Population  

Overall population is forecast to grow by approximately 5.5% by 2011 and by approximately 7.3% by 2021compared to 2001. The 2006 population estimate for the Hampshire County Council area (excluding Southampton and Portsmouth) is 1,270,000. The age profile of the population is similar to the national average, but whereas the number of persons aged under 45 is expected to decline, growth in the over 85 age group is expected to be 40.1% by 2011 and 76.4% by 2021 compared to 2001. There is a relatively low minority ethnic population in Hampshire at 1.5%, compared to the national average of 7.8%.

The number of households is expected to grow by around 10.4% by 2011 and by around 18.8% by 2021 compared to 2001.

Pressures for development arise from the predicted growth in the number of households and associated activities, including traffic congestion, and the aim is to maximise the use of urban areas to meet these, minimising the use of green fields. There are also increasing pressures on the match between the location of school pupils and the provision of school places. The continuing growth in the older population also leads to higher demand for social services.

Overall the county is relatively prosperous with house prices marginally higher than the average for the rest of the South East (approximately £230,000).

Average earnings (for people resident in Hampshire) are approximately 6% higher than the national (England & Wales) average; unemployment levels are low at just 1.3% (based on the number of people claiming job seekers allowance), and economic output (GVA) per head is £15,730, a little higher than the national average. This produces difficulties for recruitment and retention for all levels of staff and pressure for affordable housing.

This affluence, however, masks significant areas and groups of people within the county that are more vulnerable. The 2004 Index of Multiple Deprivation shows that Havant, Gosport, New Forest, and Rushmoor all have pockets of deprivation that are recorded as being amongst the twenty most deprived areas in Hampshire, and amongst the twenty-percent most deprived areas in the country. In fact, Hampshire has twenty-four areas in total that lie in the top twenty-percent most deprived areas in the country. These areas tend to have lower earnings and higher unemployment.

As well as areas of urban deprivation, the county’s extensive rural areas also bring pressures in terms of social exclusion, transport, affordable housing, maintaining the rich diversity of the county and the future of agriculture.