New Forest vs Test Valley
A side-by-side comparison of the New Forest and Test Valleylocal authority areas — population, density, deprivation and age profile, from ONS Census 2021 and each nation’s Indices of Deprivation.
In short: New Forest is the more populous; council tax is lower in Test Valley; New Forest has the higher share of Good/Outstanding schools.
| New Forest | Test Valley | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 175,785 | 130,492 |
| Density | 234/km² | 208/km² |
| Deprivation | 0% in most-deprived 10% | 0% in most-deprived 10% |
| Council tax (Band D) | £2,420 | £2,306 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 96% | 80% |
| Aged under 16 | 15% | 18% |
| Aged 16–64 | 55% | 61% |
| Aged 65+ | 29% | 21% |