According to the Council Tax Base, at September 2016 there were 252,200 dwellings in Somerset. However, this included 5,545 homes classified as empty. The 2011 Census estimated there were 226,989 household spaces with at least one usual resident and a further 12,976 with no usual resident (including second homes).
The total number of household spaces in Somerset rose by 10% in the decade since the previous Census in 2001. The total number of households in Somerset is projected to increase further to 249,000 by 2021 (source: ONS).
At the time of the 2011 Census, there were in addition 12,848 people usually resident in a communal establishment, typically a care home, residential school or armed forces base.
For details of the following topics, please go to the tabs below:-
Household spaces are broken down by tenure by District below, by number and as % of homes in each area.
Number | Mendip | Sedgemoor | South Somerset | Taunton Deane | West Somerset | TOTAL |
Owned Outright | 17,387 | 18,320 | 26,718 | 16,329 | 7,024 | 85,778 |
Owned - Mortgage | 15,051 | 16,482 | 22,137 | 15,064 | 3,397 | 72,131 |
Shared Ownership | 349 | 273 | 542 | 251 | 72 | 1,487 |
Social Rented | 5,473 | 5,951 | 9,697 | 7,321 | 2,288 | 30,730 |
Private Rented | 7,136 | 7,113 | 9,272 | 7,227 | 2,510 | 33,258 |
Live rent-free | 761 | 662 | 1,135 | 715 | 332 | 3,605 |
TOTAL | 46,157 | 48,801 | 69,501 | 46,907 | 15,623 | 226,989 |
Source: 2011 Census (Table KS402EW)
% | Mendip | Sedgemoor | South Somerset | Taunton Deane | West Somerset | TOTAL |
Owned Outright | 37.7 | 37.5 | 38.4 | 34.8 | 45.0 | 37.8 |
Owned - Mortgage | 32.6 | 33.8 | 31.9 | 32.1 | 21.7 | 31.8 |
Shared Ownership | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
Social Rented | 11.9 | 12.2 | 14.0 | 15.6 | 14.6 | 13.5 |
Private Rented | 15.5 | 14.6 | 13.3 | 15.4 | 16.1 | 14.7 |
Live rent-free | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Source: 2011 Census (Table KS402EW)
To see the figures on the following charts, hover the cursor over the appropriate column.
Key messages from Government Dwelling Stock statistics
Dwelling stock is broken down by tenure by District below (Provisional figures at 1st April 2013):-
Number | Mendip | Sedgemoor | South Somerset | Taunton Deane | West Somerset | TOTAL |
Local authority-owned | 17,387 | 18,320 | 26,718 | 16,329 | 7,024 | 85,778 |
Private Registered Provider-owned* | 15,051 | 16,482 | 22,137 | 15,064 | 3,397 | 72,131 |
Other Public Sector-owned | 349 | 273 | 542 | 251 | 72 | 1,487 |
Private sector | 5,473 | 5,951 | 9,697 | 7,321 | 2,288 | 30,730 |
TOTAL | 46,157 | 48,801 | 69,501 | 46,907 | 15,623 | 226,989 |
Trends in the tenure profile for Somerset are shown below (2013 figures are provisional):
% dwelling stock by year | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
Local authority-owned | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
Private Registered Provider-owned* | 9.4 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 10.0 |
Other Public Sector-owned | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Private sector | 85.9 | 85.9 | 85.9 | 85.7 | 85.7 |
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
* formerly known as RSLs or Housing Associations
Source: DCLG/HCA
Key messages from the Census
Dwellings are broken down by type by District below, by number and as % of dwellings in each area:-
Number in each area | Mendip | Sedgemoor | South Somerset | Taunton Deane | West Somerset | TOTAL |
Detached | 15,242 | 16,777 | 24,593 | 14,469 | 6,354 | 77,435 |
Semi-detached | 15,287 | 15,758 | 22,543 | 14,083 | 5,179 | 72,850 |
Terraced | 11,988 | 11,532 | 17,662 | 12,377 | 3,216 | 56,775 |
Flats/Maisonettes/ Apartments | 5,995 | 6,459 | 7,980 | 7,974 | 2,664 | 31,072 |
Caravans/Mobile homes | 207 | 395 | 632 | 418 | 181 | 1,833 |
TOTAL | 48,675 | 50,879 | 73,375 | 49,220 | 17,571 | 239,720 |
% of dwellings in each area | Mendip | Sedgemoor | South Somerset | Taunton Deane | West Somerset | TOTAL |
Detached | 31.3 | 33.0 | 33.5 | 29.4 | 36.2 | 32.3 |
Semi-detached | 31.4 | 31.0 | 30.7 | 28.6 | 29.5 | 30.4 |
Terraced | 24.6 | 22.7 | 24.1 | 25.1 | 18.3 | 23.7 |
Flats/Maisonettes/ Apartments | 12.3 | 12.7 | 10.9 | 16.2 | 15.2 | 13.0 |
Caravans/Mobile homes | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
TOTAL | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Source: 2011 Census (Table KS401EW)
Key messages from the Census
The housing stock for each District is broken down by number of bedrooms in the following table
Number of bedrooms | Mendip | Sedgemoor | South Somerset | Taunton Deane | West Somerset | TOTAL |
One | 4,386 | 4,134 | 6,004 | 4,771 | 1,339 | 20,634 |
Two | 11,311 | 12,569 | 17,888 | 12,233 | 4,546 | 58,547 |
Three | 19,054 | 20,360 | 30,027 | 19,117 | 6,491 | 95,049 |
Four | 8,358 | 9,003 | 11,883 | 8,241 | 2,238 | 39,723 |
Five or more | 3,048 | 2,735 | 3,699 | 2,545 | 1,009 | 13,036 |
TOTAL | 46,157 | 48,801 | 69,501 | 46,907 | 15,623 | 226,989 |
Source: 2011 Census (Table DC4405EW)
To see the figures on the following charts, hover the cursor over the appropriate column.
