How life has changed in the Dover District
A summary of how life has changed in the Dover District between the last two censuses, held in 2011 and 2021.
This summary covers population growth, aging population, country of birth, religion, ethnic groups, national identity, health, disability, unpaid care, legal partnership status, households without children, housing, employment, and working hours.
The population reached 116,400
Population growth was lower in Dover District than across the South East
The Dover District's population increased by around 4,700 between the last two censuses (held in 2011 and 2021).
Between the last two censuses, the population of Dover District increased by 4.2%, from just under 111,700 in 2011 to around 116,400 in 2021 (rounded to the nearest 100 people).
The population here increased by a smaller percentage than the overall population of the South East (7.5%), and by a smaller percentage than the overall population of England (up 6.6% since the 2011 Census).
In 2021, Dover District was home to around 2.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land, compared with 2.5 in 2011. This area was among the lowest 35% for population density across English local authority areas at the last census.
Aging population
The share of residents aged between 65 and 74 years increased by 2.3 percentage points between 2011 and 2021.
Between the last two censuses, the average (median) age of Dover District increased by two years, from 44 to 46 years of age.
The district had a higher average (median) age than the South East as a whole in 2021 (41 years) and a higher average (median) age than England (40 years).
The median age is the age of the person in the middle of the group, meaning that one half of the group is younger than that person and the other half is older.
The number of people aged 65 to 74 years rose by around 3,100 (an increase of 26.3%), while the number of residents between 35 and 49 years fell by just over 2,900 (13.0% decrease).
Country of birth
In 2021, 89.1% of Dover District residents reported their country of birth as England
In the latest census, around 103,700 Dover District residents said they were born in England. This represented 89.1% of the local population. The figure has risen from around 100,100 in 2011, which at the time represented 89.6% of Dover District's population.
Scotland was the next most represented, with around 1,500 Dover District residents reporting this country of birth (1.3%). This figure was down from around 1,700 in 2011, which at the time represented 1.6% of the population of Dover District.
The number of Dover residents born in countries that joined the EU between April 2001 and March 2011 (other than Poland, Croatia, Lithuania and Romania) rose from around 1,000 in 2011 (0.9% of the local population) to just under 1,400 in 2021 (1.2%).
Religion
Less than half of the population (49.6%) described themselves as “Christian”.
In 2021, 42.4% of Dover District residents reported having "No religion", up from 26.0% in 2011. The rise of 16.3 percentage points was the largest increase of all broad religious groups in Dover District. Because the census question about religious affiliation is voluntary and has varying response rates, caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.
Across the South East, the percentage of residents who described themselves as having "No religion" increased from 27.7% to 40.2%, while across England the percentage increased from 24.8% to 36.7%.
In 2021, 49.6% of people in Dover District described themselves as Christian (down from 64.1%), while 5.5% did not state their religion (down from 7.8% the decade before).
There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as a changing age structure or residents relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals chose to self-identify between censuses. Religious affiliation is the religion with which someone connects or identifies, rather than their beliefs or religious practice.
Ethnic groups
In 2021, 1.5% of usual residents in Dover District identified their ethnic group within the "Mixed or Multiple" category.
In 2021, 1.5% of Dover District residents identified their ethnic group within the "Mixed or Multiple" category, up from 0.9% in 2011. The 0.6 percentage-point change was the largest increase among high-level ethnic groups in this area.
Across the South East, the percentage of people from "Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups" increased from 1.9% to 2.8%, while across England the percentage increased from 2.3% to 3.0%.
In 2021, 94.9% of people in Dover District identified their ethnic group within the "White" category (compared with 96.7% in 2011), while 2.1% identified their ethnic group within the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" category (compared with 1.8% the previous decade).
The percentage of people who identified their ethnic group within the "Other" category ("Arab" or "Any other ethnic group") increased from 0.2% in 2011 to 0.9% in 2021.
There are many factors that may be contributing to the changing ethnic composition of England and Wales, such as differing patterns of ageing, fertility, mortality, and migration. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals chose to self-identify between censuses.
National identity
The percentage of people who did not identify with at least one UK national identity in Dover District increased by 0.5 percentage points
In 2021, 4.8% of Dover District residents did not identify with any national identity associated with the UK. This figure increased from 4.3% in 2011.
In 2021, 1.2% of residents identified with a UK and non-UK national identity, compared with 0.5% in 2011. The percentage of residents in Dover District that identified as "British only" increased from 15.1% to 57.8%.
The increase in the percentage of people who did not identify with any national identity associated with the UK was greater across the South East (1.6 percentage points, from 7.1% to 8.7%) than in Dover District (0.5 percentage points). Across England, the percentage increased by 1.7 percentage points, from 8.2% to 10.0%.
In Census 2021, “British” was moved to the top response option and this may have influenced how people described their national identity. For further information, please see the ONS quality report.
Health
In 2021, 1.3% of usual residents said their health was very bad in Dover District.
In 2021, 45.8% of Dover District residents described their health as "very good", increasing from 43.8% in 2011. Those describing their health as "good" fell from 35.6% to 34.9%. These are age-standardised proportions, which enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.
The proportion of Dover District residents describing their health as "very bad" remained 1.3%, while those describing their health as "bad" fell from 4.8% to 4.5%.
These data reflect people’s own opinions in describing their overall health on a five point scale, from very good to very bad.
Census 2021 was conducted during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived and rated their health, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.
