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Swaffham · Breckland

Swaffham: your neighbourhood

Swaffham electoral ward · May 2026 boundaries. Every figure carries its own date.

What stands out here?

People aged 65 or over: 32.6% here, compared with 25% across Breckland (7.6 percentage points higher).

Age helps locate demand for accessible homes, transport and support. Being older does not itself mean someone needs care.

21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.

Why this comparison is valid

The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.

Source →
A proposed response →

Homes rented from a council or housing association: 19% here, compared with 14% across Breckland (4.9 percentage points higher).

The share of social housing describes the homes already here. It does not show the current waiting list or whether enough suitable homes are available.

21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.

Why this comparison is valid

The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.

Source →
A proposed response →

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages: 20.2% here, compared with 17.6% across Breckland (2.6 percentage points higher).

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.

Why this comparison is valid

The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.

Source →
A proposed response →

The ward in numbers

People aged 65 or over

32.6%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

All usual residents

2,789 out of 8,563.

Source and method →

People reporting bad or very bad health

6.7%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

All usual residents; self-reported, not age-standardised

573 out of 8,565.

Source and method →

People counted in the census

8,565

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

All usual residents

8,565 out of 8,565.

Source and method →

People aged 16+ with a degree or equivalent

22%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Residents aged 16 and over

1,594 out of 7,257.

Source and method →

Households facing at least one measured disadvantage

57.8%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

The census checks education, employment, health and housing. This is not a measure of income or poverty.

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

All households

2,296 out of 3,969.

Source and method →

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages

20.2%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

The census checks education, employment, health and housing. This is not a measure of income or poverty.

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

All households

803 out of 3,969.

Source and method →

Residents aged 16+ outside the labour market

51.3%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

All usual residents aged 16 and over

3,725 out of 7,265.

Source and method →

Residents aged 16+ in work

45.9%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

All usual residents aged 16 and over

3,335 out of 7,265.

Source and method →

Residents aged 16+ not working because of long-term illness or disability

4.7%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

All usual residents aged 16 and over

338 out of 7,265.

Source and method →

People aged 16+ with no qualifications

24.7%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

Residents aged 16 and over

1,792 out of 7,257.

Source and method →

Homes rented privately

16%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

All households

648 out of 3,971.

Source and method →

Residents aged 16+ retired

37.5%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly.

All usual residents aged 16 and over

2,723 out of 7,265.

Source and method →

Homes rented from a council or housing association

19%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

Published Census 2021 count; percentage uses the matching population denominator

All households

755 out of 3,971.

Source and method →

Residents aged 16+ unemployed

2.8%

21 March 2021 · Swaffham

Show the workings

21 March 2021, residents aged 16 and over. Includes full-time students in the corresponding work/unemployment categories. Not a current labour-market estimate or the usual 16–64 employment rate. Census took place during the coronavirus pandemic; furlough and lockdown affected answers. Ward counts sum complete official output-area best-fit membership; privacy adjustment can make totals differ slightly. Unemployed residents as a share of all residents aged 16+; this is not the unemployment rate among economically active people.

All usual residents aged 16 and over

205 out of 7,265.

Source and method →

Crime and safety

Police-recorded locations for Swaffham ward. Locations are approximate; these are not all crimes or a measure of personal risk.

577 mapped crimes

September 2025 to August 2026. Compared with 586 in the previous 12 months. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately.

Mapped crime over time

September 2024 to August 2026

Swaffham ward · mapped crimes

Reviewed figures: September 2024 to August 2026. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: 46 mapped crimes in September 2024; 50 mapped crimes in August 2026. These are recorded counts; check the coverage notes before comparing periods.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Monthly crime and anti-social behaviour
Recorded locations by month · Swaffham
MonthMapped crimeAnti-social behaviour
September 20244610
October 20245411
November 20245211
December 20243610
January 2025423
February 2025459
March 20255313
April 2025448
May 20256911
June 20254313
July 20254118
August 2025616
September 20256013
October 2025457
November 2025594
December 2025404
January 2026349
February 2026537
March 2026448
April 2026445
May 20264716
June 20265317
July 20264820
August 2026507
Crime categories in the latest complete year
September 2025 to August 2026 · Swaffham
CategoryMapped crimes
violent crime270
shoplifting72
other theft63
criminal damage arson53
public order41
drugs22
other crime21
vehicle crime14
burglary12
possession of weapons5
theft from the person2
robbery1
bicycle theft1
What these numbers include

Approximate published locations, not every crime or personal risk.

Anti-social behaviour is separate. Transport police and unusable locations excluded.

An empty ward count means no mapped rows in the complete required force files; it does not prove that no crime occurred.

These are retrieved mapped records, not a guarantee of complete crime reporting. Approximate locations and unmapped incidents limit comparisons.

Missing ward-months invalidate totals and changes. Busy centres attract visitors, so residential population is not a measure of the number of people exposed.

Police data and method →

What could improve local safety →

Projects and proposed responses

A nearby project is not proof of a benefit to the whole ward. Only source-supported ward links are attached here.

No project boundary has been verified against this ward. See projects and their stated locations →

Proposed responses across Breckland →