Downs Close, Sittingbourne, ME10 1SP

People

Gender

In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. However, the area surrounding ME10 1SP, has a female population slightly higher than UK average, with 52.3% of residents being female. Several factors can contribute to this. Women generally live longer than men, resulting in a higher proportion of women in neighborhoods with significant elderly populations. Typically, as people grow older, they tend to relocate from city center addresses to suburban areas, smaller towns, and rural locations. Consequently, these areas often have a higher number of females. A higher female population can also be found in areas with industries that employ more women, such as healthcare, education, and retail.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Female	53.5%	52.3%	-1.2%	51.0%	1.3%
Male	46.5%	47.7%	1.2%	49.0%	-1.3%

Partnership Status

Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.

In the immediate vicinity of ME10 1SP there is a very large concentration of residents that are married - 53.1% of the resident population. In contrast, the average marriage rate across the census is about 44%.

Areas with a high percentage of married residents are typically suburban neighborhoods, towns with good schools and family-friendly amenities, and regions with affordable, spacious housing options. Additionally, such areas can be popular among retirees.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Single	10.3%	18%	7.7%	37.9%	-19.9%
Married: Opposite sex	60.5%	53.1%	-7.4%	44.2%	8.9%
Separated	0.5%	1.5%	1.0%	2.2%	-0.7%
Divorced	6.2%	8.8%	2.6%	9.1%	-0.3%
Widowed	22.6%	18.6%	-4.0%	6.1%	12.5%

Health

Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.

Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Very good health	29%	29.3%	0.3%	48.4%	-19.1%
Good health	35%	41.9%	6.9%	33.6%	8.3%
Fair health	24.9%	19.1%	-5.8%	12.7%	6.4%
Bad health	8.8%	7.9%	-0.9%	4.0%	3.9%
Very bad health	2.3%	1.9%	-0.4%	1.2%	0.7%

Education and Qualifications

During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.

This area stands out for its low percentage of residents with higher education degree. The UK average is 33.8%, while in this area it is 19.7%.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
No qualifications	42.6%	21.8%	-20.8%	18.2%	3.6%
1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent	14.9%	13%	-1.9%	9.6%	3.4%
5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels	13.8%	12.4%	-1.4%	13.4%	-1.0%
Apprenticeship	9.2%	14%	4.8%	5.3%	8.7%
HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels	6.7%	12.4%	5.7%	16.9%	-4.5%
Degree or Similar	11.8%	19.7%	7.9%	33.8%	-14.1%
Other	1%	6.7%	5.7%	2.8%	3.9%

Culture

Ethnic Group

In this area, the population is predominantly white, with 97.2% identifying as such, significantly higher than the UK average of 81.4%. This indicates a lower level of ethnic diversity compared to the broader UK population.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Black African	0%	0.5%	0.5%	2.5%	-2.0%
Mixed White and African	0.5%	0%	-0.5%	0.4%	-0.4%
Mixed White and Caribbean	0%	1.9%	1.9%	0.9%	1.0%
White	99.1%	97.2%	-1.9%	81.4%	15.8%
Arab	0%	0.5%	0.5%	0.6%	-0.1%
Other	0.5%	0%	-0.5%	1.6%	-1.6%

Country of Birth

In this area, 96.7% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is higher than the UK average of 83.2%.

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
United Kingdom	98.2%	96.7%	-1.5%	83.2%	13.5%
European Union	0.9%	2.3%	1.4%	6.1%	-3.8%
Middle East and Asia	0.9%	0.5%	-0.4%	5.6%	-5.1%
Oceania	0%	0.5%	0.5%	0.3%	0.2%

Length of Residence

	2011	2021	10y change (pp)	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
Born in the UK	95.9%	96.7%	0.8%	83.2%	13.5%
10+ Years	0%	3.3%	3.3%	9.8%	-6.5%
Less than 2 years	4.1%	0%	-4.1%	1.9%	-1.9%

Passport Held

	2021	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
United Kingdom	78.7%	76.7%	2.0%
Ireland	0.9%	0.6%	0.3%
Germany	0.5%	0.2%	0.3%
Other EU countries	0.5%	1.5%	-1.0%
No passport held	19.4%	13.5%	5.9%

Religion

	2021	UK Average	postcode vs UK (pp)
No religion	33.5%	37.2%	-3.7%
Christian	60.9%	46.2%	14.7%
Other religion	0.5%	0.6%	-0.1%
Not answered	5.1%	6.0%	-0.9%

Safety

Is Downs Close Street dangerous?

Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Downs Close was 37.9 per 1,000 residents, which is 40.5% lower than the Borden and Grove Park average. The most reported crime type was Anti-social behaviour.

Downs Close has the 12th lowest crime rate of 24 local areas in Borden and Grove Park and the 121st lowest crime rate of 452 local areas in Swale .

Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 14.2 crimes per 1,000 residents and have remained broadly unchanged year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -64.8%.

