The constituency includes some outskirts of Cambridge such as Girton and its eponymous Cambridge College, and a large spread of rural land to the west of the city, which is generally affluent. The population live in villages, most of which are compact - the most densely populated are in the south where the M11 motorway cuts deep into the seat providing rapid access to London. The seat's only ward that lies within the City of Cambridge has a strong Liberal Democrat vote. This ward also contains the Cambridge College Homerton and Addenbrooke's Hospital. Registered jobseekers totalled 1.4% of the population, much lower than the regional average of 3.1% and the national average of 3.8% of the population in a statistical compilation by The Guardian in November 2012. In 2017 South Cambridgeshire was identified as the constituency with the lowest proportion of claimants of unemployment benefits in the whole of the country, with only 0.6% of the economically active population claiming either Job Seekers Allowance or Universal Credit.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1997–2010: The District of South Cambridgeshire wards of Arrington, Bar Hill, Barrington and Shepreth, Barton, Bassingbourn, Bourn, Comberton, Coton, Duxford, Elsworth, Foxton, Gamlingay, Girton, Great Shelford, Hardwick, Harston, Haslingfield, Ickleton, Little Shelford, Longstanton, Melbourn, Meldreth, Orwell, Papworth, Sawston, Stapleford, Swavesey, The Mordens, and Whittlesford; and the City of Cambridge wards of Queen Edith’s and Trumpington. 2010–present: The District of South Cambridgeshire wards of Bar Hill, Barton, Bassingbourn, Bourn, Caldecote, Comberton, Cottenham, Duxford, Fowlmere and Foxton, Gamlingay, Girton, Grantchester, Hardwick, Harston and Hauxton, Haslingfield and The Eversdens, Longstanton, Melbourn, Meldreth, Orwell and Barrington, Papworth and Elsworth, Sawston, Swavesey, The Abingtons, The Mordens, The Shelfords and Stapleford, and Whittlesford; and the City of Cambridge ward of Queen Edith’s. The constituency was created following the boundary review of 1995, and was first contested at the 1997 general election. Before this, much of the region had been part of the South West Cambridgeshire constituency represented by Sir Anthony Grant from 1983 to 1997, while the wards of Bar Hill, Coton, Elsworth, Girton, Longstanton and Swavesey had been part of South East Cambridgeshire. ;Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies Following the 2007 review of parliamentary representation in Cambridgeshire, the Boundary Commission made minor alterations to the existing constituencies to deal with population changes. Trumpington ward and parts of Coleridge and Cherry Hinton wards in the City of Cambridge were transferred to Cambridge, having previously been part of South Cambridgeshire. Additionally, parts of Cottenham ward and the Abingtons have been added to South Cambridgeshire, having previously voted in the SouthEast Cambridgeshire constituency.
