "no religion", up from 22.2% in 2011. The increase of 15.4 percentage points was the largest increase of any broad religious group in South To Kesteven. Because the census question on religious affiliation is voluntary and has varying response rates, caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.
Across the East Midlands, the percentage of residents who described themselves as "non-believers" rose from 27.5% to 40.0%, while across England the percentage rose from 24.8% to 36.7%.
In 2021, 54.8% of South Kesteven's population described themselves as Christian (down from 69.7%), while 5.7% did not state their religion (down from 6.9% in the previous decade).
There are many factors that can cause changes in the religious profile of an area, such as a change in the age structure or residents moving for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in how individuals chose to identify themselves between censuses. Religious affiliation is the religion with which a person associates or identifies, not their beliefs or religious practices.Read the Religion, England and Wales: Census 2021 newsletter.
In 2021, 37.5% of ordinary South Kesteven residents said they had "no religion"
Percentage of general population by religion, South Kesteven, East Midlands, England
0 % 20112021
comparisons
| classification | Percentage in South Kesteven | Percentage in undefined |
|---|---|---|
| Without religion | 22,2 % 37,5 % | |
| Kristen | 69,7 % 54,8 % | |
| Buddhist | 0,2 % 0,3 % | |
| Hindu | 0,3 % 0,6 % | |
| Jewish | 0,1 % 0,1 % | |
| Muslim | 0,3 % 0,5 % | |
| sik | 0,1 % 0,1 % | |
| Other things | 0,3 % 0,4 % | |
| Religion not specified | 6,9 % 5,7 % |
Source: Office for National Statistics - Population Census 2011 and Population Census 2021 o:blankSave as image (PNG <100KB)Save as table (CSV <100KB)Show embedded code
The homeland of the inhabitants of southern Kesteven
In the last census, around 126,400 South Kesteven residents said they were born in England. This represented 88.1% of the local population. The figure increased from around 120,300 in 2011, representing 89.9% of South Kesteven's population at the time.
Scotland was the second most represented, with around 2,300 South Kesteven residents reporting this country of birth (1.6%). This figure has fallen from around 2,400 in 2011, which at the time represented 1.8% of South Kesteven's population.
The Polish-born population of South Kesteven has grown from just under 1,400 in 2011 (1.0% of the local population) to around 2,100 in 2021 (1.5%).
In 2021, 88.1% of South Kesteven residents reported their country of birth as England
Percentage of general population by country of birth, South Kesteven, East Midlands, England
0 % 20112021
comparisons
| classification | Percentage in South Kesteven | Percentage in undefined |
|---|---|---|
| England | 89,9 % 88,1 % | |
| Scotland | 1,8 % 1,6 % | |
| Poland | 1,0 % 1,5 % | |
| Countries that joined the EU between April 2001 and March 2011 (except Poland, Croatia, Lithuania and Romania) | 0,7 % 1,0 % | |
| Wales | 1,0 % 0,9 % |
Kilda: Office for National Statistics - Census 2011 and Census 2021 re: blank
Notes:
- This chart shows the five most common countries of birth in South Kesteven in 2021
- Please checkdata dictionaryfor further details on country of birth grouping
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Read more about the changes in this areaYou can download the data used in this article (XLSX, 1362 KB)
About data
Census data has been adjusted to reflect estimated opt-outs, so the published results refer to the entire normally resident population as it stood on Census day (21 March 2021).
Those respondents who were on leave due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were asked to classify themselves as "temporarily out of work" to ensure they remained in the economically active population.
Students are counted as usual residents at the semester address, even if they were not physically present there on the day of the census.
Changes in percentages and percentage points are individually rounded to one decimal place. This means it may not add up exactly.
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About these articles
There is an article like this for all local authorities in England and Wales. The articles are written and semi-automated by our data journalists and are a new publication format for the Office for National Statistics.
Topics are selected and sorted automatically depending on how relevant they are to each area, but all data is verified before publication.
We have not included items that were new to the 2021 Census or where there is no comparability to the 2011 Census. Read abouthow we developed and tested questions for the 2021 Census.
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