How life has changed in Dorset: Census 2021

The population reached nearly 380,000

Between the last two censuses (held in 2011 and 2021), the population of Dorset increased by 4.0%, from just under 365,200 in 2011 to around 379,600 in 2021.

The population here increased by a smaller percentage than the overall population of the South West (7.8%), and by a smaller percentage than the overall population of England (up 6.6% since the 2011 Census).

In 2021, Dorset was home to around 1.1 people per football pitch-sized piece of land, compared with 1.0 in 2011. This area was among the lowest 15% for population density across English local authority areas at the last census.

This article generally uses percentages to enable comparisons over time and between areas. The percentage point change is also used to show the difference between the 2011 and 2021 percentages.

Population growth was lower in Dorset than across the South West

Percentage population change, Dorset and surrounding areas, 2011 Census to Census 2021

An older Dorset

Between the last two censuses, the average (median) age of Dorset increased by four years, from 47 to 51 years of age.

This area had the joint highest average (median) age in the South West (alongside South Hams, Torridge and West Devon) 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 just under 12,000 (an increase of 26.4%), while the number of residents between 35 and 49 years fell by around 11,800 (16.8% decrease).

The share of residents aged between 65 and 74 years increased by 2.7 percentage points between 2011 and 2021

Disability in Dorset

The age-standardised proportion of non-disabled residents fell in Dorset, but rose across England.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

In Dorset, the proportion of non-disabled residents fell from 82.9% in 2011 to 82.4% in 2021, while across England it rose from 80.7% to 82.3%. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 81.9% to 82.2%.

The percentage of people who were identified as being disabled and limited a lot in Dorset fell from 7.1% to 6.5%, while the percentage of people who were identified as being disabled and limited a little increased from 9.9% to 11.0%.

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.

The percentage of non-disabled residents in Dorset decreased by 0.5 percentage points

Changing relationships in Dorset

Dorset saw England's joint third-largest percentage-point rise in the proportion of people aged 16 years and over who had divorced or dissolved a civil partnership (from 9.8% in 2011 to 10.8% in 2021).

England's largest increases in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over who had divorced or dissolved a civil partnership occurred in Richmondshire (from 8.2% to 9.4%) followed by Ryedale (from 8.7% to 9.8%).

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.

The percentage of adults who had divorced or dissolved a civil partnership in Dorset increased by 1.0 percentage points

Unpaid care in Dorset

Dorset saw the South West's joint third-largest percentage-point fall (alongside South Gloucestershire, East Devon and Somerset West and Taunton) in the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care (from 8.0% in 2011 to 4.9% in 2021). These are age-standardised proportions.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

Across the region, only Stroud (from 8.4% to 5.0%) and Cotswold (from 7.6% to 4.3%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a fall in the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care, as the regional proportion fell from 7.5% to 4.7%.

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.

The percentage of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care in Dorset decreased by 3.1 percentage points

National identity in Dorset

In 2021, 3.2% of Dorset residents did not identify with any national identity associated with the UK. This figure increased from 2.4% in 2011.

In 2021, 1.1% of residents identified with a UK and non-UK national identity, compared with 0.4% in 2011. The percentage of residents in Dorset that identified as "British only" increased from 15.4% to 56.7%.

The increase in the percentage of people who did not identify with any national identity associated with the UK was greater across the South West (1.7 percentage points, from 4.4% to 6.1%) than in Dorset (0.7 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 our quality report.

The percentage of people who did not identify with at least one UK national identity in Dorset increased by 0.7 percentage points

Fewer couples with dependent children

Dorset saw the South West's joint third-largest percentage-point fall (alongside Isles of Scilly and Sedgemoor) in the proportion of households including a couple with dependent children (from 17.6% in 2011 to 15.6% in 2021).

Across the region, only Forest of Dean (from 19.7% to 17.2%) and West Devon (from 18.3% to 16.1%) saw a greater decrease in the percentage of households including a couple with dependent children.

The percentage of households including a couple with dependent children in Dorset decreased by 2.0 percentage points

Fall in employment

Dorset saw the South West's third-largest percentage-point fall in the proportion of people aged 16 years and over (excluding full-time students) who were employed (from 54.7% in 2011 to 51.0% in 2021).

Across the region, only Isles of Scilly (from 72.1% to 63.7%) and West Devon (from 55.4% to 51.5%) saw a greater decrease in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over (excluding full-time students) who were employed.

Because of its small size, comparisons to Isles of Scilly should be made with caution.

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.

