Facts and Figures
A Victorian seaside town on Swanage Bay, built on Purbeck stone and Wealden clay, where a heritage steam railway still meets a working pier. Figures below are drawn from the Census, ONS data and HM Land Registry.
Population & age structure
Census data for Swanage, 1991 – 2021
Source: ONS Census 1991, 2001, 2011, 2021 · figures as published for each year
People
Census data for Swanage, 1991 – 2021
Source: ONS Census 1991, 2001, 2011, 2021 · figures as published for each year
Health & caring
Census data for Swanage, 1991 – 2021
Source: ONS Census 1991, 2001, 2011, 2021 · figures as published for each year · note: the 2001 source lists 0% for “fair” and “very bad” health — shown as published.
Housing
Census data for Swanage, 1991 – 2021
Source: ONS Census 1991, 2001, 2011, 2021 · figures as published for each year
House prices
Census data for Swanage, 1991 – 2021
Source: HM Land Registry sold prices, as published for each census year
Economy & skills
Census data for Swanage, 1991 – 2021
Source: ONS Census 1991, 2001, 2011, 2021 · figures as published for each year · residents aged 16+; shown as raw counts, not shares of a common total.
Getting around
Census data for Swanage, 1991 – 2021
Source: ONS Census 1991, 2001, 2011, 2021 · figures as published for each year
Geography & climate
Location and recorded temperature extremes
East-facing on Swanage Bay at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck - chalk headland to the north, Purbeck limestone to the south, Wealden clay inland. About 6 miles south of Poole and 25 miles east of Dorchester.
- Record low
- −9.4°C (Jan 1963)
- Record high
- 33.1°C (Jun 2026)
Administration
Civic structure as of 2026
- Civil parish: Swanage, including Herston and Durlston
- Unitary authority: Dorset Council - formed 2019, replacing the former Purbeck district
- Town Council: 12 seats across Swanage North and South wards
- Parliamentary constituency: South Dorset (MP Lloyd Hatton, Labour, since 2024)
Sources
- Dorset Council - Area Profile: Swanage (2021 Census)
- Wikipedia - Swanage (geography, history, transport, amenities)
- Rightmove House Prices - Swanage (HM Land Registry sold prices)
- ONS - Dorset local labour market (year to Dec 2023, series discontinued)
- findthatpostcode.uk - Swanage MSOA (geography reference)
- Nomis API documentation
Compiled September 2026 using latest public data.