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Affluence in Sunderland

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

Council
Sunderland
Region
North East
Population
179,216 (2024)
Deprivation

How well off Sunderland is

On the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, Sunderland scores 3.4 out of 10, placing it more deprived than most of England. Its lowest-scoring category is health and disability (2.2 out of 10). Scores are ranked within England only, so they can’t be compared across UK nations.

Overall score
3.4/ 10
Most deprivedLeast deprived
Its 113 neighbourhoods, from 1 to 10
12345678910
Most deprivedLeast deprived
By category, lowest first
  • Health and disability2.2
  • Employment3.0
  • Crime3.6
  • Older people in low-income households3.8
  • Education and skills3.8
  • Income3.9
  • Children in low-income families4.3
  • Living environment5.0
  • Barriers to housing and services7.9
Income

Household income

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

Annual income
£40,552
Before tax, all sources
England
£55,856
Below the national average
Higher than
13%
Of neighbourhoods in England and Wales
Work

Who is in work

49.1% of adults in Sunderland are in work, below the England average of 55.7%. 23.8% are retired and 7.5% are full-time students.

SunderlandEngland
Employee, full-time31.3%34.3%
Employee, part-time12.2%11.9%
Self-employed5.5%9.5%
Unemployed3.4%2.9%
Full-time student7.5%7.9%
Retired23.8%21.5%
Looking after home or family5.3%4.8%
Long-term sick or disabled7.1%4.1%
Other3.8%3.1%
Occupations

Social grade

23.1% of adults in Sunderland work in managerial or professional jobs, well below the England average of 33.2%.

SunderlandEngland
Higher managerial & professional6.9%13.2%
Lower managerial & professional16.2%19.9%
Intermediate12.3%11.4%
Small employers & self-employed6.8%10.6%
Lower supervisory & technical6.3%5.3%
Semi-routine14.8%11.3%
Routine15.3%12%
Never worked & long-term unemployed14%8.5%
Full-time students7.3%7.7%
Education

Highest qualification

24.5% of adults in Sunderland hold a degree or equivalent, below the England average of 33.9%. 23.9% have no qualifications.

SunderlandEngland
Degree level or above24.5%33.9%
A level or equivalent16.8%16.9%
GCSE grade 4/C or above14.3%13.3%
Below GCSE grade 4/C10.7%9.7%
Apprenticeship7.2%5.3%
Other qualifications2.6%2.8%
No qualifications23.9%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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