The percentage of people aged 16 years and over who were employed (excluding full-time students) in Dorset decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Change in work hours

In 2021, 12.8% of Dorset residents aged 16 years and over and in employment said they worked 15 hours or less per week. This figure increased from 11.9% in 2011.

In 2021, just under one in eight people (12.1%) said they worked over 49 hours per week, compared with 14.8% in 2011. The percentage of adults in employment working 31 to 48 hours per week increased from 52.0% to 53.1%.

The increase in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over and in employment who said they usually worked 15 hours or less per week was greater in Dorset (0.9 percentage points) than across the South West (0.5 percentage points, from 10.8% to 11.3%). Across England, the percentage increased by 0.6 percentage points, from 9.7% to 10.3%.

Working hours may have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The percentage of adults who worked 15 hours or less in Dorset increased by 0.9 percentage points

Health in Dorset

In 2021, 49.2% of Dorset residents described their health as "very good", increasing from 47.9% in 2011. Those describing their health as "good" fell from 35.3% to 34.5%. These are age-standardised proportions.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

The proportion of Dorset residents describing their health as "very bad" remained 0.9%, while those describing their health as "bad" was 3.3% (similar to 2011).

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.

The percentage of people in very good health in Dorset increased by 1.3 percentage points

Religion in Dorset

In 2021, 40.1% of Dorset residents reported having "No religion", up from 25.4% in 2011. The rise of 14.7 percentage points was the largest increase of all broad religious groups in Dorset. 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 West, the percentage of residents who described themselves as having "No religion" increased from 29.3% to 44.1%, while across England the percentage increased from 24.8% to 36.7%.

In 2021, 51.6% of people in Dorset described themselves as Christian (down from 65.1%), while 6.5% did not state their religion (down from 8.0% 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.

In 2021, 40.1% of usual residents in Dorset reported having "No religion"

Dorset residents' country of birth

In the latest census, around 343,200 Dorset residents said they were born in England. This represented 90.4% of the local population. The figure has risen from just under 332,300 in 2011, which at the time represented 91.0% of Dorset's population.

Scotland was the next most represented, with just over 5,200 Dorset residents reporting this country of birth (1.4%). This figure was down from around 5,600 in 2011, which at the time represented 1.5% of the population of Dorset.

The number of Dorset residents born in Wales fell from around 5,400 in 2011 (1.5% of the local population) to around 5,000 in 2021 (1.3%).

In 2021, 90.4% of Dorset residents reported their country of birth as England

Change in housing in Dorset

Of Dorset households, 70.4% owned their home in 2021, down from 71.7% in 2011.

In 2021, just under one in six households (16.3%) rented privately, compared with 13.7% in 2011. The percentage of Dorset households that lived in a socially rented property remained at 12.3%.

The decrease in the percentage of households that owned their home was greater across the South West (1.6 percentage points, from 67.4% to 65.9%) than in Dorset (1.3 percentage points). Across England, the percentage fell by 2.0 percentage points, from 63.3% to 61.3%.

The rate of home ownership in Dorset decreased by 1.3 percentage points

Ethnic groups in Dorset

In 2021, 1.2% of Dorset residents identified their ethnic group within the "Mixed or Multiple" category, up from 0.8% in 2011. The 0.4 percentage-point change was the largest increase among high-level ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South West, the percentage of people from "Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups" increased from 1.4% to 2.0%, while across England the percentage increased from 2.3% to 3.0%.

In 2021, 97.1% of people in Dorset identified their ethnic group within the "White" category (compared with 98.0% in 2011), while 1.1% identified their ethnic group within the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" category (compared with 0.9% the previous decade).

The percentage of people who identified their ethnic group within the "Other" category ("Arab" or "Any other ethnic group") increased from 0.1% in 2011 to 0.4% 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.

In 2021, 1.2% of usual residents in Dorset identified their ethnic group within the "Mixed or Multiple" category

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.

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About these articles

There is an article like this for every local authority district in England and Wales. The articles have been written and semi-automated by our data journalists and are a new publishing format for the Office for National Statistics.

Topics are chosen and ordered automatically based on how relevant they are for each area, however all data are checked before publishing.

We have not included topics that were new for Census 2021 or where there is no comparability with the 2011 Census. Read about how we developed and tested the questions for Census 2021.

These articles were first published on 8 December 2022 covering topics such as demography, country of birth, ethnic groups, religion, national identity and economic activity status. They were updated on 19 January 2023 following the release of more data from Census 2021 and now include housing tenure, general health, disability and unpaid care.

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