🔎 See full breakdown of local crime, hotspots & trends

Affluence

Household Income

Households in this area have a similar level level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 58% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

Average Household Income
£47,100

Income Rank
6/10

Household Income in ME10 1SP, Local Authority and Region

Deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) - 5/10 (average )
Indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) is used to classify the relative deprivation (a measure of poverty) of the area. It considers the following domains:
Income Deprivation Domain - 5/10 (average )
The Income Deprivation Domain measures the percentage of people in the population who are experiencing poverty due to having a low income. It includes both those who are unemployed and those who are employed but earn very little (and who satisfy the respective means tests).
Employment Deprivation Domain - 7/10 (above average )
The Employment Deprivation Domain measures the proportion of the working-age population in an area involuntarily excluded from the labour market. This includes people who would like to work but are unable to do so due to unemployment, sickness or disability, or caring responsibilities.
Education, Skills and Training Domain - 6/10 (average )
The Education, Skills, and Training Deprivation Domain measures the lack of education and skills in a local area. It has two parts: one for children and young people, and one for adults. The part for children and young people looks at their school achievements ('flow'), while the part for adults looks at the number of adults without qualifications ('stock').
Health Deprivation and Disability Domain - 5/10 (average )
The Health Deprivation and Disability Domain measures the risk of early death and poor quality of life due to bad physical or mental health. It looks at illness, disability, and early death, but not at behaviors or environments that might affect future health.
Crime Domain - 5/10 (average )
The Crime Domain measures the risk of people and property being victims of crime in a local area.
Barriers to Housing and Services Domain - 4/10 (below average )
The Barriers to Housing and Services Domain measures how easy or hard it is to access housing and local services. It has two parts: one looks at how close local services are, and the other looks at issues like how affordable housing is.
Living Environment Deprivation Domain - 3/10 (low )
The Living Environment Deprivation Domain measures the quality of the local environment. It has two parts: the "indoors" part looks at housing quality, and the "outdoors" part looks at air quality and road traffic accidents.
Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) - 4/10 (below average )
The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) measures how many children aged 0 to 15 live in low-income families. It is part of the Income Deprivation Domain, which looks at how many people in an area have low incomes. This includes both those who are unemployed and those who work but earn very little (and who satisfy the respective means tests).
Income Deprivation Affecting Older People Index (IDAOPI) - 3/10 (low )
The Income Deprivation Affecting Older People Index (IDAOPI) measures the percentage of people aged 60 or older who have low income. It is part of the Income Deprivation Domain, which looks at how many people in an area have low income, including both unemployed people and those with low-paying jobs (and who satisfy the respective means tests).

Property Prices

Average property prices on Downs Close are based on 28 property sales since the beginning of 1995. Estimated property prices are calculated by adjusting the last sale price by current House Price Index for Swale.
StreetScan downloads house price data directly from the HM Land Registry and uses it to create these statistics.

House Prices for Downs Close, Sittingbourne, ME10 1SP

Estimated Average Property Prices for ME10 1SP

Average Price
£336,917

Semi-Detached
£325,792

Terraced
no sales

Detached
£414,790

Flats/Maisonettes
no sales

Other
no sales

Estimated Average Property Prices for Downs Close

Average Price
£343,708

Semi-Detached
£329,281

Terraced
no sales

Detached
£410,072

Flats/Maisonettes
no sales

Other
no sales

Property Prices Comparison

Latest Property Sales on Downs CloseStreet

Address	Sale Price	Sale Date	Price Estimate 2025
2 Downs Close, Sittingbourne, Kent Semi-Detached, an established residential building	£298,000	2025-06-20	£302,082
4 Downs Close, Sittingbourne, Kent Semi-Detached, an established residential building	£300,000	2022-02-02	£312,338
6 Downs Close, Sittingbourne, Kent Semi-Detached, an established residential building	£325,000	2022-01-28	£340,577
12 Downs Close, Sittingbourne, Kent Semi-Detached, an established residential building	£275,000	2020-05-21	£324,601
13 Downs Close, Sittingbourne, Kent Semi-Detached, an established residential building	£205,000	2015-12-02	£297,003

View All Property Sales and Other Statistics for ME10 1SP

Employment

ME10 1SP area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 2% residents of this area were unemployed, while the average in the UK was 4.83%. A low level of unemployment in an area indicates a strong job market, where most people who are seeking work can find employment. This generally reflects a healthy economy in the area.

The percentage of retired residents living in ME10 1SP area is much higher than the country's average. According to Census 2011, 56% residents of this area were retired, while the average in the UK was 14%.

