Isle of Portland - Demography

Demography

The mid-year population of Portland in 2005 was 12,710; this figure has remained around twelve to thirteen thousand since the 1970s. In 2005 there were 5,474 dwellings in an area of 11.5 square kilometres (2,840 acres), giving an approximate population density of 1100 people per km2 (4.5 per acre). The population is almost entirely native to England—96.8 % of residents are of white ethnicity. House prices in Weymouth and Portland are relatively high by UK standards, yet around average for most of the south of England—the average price of a detached house in 2007 was £327,569; semi-detached and terraced houses were cheaper, at £230,932 and £190,073 respectively, and an apartment or maisonette cost £168,727.

Crime rates are below that of Weymouth and the United Kingdom—there were 9.1 burglaries per 1000 households in 2005 and 2006; which is higher than South West England (8.9 per 1000) but lower than England and Wales (13.5 per 1000). Unemployment levels are lower in summer than the winter—1.8 % of the economically active population in July 2006 were not employed, and 5.3% were unemployed year-round, the same as the United Kingdom average. The largest religion in Weymouth and Portland is Christianity, at almost 74.7%, which is slightly above the UK average of 71.6%. The next-largest sector is those with no religion, at almost 15.9%, also slightly above the UK average of 15.5%.