Disability
The percentage of people who were identified as being disabled and limited a lot in Dover District decreased by 0.7 percentage points
In 2021, 8.6% of Dover District residents were identified as being disabled and limited a lot. This figure decreased from 9.3% in 2011. These are age-standardised proportions, which enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.
The decrease in the proportion of residents who were identified as being disabled and limited a lot was greater across the South East (1.0 percentage points, from 7.2% to 6.2%) than in Dover District (0.7 percentage points). Across England, the proportion fell by 1.6 percentage points, from 9.1% to 7.5%.
Census 2021 was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived their health status and activity limitations, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.
Caution should be taken when making comparisons between 2011 and 2021 because of changes in question wording and response options.
Unpaid care
The percentage of those providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Dover District increased by 0.7 percentage points
Dover District saw the South East's joint largest percentage-point rise (alongside Eastbourne and Hastings) in the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care (from 1.5% in 2011 to 2.2% in 2021). These are age-standardised proportions, which enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.
Every local authority area across the South East saw a rise in the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care, as the regional proportion grew from 1.2% to 1.6%.
Census 2021 was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived and managed their provision of unpaid care, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.
Caution should be taken when making comparisons between 2011 and 2021 because of changes in question wording and response options.
Legal partnership status
The percentage of adults who had never married or registered a civil partnership in Dover District increased by 3.6 percentage points
Of Dover District residents aged 16 years and over, 33.1% said they had never been married or in a civil partnership in 2021, up from 29.5% in 2011.
In 2021, just under one in two people (46.0%) said they were married or in a registered civil partnership, compared with 48.5% in 2011. The percentage of adults in Dover District that had divorced or dissolved a civil partnership increased from 10.7% to 11.0%.
The increase in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over who had never been married or in a civil partnership was greater in Dover District (3.6 percentage points) than across the South East (2.9 percentage points, from 31.9% to 34.8%). Across England, the percentage increased by 3.3 percentage points, from 34.6% to 37.9%.
These figures include same-sex marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships in 2021, neither of which were legally recognised in England and Wales in 2011. Same-sex marriages have been legally recognised in England and Wales since 2014 and opposite-sex civil partnerships have been recognised since 2019.
Households without children
The percentage of households including a couple without children in Dover District decreased by 1.2 percentage points
Of Dover District households, 17.8% included a couple but no children in 2021, down from 19.0% in 2011.
In 2021, just under one in six households (16.5%) included a couple with dependent children, compared with 18.0% in 2011. The percentage of single family households including a couple living with only non-dependent children increased from 6.1% to 6.5%.
The decrease in the percentage of households including a couple but no children in Dover District (1.2 percentage points) was similar to the decrease across the South East (1.4 percentage points, from 18.7% to 17.4%). Across England, the percentage fell by 0.9 percentage points, from 17.6% to 16.8%.
Housing
The rate of home ownership in Dover District decreased by 0.3 percentage points
Of Dover District households, 66.2% owned their home in 2021, down from 66.5% in 2011.
In 2021, just under one in five households (19.0%) rented privately, compared with 17.1% in 2011.
The percentage of Dover District households that lived in a socially rented property decreased from 14.2% to 13.9%.
The decrease in the percentage of households that owned their home was greater across the South East (2.0 percentage points, from 67.6% to 65.7%) than in Dover District (0.3 percentage points).
Across England, the percentage fell by 2.0 percentage points, from 63.3% to 61.3%.
Employment
The percentage of people aged 16 years and over who were employed (excluding full-time students) in Dover District decreased by 1.9 percentage points
Of Dover District residents aged 16 years and over, 52.0% said they were employed (excluding full-time students) in 2021, down from 53.9% in 2011.
In 2021, just over 1 in 40 people (2.8%) said they were unemployed, compared with 4.0% in 2011. The percentage of retired Dover District residents increased from 26.4% to 28.0%.
The decrease in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over (excluding full-time students) who were employed was greater in Dover District (1.9 percentage points) than across the South East (1.3 percentage points, from 59.0% to 57.6%). Across England, the percentage fell by 0.8 percentage points, from 56.5% to 55.7%.
Census 2021 took place during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a period of rapid and unparalleled change; the national lockdown, associated guidance and furlough measures will have affected the labour market and our ability to measure it.
Working hours
The percentage of adults in employment who worked 49 hours or more in Dover District decreased by 1.6 percentage points
In 2021, 12.3% of Dover District residents aged 16 years and over and in employment said they worked over 49 hours per week. This figure decreased from 13.9% in 2011.
The decrease in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over and in employment who said they usually worked over 49 hours per week was greater across the South East (2.7 percentage points, from 14.6% to 11.9%) than in Dover (1.6 percentage points). Across England, the percentage fell by 2.2 percentage points, from 13.3% to 11.1%.
Working hours may have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
About the data
Census data are adjusted to reflect estimated non-response so that the published results relate to the entire usually resident population as it was on Census Day (21 March 2021).
Those respondents who were on furlough because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were asked to classify themselves as "temporarily away from work" to ensure they remained in the economically active population.
Students are counted as usually resident at their term-time address even if they were not physically present there on Census Day.
The questions relating to disability differed slightly between 2011 and 2021 to ensure that data were more closely aligned with the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010). There was also a change to question wording for unpaid care, for more information read the health, disability and unpaid care quality information.
Age-standardised proportions are used throughout the health, disability and unpaid care sections. They allow for fairer comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure. The 2013 European Standard Population is used to standardise proportions.
Percentages and percentage point changes have been individually rounded to one decimal place. This means they may not sum exactly.