E63013533 /South East evidence profile
South East evidence profile
Totton digital planning profile
Totton is a medium, coastal built-up area in South East. ONS records show a 2021 population of 28,093; the population remained comparatively stable between 2001 and 2021, while the 2015 to 2024 employment series shows a flat employment count. This profile turns those public observations into a reviewable website-planning brief without claiming that the figures measure searches, leads or Mosalio's physical presence.
01 / Data snapshot
What the reviewed source records
- BUA24 code
- E63013533
- ITL1 region
- South East
- Coastal
- Coastal
- Income-deprivation flag
- Medium deprivation
02 / Context
Three comparisons, with the benchmark stated
8.5% below the 11.2% median across complete England records in this ONS file.
in line with the 0% dataset median.
14.8% below the 224.1% dataset median.
These medians use every complete England record accepted from the same ONS file. They are descriptive context, not targets, forecasts or a national demand model.
03 / Distinctive pattern
Where this record sits within 936 complete England profiles
Lower quartile · percentile position 20.6 of 100.
Middle half · percentile position 26.2 of 100.
Middle half · percentile position 67.9 of 100.
These are the three values furthest from the middle percentile position for this record. A higher position means a higher published value, not a better outcome or evidence of search demand.
Evidence fingerprint: sha256:a0ebc7717db…351cb11f4f88
04 / Constrained peers
Three named comparisons from the same reviewed source
Each peer is selected from all 936complete England records using the documented eight-metric distance. Deltas are Totton minus the named peer; a plus sign means the value recorded for Totton is higher.
Regional peer
Ash and Ash Vale · E63012682
South East. Nearest complete record in South East. ONS classification: Nearer - Lower deprivation - Residential.
- 2021 population
- +3,948 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- +0.9 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +2.9 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- 0 pp
- 2023 median house price
- -£120,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- +2.7 pp
- Population aged under 25
- +0.8 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- +0.9 pp
Classification peer
Yate · E63012007
South West. Nearest complete record outside South East with the same ONS combined classification. ONS classification: Nearer - Medium deprivation - Mixed.
- 2021 population
- -259 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -2.3 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +2.8 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- 0 pp
- 2023 median house price
- +£25,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- -38.8 pp
- Population aged under 25
- -1.9 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- +1.9 pp
National peer
Stroud · E63011599
South West. Nearest remaining complete England record. ONS classification: Nearer - Medium deprivation - Working.
- 2021 population
- +2,020 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -6.8 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +0.6 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- 0 pp
- 2023 median house price
- +£15,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- -20.2 pp
- Population aged under 25
- +1 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- -0.4 pp
05 / Evidence synthesis
Totton evidence synthesis: Population change, 2001 to 2021, Economic inactivity, 2021 population
Totton is recorded as a medium, coastal, mixed built-up area, nearer to a major town or city. This classification sets a transparent frame for the three observations below; it is not a persona, a service-area promise or proof of local search demand. Each finding pairs one distinctive percentile measure with one independently selected peer and one explicit validation route.
Eight-metric evidence matrix
The matrix shows every measure used by the peer-distance method, not only the three most distinctive values. Direction describes the published value relative to the middle percentile position; it is not a positive or negative judgement.
Highest-to-lowest percentile order: 2021 population → 2023 median house price → Population aged 65 or over → Population aged under 25 → Employment change, 2015 to 2024 → House-price growth, 2001 to 2023 → Economic inactivity → Population change, 2001 to 2021.
Furthest-to-nearest distance from the middle percentile: Population change, 2001 to 2021 → Economic inactivity → 2021 population → House-price growth, 2001 to 2023 → Employment change, 2015 to 2024 → 2023 median house price → Population aged under 25 → Population aged 65 or over.
Regional peer
Population change, 2001 to 2021: 2.7% · Ash and Ash Vale delta +0.9 pp
At 2.7%, population change, 2001 to 2021 places Totton in the lower quartile and at percentile 20.6 of the reviewed distribution. Against Ash and Ash Vale's reviewed regional record, the displayed delta is +0.9 pp. That comparator comes from the documented rule: nearest complete record in south east. Use the contrast to prioritise research into update cadence, ownership and change-ready content models. A decision should wait for dated user research and a documented content-review cycle. It must not be over-read, because historic population change is neither a forecast nor a lead estimate.
Classification peer
Economic inactivity: 36.4% · Yate delta +2.8 pp
At 36.4%, economic inactivity places Totton in the middle half and at percentile 26.2 of the reviewed distribution. Using Yate as the classification peer, the profile-minus-peer delta is +2.8 pp; the peer was selected because nearest complete record outside south east with the same ons combined classification. This evidence can narrow a discovery question around assisted, accessible and non-digital completion routes, while accessibility testing across real tasks and support-channel evidence supplies the user-level check the aggregate data cannot provide. Keep the inference narrow: an aggregate inactivity rate cannot describe an individual visitor.
National peer
2021 population: 28,093 · Stroud delta +2,020 people
Among the eight reviewed measures, 2021 population stands out for Totton at 28,093; its percentile position is 67.9 and its band is middle half. Stroud, the named national peer from South West, differs by +2,020 people when the calculation is Totton minus peer. Nearest remaining complete England record. This evidence can narrow a discovery question around content hierarchy and service-capacity assumptions, while task-frequency interviews and observed completion data supplies the user-level check the aggregate data cannot provide. No user or market conclusion follows automatically; population size does not establish addressable demand.
