Subnational population ageing
Oldest in West Somerset
Median age by local authority, UK, 2007
West Somerset had the oldest median age in the UK in 2007, at 52 years. Other local authorities with a high median age are located on the south coast of England and include Christchurch, Rother, East Dorset; and also North Norfolk on the East coast (see map). The South West had the highest migration of people aged 60 and over moving in to the region (in-migration) of all English regions in 2007. This distribution reflects the tendency for older people to choose coastal areas to retire.
Oxford had the lowest median age of 29 in the UK in 2007. The amount of higher education institutions in the city has increased the population of young adults, reducing the average age. In the same year, ten London boroughs had the least aged population in England, each with less than ten per cent of their total population aged 65 and over. Tower Hamlets had the smallest percentage of people aged 65 and over (8 per cent). London also has the highest out-migration of people aged 45 and over of all English regions but the highest in-migration of people aged 20 to 29.
The method of classifying change in population age structure over two or more periods of time was done by the Classification Typology of Ageing. Each local authority was classified according to whether the number of people aged 65 and over increased or decreased between 1997 and 2007 and is projected to increase or decrease between 2007 and 2017.
Summary of Classification Typology of Ageing, UK, 1997-2017
Eighty-two per cent of the local authorities were in the 'growth' category, indicating that the majority are ageing and are projected to continue to age up to 2017.
Fifteen per cent of local authorities were in the 'projected growth' category. This category comprises the areas where the number of people aged 65 and over has declined between 1997 and 2007, but is projected to grow between 2007 and 2017. Many of these areas are located on the south coast of England, the Midlands, Wales and Greater London. On the south coast, areas such as Bournemouth, Worthing, Adur (West Sussex), Eastbourne, Rother and Hastings are in this category. Despite being among the most aged areas of the UK, these coastal areas have experienced declining numbers of people aged 65 and over between 1997 and 2007.
Only three per cent of local authorities were in the 'decline' category, where the population aged 65 and over has decreased and is projected to continue decreasing. Of these 11 areas, nine are inner London boroughs. The other areas experiencing decline in the population of people aged 65 and over are Oxford and Glasgow.
Notes: Subnational population: refers to population at local authority level.
Median age is the estimated age at which half the population are older and half the population are younger.
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