The population of Kent is soaring at a time when housing stock is insufficient to meet demand, a new study has found.
There are now 18% more residents in the county than 20 years ago with growth particularly high in areas such as Ashford, Maidstone and Swale.
The report says the cheapest place to buy in Kent now requires a mortgage eight times the average salary and there is a lack of affordable housing throughout.
A 17 page summary, titled the 2025 Kent Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), was presented to members of the Kent Health and Wellbeing Board on February 11 at County Hall by Director of Public Health Dr Anjan Ghosh.
The document states: ”The population has grown by 7% over the last 10 years and by 18% over 20 years, with some authorities growing more rapidly notably Ashford, Dartford, Maidstone, Swale and Tonbridge and Malling.
“The dwelling stock across Kent has grown by 9% over the last 10 years, but not sufficient to meet growing demand.
“There is a lack of affordable housing. Average prices increased by 15- 30%. The most affordable authority area (Dover) has median house prices that are more than eight times median earnings and least affordable in Sevenoaks where house prices are 14 times median earnings.”
Just under 20% of the households (145,566) lived in the private rented sector in 2021.
The document adds: “The poor affordability of even the cheapest rental properties in the private rented sector for those reliant on housing benefit directly has contributed to households becoming homeless.
“There are 3,597 children who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation in Kent and Medway (March 2024). This is one of the most insecure forms of housing, often lacking in adequate space and facilities and families can sometimes be placed a long distance from schools, impacting on attendance, behaviour, and longer-term educational outcomes.”
The JSNA notes that over 26,000 households live in overcrowded accommodation, mostly rented.
It says: “Across the South East, over 10% of homes are non-decent according to the Survey of English Housing, for example not in a reasonable state of repair, hazardous or lacking in modern facilities.
“Of which a large significant proportion lead to fuel poverty. Increasing older population means it will result in an increased need for adapted housing especially for those with physical disabilities.”
The report, compiled by authors Dr Abraham George and Davinia Springer using officially collated information, says that at 83%, Kent is 10% whiter than other counties.
In Kent, 48.5% are Christian, 40.9% declared no faith, 1.6% are Muslim and 1.2% Hindu.
There are 98 distinct main languages spoken by people in Kent and 37 by at least 500 people. The top five languages are: English 89.8%, Polish 0.7%, Romanian 0.6%, Nepalese 0.5% and Panjabi 0.3%.
The report states: “From 2021 to 2023, the average female life expectancy in Kent was 83.3 years, compared to 83.1 years across England.
“For males, it was 79.3 years in Kent, compared to 79.1 years in England.
“At district level, life expectancy at birth is lowest in coastal areas, which are also the most deprived. These areas include Thanet, Folkestone and Hythe, Swale, Dartford, Gravesham, Dover, and Canterbury.
“The areas with the highest life expectancy are Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and Ashford.”
HIV diagnosis rates in the county are also on the rise, although most of Kent is not deemed a “high prevalence” area, which is defined by 2-5 people in 1,000 having the virus.
The report says Gravesham (2.22 per 1,000) and Thanet (2.03 per 1,000) are classed as such.
The board accepted the contents of the report and agreed several recommendations arising from it.
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