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Postcode area · Rochester

Affluence in ME

How ME ranks on deprivation and income, and the work and qualifications behind it.

Council
Medway
Region
South East
Population
711,261 (2024)
Deprivation

How well off ME is

On the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, ME scores 5.3 out of 10, placing it close to the middle of the range for England. Its lowest-scoring category is barriers to housing and services (3.7 out of 10). Scores are ranked within England only, so they can’t be compared across UK nations.

Overall score
5.3/ 10
Most deprivedLeast deprived
Its 402 neighbourhoods, from 1 to 10
12345678910
Most deprivedLeast deprived
By category, lowest first
  • Barriers to housing and services3.7
  • Crime4.6
  • Education and skills4.6
  • Employment5.4
  • Income5.6
  • Children in low-income families5.6
  • Health and disability5.7
  • Older people in low-income households5.9
  • Living environment6.5
Income

Household income

Average yearly household income before tax (2022/23), estimated for local neighbourhoods.

Annual income
£58,107
Before tax, all sources
England
£55,856
Above the national average
Higher than
62%
Of neighbourhoods in England and Wales
Work

Who is in work

58.2% of adults in ME are in work, broadly in line with the England average of 55.7%. 21.3% are retired and 5.7% are full-time students.

MEEngland
Employee, full-time36.1%34.3%
Employee, part-time11.9%11.9%
Self-employed10.2%9.5%
Unemployed2.7%2.9%
Full-time student5.7%7.9%
Retired21.3%21.5%
Looking after home or family5.1%4.8%
Long-term sick or disabled3.8%4.1%
Other3.2%3.1%
Occupations

Social grade

31.7% of adults in ME work in managerial or professional jobs, broadly in line with the England average of 33.2%.

MEEngland
Higher managerial & professional11.3%13.2%
Lower managerial & professional20.4%19.9%
Intermediate13.1%11.4%
Small employers & self-employed11.7%10.6%
Lower supervisory & technical5.9%5.3%
Semi-routine11.7%11.3%
Routine12.7%12%
Never worked & long-term unemployed7.7%8.5%
Full-time students5.5%7.7%
Education

Highest qualification

26.6% of adults in ME hold a degree or equivalent, below the England average of 33.9%. 19.1% have no qualifications.

MEEngland
Degree level or above26.6%33.9%
A level or equivalent17.8%16.9%
GCSE grade 4/C or above15.7%13.3%
Below GCSE grade 4/C11.7%9.7%
Apprenticeship6.1%5.3%
Other qualifications2.9%2.8%
No qualifications19.1%18.1%

Sources: English Indices of Deprivation 2025; ONS small area income estimates; Census 2021 (ONS). Open Government Licence v3.0.

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