Economic Activity

Retired	108
Full-Time Employee	42
Part-Time Employee	15
Self-Employed	6
Long-Term Sick or disabled	6
Full-Time Student (with or without job)	4
Looking after home or family	4
Other	3
Unemployed	3
Student (economically inactive)	1

Employment Industry

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles	12
Manufacturing	5
Professional, scientific and technical activities	5
Education	5
Construction	5
Human health and social work activities	4
Other	3
Accommodation and food service activities	2
Real estate activities	2
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security	2
Transport and storage	1
Information and communication	1

Schools

Primary

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Minterne Community Junior School Minterne Avenue , ME10 1SB	- not rated	143 yd	Community school	No	Mixed	More About School
Minterne Junior School Minterne Avenue , ME10 1SB	3out of 4	143 yd	Academy converter	No	Mixed	More About School
The Oaks Community Infant School Gore Court Road , ME10 1GL	- not rated	185 yd	Community school	Yes	Mixed	More About School
The Oaks Infant School Gore Court Road , ME10 1GL	3out of 4	185 yd	Academy converter	Yes	Mixed	More About School
St Peter's Catholic Primary School West Ridge , ME10 1UJ	- not rated	299 yd	Voluntary aided school	No	Mixed	More About School

Secondary

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
Fulston Manor School Brenchley Road , ME10 4EG	2out of 4	1,067 yd	Academy converter	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Fulston Manor School Brenchley Road , ME10 4EG	- not rated	1,067 yd	Foundation school	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Highsted Grammar School Highsted Road , ME10 4PT	3out of 4	1,121 yd	Academy converter	Not Applicable	Girls	More About School
Highsted Grammar School Highsted Road , ME10 4PT	- not rated	1,121 yd	Foundation school	Not Applicable	Girls	More About School
Borden Grammar School Avenue of Remembrance , ME10 4DB	- not rated	1,130 yd	Foundation school	Not Applicable	Boys	More About School

Not applicable

	Ofsted Overall Effectiveness	Distance	Establishment Type	Has Nursery Classes	Gender	More Info
ALP Sittingbourne 60 , Bell ME10 4HE	- not rated	787 yd	Other independent special school	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Swale Inclusion Service Ufton Lane , ME10 1JB	- not rated	1,019 yd	Pupil referral unit	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
Swale Centre Ufton Lane , ME10 1JB	- not rated	1,066 yd	Pupil referral unit	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
The Nativity School West Street , ME10 1AE	- not rated	1,278 yd	Other independent school	Not Applicable	Mixed	More About School
VTC Independent School Unit 2 , Centre 2000 ME10 3DZ	- not rated	1,981 yd	Other independent school	No	Mixed	More About School

School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.

Food and Drink

Restaurants, Cafes, Canteens

Business Name	Address	Distance
King George's Cafe	Cafe, King George V Playing Field	325 yd
Matt Matts Cafe	31 Chaucer Road, Sittingbourne	453 yd
Humayra Indian And Bangladeshi	4 The Parade, Northwood Drive	843 yd

Pubs, Bars, Nightclubs

Business Name	Address	Distance
Beauty Of Bath	College Road, Sittingbourne	418 yd
The Appleyard Sports Ground	Sports Ground, Gore Court Road	422 yd
The Gore Court Arms	Gore Court Arms, Park Road	485 yd
The Park Tavern	Park Road, Sittingbourne	908 yd

Takeaway, Sandwich Shops

Business Name	Address	Distance
Chaucer Fish Bar	18 Chaucer Road, Sittingbourne	453 yd
Madras Cafe	21 Chaucer Road, Sittingbourne	453 yd
Yummy Yummy	27 Chaucer Road, Sittingbourne	453 yd
Hot Woks	3 The Parade, Northwood Drive	843 yd

Supermarkets, Hypermarkets

Business Name	Address	Food hygiene rating	Distance
Co-op	1 - 2 The Parade, Northwood Drive		843 yd

Sport

Facility Name	Sport Objects	Distance
St Peter'S Catholic Primary School WEST RIDGE	grass pitches	305 yd
King Georges Playing Field Park Avenue	grass pitches, tennis courts	334 yd
The Appleyard THE FIELDINGS	grass pitches, tennis courts	496 yd
Westlands Primary School HOMEWOOD AVENUE	grass pitches, swimming pool	845 yd
Sittingbourne Recreation Ground ALBANY ROAD	grass pitches	851 yd
Fulston Manor School (Playing Fields) RUINS BARN ROAD	grass pitches	953 yd
Fulston Manor School BRENCHLEY ROAD		1,071 yd

Broadband

Technology Aviability

Percentage of premises that have Superfast Broadband (30Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband	100.0%
Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (100Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband	100.0%
Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband	100.0%
Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband	100.0%

Speed Aviability

Percentage of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s	0.0%
Percentage of premises unable to receive 5Mbit/s	0.0%
Percentage of premises unable to receive 10Mbit/s	0.0%
Percentage of premises unable to receive 30Mbit/s	0.0%

Download Speed

Median download speed	79.8 Mbit/s
Average download speed	121.4 Mbit/s
Minimum download speed	350 Mbit/s
Maximum download speed	350 Mbit/s

Upload Speed

Median upload speed	17.5 Mbit/s
Average upload speed	15.3 Mbit/s
Maximum upload speed	35 Mbit/s

Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.