What it's like to live in Worthing

West Sussex has less social housing than England as a whole: 12.7% of homes are socially rented, split between 4.5% council and 8.2% housing association, against 17.1% nationally. Owner-occupation is high at 68.5%, with 17.5% privately rented.

That means social tenancies here are valuable and don't come up often, which is exactly why exchanging is worth looking at.

The county skews older: 27% are aged 45 to 64 and 22.8% are 65 or over, both above the England average. Central Worthing itself, with its flats and busy streets, tends to be more mixed in age than the wider county.

There's a good spread of schools close by. For primary age, Our Lady of Sion Junior School, Heene C of E Primary and St Mary's Catholic Primary are all within half a mile. Secondary options include St Andrew's C.E. High School, Worthing High School and Davison CE High School for Girls, all under a mile, with Durrington High School a little further.

For days out with kids, Homefield Park Skatepark and Amelia Park are both close, and the promenade and beach cost nothing. Worthing Library sits right in the town centre, with Broadwater Library about a mile away.

Across West Sussex, under-16s make up 17.6% of the population, slightly below the England figure. It's a county with an older profile, so expect a mix of families and retired neighbours.

Worthing station is about a quarter of a mile from the centre, and there are three more stations within two miles: East Worthing, West Worthing and Durrington-on-Sea. Lancing is a little over two miles out. Having four stations nearby is genuinely useful if your work or family are spread along the coast.

Buses are easy to reach too. Worthing Town Hall is right in the centre, with South Street stops a couple of minutes away and The Lido stop near the seafront.

On foot, the town centre is flat and compact, and the promenade makes a pleasant walking route. If you drive, a car is handy for bigger trips, but parking in a central town like this can be tight and often paid - check what comes with any home you're offered.

The seafront is the main draw, and Worthing Promenade is free and open year-round. Liverpool Gardens and Steyne Gardens give you somewhere to sit close to the shops.

For going out, the Dome Cinema and the Connaught Theatre and Studio are both within walking distance of the centre. Pubs and bars are plentiful nearby, from The Three Fishes and The Next of Kin to Soundcheck Rock and Metal Bar for live music.

Shopping is easy. The Guildbourne Centre, Stanford Square and the Royal Arcade are all within a third of a mile, and for food there's Lidl, Tesco Express, Waitrose and smaller grocers within a few minutes' walk.

If you like to keep active, gyms are thick on the ground here, with several within a quarter of a mile.

Across West Sussex, 57.8% of adults are in work, just above the England figure of 57.4%. Unemployment is lower than average at 2.9%, and in August 2026 3.1% of 16 to 64 year olds were claiming unemployment-related benefits, compared with 4% for England.

Those are county-wide numbers, so they cover a wide area. In practice, Worthing's town centre supports plenty of retail, hospitality and service jobs, and the shopping centres and seafront businesses are on your doorstep.

The four nearby stations matter here too. If you work along the coast or further afield, commuting by train is realistic without needing a car.