New Forest population falls, census results show

THE New Forest's population has declined in the last decade, according to the latest national census.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed the Forest's population fell by 0.4%, from 176,500 in 2011 to 175,800 in 2021.

The New Forest is one of the few areas in the South East to buck the trend by not seeing a population increase.

As of 2021, the New Forest is the 10th least densely populated of the south-east's 64 local authority areas.