Demography
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1901 | 4,433 |
| 1921 | 5,437 |
| 1941 | 7,090 |
| 1961 | 25,550 |
| 1981 | 87,865 |
| 2001 | 99,744 |
At the last census in 2001 the population of Crawley was recorded as 99,744. This accounted for 13.2% of the population of the county of West Sussex. The growth in population of the new town—around 1,000% between 1951 and 2001—has outstripped that of most similar-sized settlements. For example, in the same period, the population of the neighbouring district of Horsham grew by just 99%.
Approximately 64.5% of the population is aged below 45, compared to 55% of the population of West Sussex. White British account for 84.5% of the population and 15.5% of people are from other ethnic backgrounds. People of Indian and Pakistani origin account for 4.5% and 3% of the population respectively.
The borough has a population density of around 22 persons per hectare (54 persons per acre), making it the second most densely populated district in West Sussex, after Worthing. The social mix is similar to the national norm: around 50% are in the ABC1 social category, although this varies by ward, with just 44% in Broadfield North compared to 75% in Maidenbower.
The proportion of people in the borough with higher education qualifications is lower than the national average. Around 14% have a qualification at level 4 or above, compared to 20% nationally.
Read more about this topic: Crawley