The distinctive metrics are not interchangeable: population change, 2001 to 2021, economic inactivity, 2021 population each raise a different planning question when read beside Ash and Ash Vale, Yate, Stroud. For Totton, the safe next step is therefore three small verification tasks rather than one demographic persona, locality claim or generic area-page conclusion.
06 / Evidence interpretation
Planning signals before design decisions
Population context: 28,093 people in 2021
Totton's recorded population changed from 27,348 in 2001 to 28,093 in 2021 (+2.7%). This historical direction can inform content governance and capacity planning, but it is not a forecast and does not establish demand for a particular service.
Audience context: 20.4% aged 65 or over
The 2021 age-group series records 5,063 people aged 0 to 15, 2,492 aged 16 to 24, 14,812 aged 25 to 64 and 5,726 aged 65 or over. Small differences from the headline population reflect the published source series; percentages here use the age-group total and should guide testing questions, not stereotypes.
Activity context: 36.4% economically inactive
ONS records economic inactivity at 36.4%. The published composition includes 24.1% retired, 3.5% long-term sick or disabled, 2.9% students and 3.6% looking after home or family. These categories support inclusive task design; they do not identify individual users or purchasing intent.
Economic context: £300,000 median house price in 2023
The median house-price series moved from £97,000 in 2001 to £295,000 in 2021 and £300,000 in 2023, a published change of +209.3%. It is contextual evidence only—not a current affordability, revenue or customer-value estimate.
07 / Independent question set
Questions this evidence cannot answer on its own
These questions convert the profile-specific observations into falsifiable discovery work. They are not recommendations to create a service, location or page, and each needs direct user or behavioural evidence before it changes a website brief.
- 01
Before prioritising update cadence, ownership and change-ready content models, which part of dated user research and a documented content-review cycle would verify whether this population change, 2001 to 2021 observation matters to users in Totton?
Evidence basis: 2.7%, lower quartile, with Totton minus the regional peer equal to +0.9 pp. Validation route: dated user research and a documented content-review cycle.
- 02
Which real user task would justify changing assisted, accessible and non-digital completion routes after seeing Totton's economic inactivity position and its +2.8 pp difference from Yate?
Evidence basis: 36.4%, middle half, with Totton minus the classification peer equal to +2.8 pp. Validation route: accessibility testing across real tasks and support-channel evidence.
- 03
If the national peer delta of +2,020 people is included in a brief, what decision about content hierarchy and service-capacity assumptions could it inform and what result would falsify that hypothesis?
The prompt combines one distinctive metric with the named national comparator selected by the eight-metric method. It does not treat either record as search, lead or customer evidence.
- 04
For Totton's medium, coastal, mixed built-up area, nearer to a major town or city classification, how should population change, 2001 to 2021, economic inactivity, 2021 population be tested as separate website hypotheses without turning the combined pattern into a claim about local demand?
Cross-check all three named comparisons—Ash and Ash Vale, Yate, Stroud—and define a user-research or behavioural measure for each question before changing navigation, page scope or conversion paths. The observations share one source but do not demonstrate causation.
08 / Practical brief
Website-planning recommendations for this evidence pattern
- 01
Design for mixed local intent
Totton has a mixed job-density classification. The information architecture should distinguish business, resident and visitor tasks where the organisation actually serves them, while sharing one evidence library so claims remain consistent across journeys.
- 02
Differentiate from the nearby major centre
Totton is nearer to a major town or city. Use specific offer boundaries, proof and response expectations to explain why the organisation is relevant; do not rely on a place-name heading or create a doorway that simply redirects users to a national service page.
- 03
Build a broad, task-led accessibility baseline
52.7% of the recorded 2021 age-group total is aged 25 to 64, with meaningful younger and older groups also present. Organise content by task, test keyboard and mobile use, and avoid designing around one assumed demographic persona.
- 04
Prioritise clarity before catalogue expansion
Totton recorded +2.7% population change from 2001 to 2021 and 0% employment change from 2015 to 2024. Start with the few journeys that can be maintained well, instrument meaningful outcomes and expand only when verified questions or search data show a separate need.
09 / Method and limits
What this profile can—and cannot—support
This is a Mosalio editorial interpretation of the ONS May 2026 dataset for BUA24 code E63013533. The source periods differ by metric; values are historical, not live. The profile deliberately excludes ONS experimental visitor-to-resident fields and makes no claim about search volume, rankings, customers, a Mosalio office or physical delivery in Totton.
Mosalio does not claim an office, staff member, customer, or physical-delivery presence in Totton.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Understanding towns in England and Wales, investigating socioeconomic trends, released . This Mosalio interpretation was first published on and last reviewed on .
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
How this page was made: Mosalio applies one documented, deterministic transform to the validated ONS record, calculates the displayed comparisons, and renders the result from source-controlled data. It is an automated public-data resource, not individually commissioned local market research. A portfolio-level editorial-value review checks every profile's source identity, distinctive metrics, peer evidence, synthesis and planning questions before index eligibility can be enabled.
Analysis basis: Midrank percentile across all accepted England records; a higher percentile means a higher published value, not a better outcome. Root-mean-square Euclidean distance across eight clipped robust z-scores; population and 2023 house price are log-transformed before median/MAD scaling.