State of the Countryside 2007: Economic Wellbeing

This chapter reviews the economic state of rural England, going beyond the usual indicators of output or drivers of wealth creation – employment, productivity, enterprise, business performance and competitiveness.



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Some key facts from this chapter:

  • In 2007 928,00 (32% of all rural households) had a household income less than £16,500 per annum (equivalent to 60% of the English median income).

  • The average weekly expenditure by rural households was £479.70 per week in 2004/05,  £60 higher than spent by the average urban households, with higher payments being made for 6 commodities and services such as transport.

  • In 2005 employment rates were 78% for rural, 77% for mixed and 74% in urban districts.

  • 1 in 3 rural households (1.38 million rural households) are ‘workless’, with no adult of working age in work.

  • Between 2002/3 and 2005/6, rural local authorities experienced a 209% growth in non-UK migrant workers compared with 67% growth in urban areas.

  • In 2005 the average rural business employed 6 employees. This compares with 16 employees in urban firms.

  • The three-year survival rate of enterprises registering in 2002 in rural areas was 76% (6% higher than urban districts).


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More about the Living in the countryside section

More about the Land and environment chapter