Lowestoft

Lowestoft
Town and civil parish
Lowestoft beach and outer harbour
Lowestoft
Location within Suffolk
Area21.43 km2 (8.27 sq mi)
Population71,327 (2021 census)
 Density3,328/km2 (8,620/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTM548933
 London110 mi (180 km) south-west
Civil parish
  • Lowestoft
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Areas of the town
List
Post townLowestoft
Postcode districtNR32, NR33
Dialling code01502
PoliceSuffolk
FireSuffolk
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
WebsiteLowestoft Town Council

Lowestoft (/ˈl(ɪ)stɒft, ˈlstəf/ LOH-(ih)-stoft, LOH-stəf) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. As the most easterly UK settlement, it is 38 miles (61 km) north-east of Ipswich and 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Norwich, and the main town in its district. Its development grew with the fishing industry and as a seaside resort with wide sandy beaches. As fishing declined, oil and gas exploitation in the North Sea in the 1960s took over. In 2021 the built-up area had a population of 71,327 and the parish had a population of 47,879.