Office for National Statistics (ONS) data has shown residents of Barton-on-Sea, near Lymington on the Hampshire coast, have a median average age of 65 — the highest among all similarly sized communities outside London.
The research found Hampshire, Lincolnshire, and Devon locations are all among the smallest built-up areas with the oldest populations. They all have a population of between 5,000 and 20,000, which classes them as large villages or small towns.
ONS found, of their study from March 2021, that of the top 30 small built-up areas in England and Wales with the highest median age at the time of the census, only seven are not situated on the coast.
By contrast, Stoke Gifford in South Gloucestershire has the lowest median age among large villages and small towns at just 27 years.
While in Wales, the seaside town of Porthcawl had the highest proportion of older residents (aged 64 years and over), with an average age of 54 years — lower than many English resorts.
However, the built-up area with the lowest median age was the university town of Aberystwyth (24 years) — also a coastal town.
Here are the top four, which are all in England:
Barton-on-Sea —Average age (median) of 65
The village near Lymington on the Hampshire coast is based on clifftops and at constant threat from erosion.
A 2008 study showed that 36 per cent of the population are retired, while around 7,000 live there now. Its nearest station is two miles away, in New Milton.
Sutton-on-Sea — Average age of 64
The seaside town in Lincolnshire was grouped in with nearby village Trusthorpe for the study. It saw its railway station closed in 1970 and plans to build a fishing harbour in the late 19th century also came to nothing.
Budleigh Salterton — Average age of 62
The western town has a small population of around 6,000 and is a bird-watching hotspot as it lies within the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Seaton — Average age of 61
The Devon town is a holiday destination but does have a rising population age and is no longer served by a railway station. As of last summer, however, it does have a tramway.
Additional reporting by PA.
