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Postcode district · Eastbourne

BN21 area guide

Who lives in BN21, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council
Eastbourne
Region
South East
Population
39,838 (2024)
At a glance

What BN21 is like

The BN21 postcode district in Eastbourne covers 930 live postcodes and is home to about 39,838 people in 18,262 households. 55.2% of households own their home, 35.8% rent privately and 8.4% are in social housing. The largest age group is 55–59, and 49.3% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is well above the England and Wales average. Homes in BN21 sold for a median of £228,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How BN21 compares

Headline figures for BN21, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore
5.4/ 10

Around the middle. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore
8/ 10

Higher than most: 47.3 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore
£228,000

Median over 337 sales in BN21, −3% on the year before.

TransportMore
5.0/ 10

Good: 1 station within a mile, 49 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore
62%

Rated good or better across 8 inspected schools in BN21.

Household incomeMore
£48,735

Average annual income before tax, higher than 38% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where BN21 differs most from the national average.

  1. 01
    A big private rental marketPositive

    35.8% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.

  2. 02
    Higher crime than mostLook closer

    47.3 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.

  3. 03
    An older population

    26.6% of residents are 65 or over, against 18.4% across England.

Questions

BN21 FAQs

01
Is BN21 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 5.4 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 47.3 per 1,000 people a year, band 8 of 10 nationally. 62% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10 (good).
02
How much does a house cost in BN21?

The median sale price over the last year was £228,000.

Homes in BN21 sold for a median of £228,000 across 337 sales in the year to August 2026, −3% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.
03
Is BN21 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 47.3 offences per 1,000 people a year around BN21, well above the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 8 of 10.
04
Who lives in BN21?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 55–59, at 6.8% of residents. 55.2% of households own their home. The most common property type is purpose-built flat (37.7%).
05
Which council covers BN21?

The local authority for BN21 is Eastbourne.

BN21 comes under Eastbourne in the South East. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.
06
How well connected is BN21?

Connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10.

There are 49 bus stops within 800m and 1 station or tram stop within a mile, scoring 5.0 out of 10 (good). The nearest station is Eastbourne Rail Station, 0.3 miles away.

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.

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