Community life in Chichester

How life feels in Chichester district

Do people feel they belong? Can they have a say? These survey answers add residents’ experiences to the facts about homes and services.

Survey estimates Chichester district · people aged 16 and over · 2025/26 release · the whole district, including places outside the city.

● Local estimate ■ England estimate. Lines show the range of uncertainty, not changes over time. Small differences alone do not establish a meaningful gap.

Community and belonging

Often or always lonely

6.5%

October 2025–March 2026

England: 6.7%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.

Question: How often do you feel lonely?
Answer counted: Often/Always

95% confidence interval: 4.1%–9.9%. Sample: 547 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.

Original table C3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Feel they belong in their neighbourhood

61.6%

October 2025–March 2026

England: 61.2%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.

Question: How strongly do you feel you belong to your immediate neighbourhood?
Answer counted: GROUPED: Very/Fairly strongly

95% confidence interval: 55.9%–67.1%. Sample: 510 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.

Original table D3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Proud to live in their area

72.8%

October 2025–March 2026

England: 61.6%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.

Question: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? - I am proud to live in my local area
Answer counted: GROUPED: Agree

95% confidence interval: 67.4%–77.7%. Sample: 516 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.

Original table E3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Would recommend their area

75.7%

October 2025–March 2026

England: 65.1%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.

Question: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? - I would recommend my local area to others as a good place to live
Answer counted: GROUPED: Agree

95% confidence interval: 70.5%–80.3%. Sample: 496 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.

Original table E7, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Satisfied with their area

84.3%

October 2025–March 2026

England: 72.6%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.

Question: Satisfaction with your local area as a place to live
Answer counted: GROUPED: Satisfied

95% confidence interval: 79.2%–88.4%. Sample: 529 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.

Original table E13, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Satisfied with local green spaces

86.1%

October 2025–March 2026

England: 75.9%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.

Question: How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the green and natural spaces in your local area?
Answer counted: GROUPED: Satisfied

95% confidence interval: 81.0%–90.0%. Sample: 489 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.

Original table E16, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Having a say

Feel able to influence local decisions

24.6%

October 2025–March 2026

England: 26.4%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.

Question: To what extent do you agree or disagree that you personally can influence decisions affecting your local area?
Answer counted: GROUPED: Agree

95% confidence interval: 20.4%–29.5%. Sample: 530 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.

Original table B3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Volunteer through a group at least monthly

22.0%

October 2025–March 2026

England: 18.2%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · October 2025–March 2026.

Question: Formal volunteering at least once a month in the last 12 months
Answer counted: Total (yes)

95% confidence interval: 18.0%–26.5%. Sample: 530 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES community pathway, CLS methodology. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count.

Original table G3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Culture and libraries

Attend or take part in arts in person

91.0%

April 2025–March 2026 · experiences in the previous 12 months

England: 83.4%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · April 2025–March 2026. Answers refer to the previous 12 months.

Question: Engaged with the arts in person in the last 12 months
Answer counted: Total

95% confidence interval: 87.4%–93.7%. Sample: 565 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

Original table I3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Visit heritage places in person

74.3%

April 2025–March 2026 · experiences in the previous 12 months

England: 62.4%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · April 2025–March 2026. Answers refer to the previous 12 months.

Question: Visited a heritage site in person at least once in the last 12 months
Answer counted: Any type of heritage in Table J1 rows 19 to 28

95% confidence interval: 68.7%–79.3%. Sample: 563 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

Original table J3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Use library services in person

33.2%

April 2025–March 2026 · experiences in the previous 12 months

England: 30.9%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · April 2025–March 2026. Answers refer to the previous 12 months.

Question: Visited a public library building or mobile library in person at least once [Note 11]
Answer counted: Visited a public library building or mobile library in-person in my leisure time Visited by a home library service Used another library outreach services

95% confidence interval: 27.8%–39.0%. Sample: 464 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

CES engagement pathway. Weighted survey estimate. Base is unweighted; respondent count is not a population count. Engagement pathway; check questionnaire and method before joining to Participation history. Library questions were omitted from the community paper questionnaire in 2025/26; the sample base is smaller. Includes home and outreach library services, not just building visits.

Original table K3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Visit museums or galleries in person

53.0%

April 2025–March 2026 · experiences in the previous 12 months

England: 41.9%

How this was measured

Community and Engagement Survey · People aged 16 and over · April 2025–March 2026. Answers refer to the previous 12 months.

Question: Visited a museum or gallery in person at least once in the last 12 months
Answer counted: Visited during leisure time

95% confidence interval: 47.3%–58.6%. Sample: 565 people answering this question. This is a sample count, not a count of residents with this experience.

Original table M3, cell D63 ↗ · Publication and methods ↗

Source release: 2026-07-31. Checked 2026-10-16. Agent source and calculation checks; independent review outstanding.

Compare all three areas and England → · Download figures and uncertainty (CSV) · Shared evidence file

Being active

Adult and children’s activity use different definitions. Explore Sport England’s published results ↗. We have not republished these tables or neighbourhood models while their file-reuse terms remain unresolved.

People and organisations working locally

Chichester Vision and regeneration strategy

A shared direction for the city centre, with connections, public spaces and economic activity at its heart. The strategy is an official plan; the action suggestions on this site are ours.

Find out more ↗

Place identity and a developing Place Board

The 2025/26 annual report records a new identity toolkit and development of a Place Board in 2026/27. This supports a shared local story; it is not evidence that every partnership project has delivered.

Find out more ↗

Community wardens

Visible local support, referrals and links with police. Wardens have no enforcement powers. Their work is different from police patrols.

Find out more ↗

Community Safety Partnership

Council and police work together on local safety. The city-centre order addresses alcohol-related antisocial behaviour; it is not a blanket ban on drinking.

Find out more ↗

Local parish plans

Fishbourne, Tangmere, Bosham, Selsey and the Witterings have distinct planning histories. A designated neighbourhood area is not automatically an adopted neighbourhood plan. Check the council register for the relevant parish.

Find out more ↗

Community support and grants

The annual report records more than £365,000 allocated across 63 community projects in 2025/26. Allocation is not the same as expenditure or an independently measured benefit.

Find out more ↗