Key messages from the Council Tax Base Valuation List
The number of Valuation List dwellings in each District are broken down by Council Tax Band as follows:-
Band | Mendip | Sedgemoor | South Somerset | Taunton Deane | West Somerset | Total |
A | 7,038 | 13,049 | 10,362 | 7,446 | 2,879 | 40,774 |
B | 13,266 | 12,373 | 22,536 | 16,190 | 3,985 | 68,350 |
C | 12,343 | 11,658 | 16,213 | 10,491 | 3,844 | 54,549 |
D | 7,568 | 7,912 | 10,992 | 7,453 | 3,416 | 37,341 |
E | 5,667 | 5,101 | 9,305 | 6,055 | 1,863 | 27,991 |
F | 3,186 | 2,626 | 4,743 | 3,528 | 1,290 | 15,373 |
G | 1,847 | 1,387 | 1,853 | 1,577 | 679 | 7,343 |
H | 129 | 60 | 167 | 100 | 49 | 505 |
Total | 51,044 | 54,166 | 76,171 | 52,840 | 18,005 | 252,226 |
Source: Council Taxbase statistics, DCLG
In June 2016, the Office for National Statistics published annual breakdowns of dwellings by Council Tax band at various lower statistical geographies. The Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) in Somerset with the highest proportions of dwellings in each Band in 2016 are shown in the following tables.
Band A | LSOA Code | Number | % total in LSOA |
Bridgwater Sydenham Central | E01029106 | 570 | 90 |
Bridgwater Hamp West | E01029099 | 420 | 79 |
Bridgwater Parkway South | E01029107 | 510 | 78 |
Band B | LSOA Code | Number | % total in LSOA |
Taunton Roman Road | E01029293 | 570 | 89 |
Yeovil Pen Mill East | E01029238 | 530 | 80 |
Taunton Priorswood South | E01029298 | 450 | 70 |
Band C | LSOA Code | Number | % total in LSOA |
Yeovil Buckler's Mead | E01029254 | 340 | 58 |
Bridgwater Durleigh | E01029103 | 350 | 56 |
Street South West | E01029076 | 510 | 55 |
Band D | LSOA Code | Number | % total in LSOA |
Minehead West | E01029331 | 350 | 45 |
Taunton Parkfield | E01029302 | 320 | 42 |
Taunton Blackbrook North | E01029294 | 300 | 40 |
Band E | LSOA Code | Number | % total in LSOA |
Yeovil Sampson's Wood | E01029244 | 230 | 35 |
Yeovil Houndstone North | E01029160 | 320 | 35 |
Creech St Michael E /Creech Heathfield | E01029274 | 260 | 33 |
Band F | LSOA Code | Number | % total in LSOA |
Wedmore South | E01029147 | 190 | 27 |
Henton, Bleadney, Westbury, Wookey | E01029052 | 210 | 23 |
Neroche (Taunton Deane) | E01029270 | 220 | 22 |
Band G |
LSOA Code | Number | % total in LSOA |
Kingston St Mary | E01029278 | 130 | 22 |
Axe Vale | E01029086 | 180 | 20 |
Wedmore South | E01029147 | 120 | 17 |
Note: Dwelling numbers are rounded to the nearest ten.
The 2011 Census identified people who were at 27th March 2011 usually resident in a communal establishment such as a hospital, care home, residential school or armed forces base.
Key messages from the Census
While most residents of 'Other' communal establishments tend to be clustered at the site of schools and the two armed forces bases, the relative concentrations of medical or care establishment residents are illustrated on the following ward map:-
To see the geographical breakdown at Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) level for all communal establishment and medical/care establishment residents, please go to INFORM Somerset.
The proportion of Christians in Somerset declined from 76.7% in 2001 to 64.0% in 2011. The proportion of people who said they had no religious affiliation increased from 14.8% to 26.6% over the same period. - 2011 Census