/visualisations/censusareachanges/E06000026/

The population passed 260,000

Between the last two censuses (held in 2011 and 2021), the population of Plymouth increased by 3.2%, from just under 256,400 in 2011 to around 264,700 in 2021.

The population here increased by a smaller percentage than the overall population of the South West (7.8%), and by a smaller percentage than the overall population of England (up 6.6% since the 2011 Census).

In 2021, Plymouth was home to around 23.7 people per football pitch-sized piece of land, compared with 22.9 in 2011. This area was the second-most densely populated local authority area across the South West (after Bristol).

This article generally uses percentages to enable comparisons over time and between areas. The percentage point change is also used to show the difference between the 2011 and 2021 percentages.

Population growth was lower in Plymouth than across the South West

Percentage population change, Plymouth and surrounding areas, 2011 Census to Census 2021
England ▲6.6% South West ▲7.8% Plymouth ▲3.2%
-2-0.50.5+2+8+16%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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Median age in Plymouth

Between the last two censuses, the average (median) age of Plymouth increased by one year, from 38 to 39 years of age.

This area had a lower average (median) age than the South West as a whole in 2021 (44 years) and a slightly lower average (median) age than England (40 years).

The median age is the age of the person in the middle of the group, meaning that one half of the group is younger than that person and the other half is older.

The number of people aged 50 to 64 years rose by just under 4,800 (an increase of 10.5%), while the number of residents between 20 and 24 years fell by just under 3,200 (13.0% decrease).

The share of residents aged between 50 and 64 years increased by 1.2 percentage points between 2011 and 2021

Percentage of usual residents by age group,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
85 years and over 2.2 2.4 2.9 3.1 2.2 2.4 2.2%
2.4%
75 to 84 years 5.5 6.2 6.6 7.6 5.5 6.1 5.5%
6.2%
65 to 74 years 8.6 9.8 10.1 11.7 8.6 9.8 8.6%
9.8%
50 to 64 years 17.7 19.0 19.6 20.4 18.1 19.4 17.7%
19.0%
35 to 49 years 19.8 18.4 20.6 17.9 21.3 19.4 19.8%
18.4%
25 to 34 years 13.4 13.7 11.4 12.1 13.5 13.6 13.4%
13.7%
20 to 24 years 9.5 8.0 6.3 5.8 6.8 6.0 9.5%
8.0%
16 to 19 years 5.8 5.0 5.0 4.4 5.1 4.6 5.8%
5.0%
10 to 15 years 6.5 6.7 6.8 6.7 7.0 7.2 6.5%
6.7%
5 to 9 years 5.0 5.7 5.2 5.5 5.6 5.9 5.0%
5.7%
4 years and under 6.0 5.0 5.6 4.8 6.3 5.4 6.0%
5.0%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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Employment in Plymouth

The percentage of people aged 16 years and over (excluding full-time students) who were employed increased in Plymouth, but fell across the South West.

In Plymouth, the percentage who were employed rose from 52.5% in 2011 to 53.0% in 2021. During the same period, the regional percentage fell from 56.9% to 55.3%.

The percentage of people aged 16 years and over who were unemployed (excluding full-time students) in Plymouth fell from 3.9% to 2.4%, while the percentage of people aged 16 years and over who were retired (economically inactive) increased from 21.5% to 21.8%.

Census 2021 took place during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a period of rapid and unparalleled change; the national lockdown, associated guidance and furlough measures will have affected the labour market and our ability to measure it.

The percentage of people aged 16 years and over who were employed (excluding full-time students) in Plymouth increased by 0.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 years and over by economic activity status,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
Economically active (excluding full-time students): In employment 52.5 53.0 56.9 55.3 56.5 55.7 52.5%
53.0%
Economically active (excluding full-time students): Unemployed 3.9 2.4 2.9 2.1 4.0 2.9 3.9%
2.4%
Economically active and a full-time student: In employment 3.2 2.3 2.3 1.6 2.4 1.7 3.2%
2.3%
Economically active and a full-time student: Unemployed 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.6 1.0%
0.8%
Economically inactive: Retired 21.5 21.8 24.7 25.6 21.2 21.5 21.5%
21.8%
Economically inactive: Student 7.6 7.1 4.3 5.0 5.3 5.6 7.6%
7.1%
Economically inactive: Looking after home or family 3.6 4.2 3.3 3.7 4.0 4.8 3.6%
4.2%
Economically inactive: Long-term sick or disabled 4.9 5.5 3.3 3.7 3.8 4.1 4.9%
5.5%
Economically inactive: Other 1.8 2.7 1.7 2.5 2.2 3.1 1.8%
2.7%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

| |

Plymouth stood out from other areas for working hours

The percentage of people aged 16 years and over and in employment who said they usually worked 15 hours or less per week fell here, but rose across the South West.

In Plymouth, the percentage that worked 15 hours or less in a week fell from 10.4% in 2011 to 9.9% in 2021. During the same period, the regional percentage increased from 10.8% to 11.3%.

The percentage of adults in employment who worked 49 hours or more in Plymouth fell from 11.0% to 9.3%, while the percentage of adults in employment who worked 31 to 48 hours increased from 56.7% to 59.2%.

Working hours may have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The percentage of adults who worked 15 hours or less in Plymouth decreased by 0.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 years and over and in employment by the number of hours worked per week,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
15 hours or less worked 10.4 9.9 10.8 11.3 9.7 10.3 10.4%
9.9%
16 to 30 hours worked 21.9 21.6 20.7 21.0 19.5 19.5 21.9%
21.6%
31 to 48 hours worked 56.7 59.2 55.2 57.0 57.5 59.1 56.7%
59.2%
49 or more hours worked 11.0 9.3 13.3 10.8 13.3 11.1 11.0%
9.3%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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Unpaid care in Plymouth

In 2021, 4.4% of Plymouth residents (aged five years and over) reported providing up to 19 hours of unpaid care each week. This figure decreased from 6.8% in 2011. These are age-standardised proportions.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

The decrease in the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care was greater across the South West (2.8 percentage points, from 7.5% to 4.7%) than in Plymouth (2.4 percentage points). Across England, the proportion fell by 2.8 percentage points, from 7.2% to 4.4%.

Census 2021 was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived and managed their provision of unpaid care, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.

Caution should be taken when making comparisons between 2011 and 2021 because of changes in question wording and response options.

The percentage of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care in Plymouth decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Age-standardised proportion of usual residents (aged five years and over) by hours per week of unpaid care provision,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
Does not provide weekly unpaid care 88.0 90.1 88.6 91.0 88.7 91.1 88.0%
90.1%
Up to 19 hours of unpaid care 6.8 4.4 7.5 4.7 7.2 4.4 6.8%
4.4%
20 to 49 hours of unpaid care 1.8 2.2 1.4 1.7 1.5 1.8 1.8%
2.2%
50 or more hours of unpaid care 3.4 3.3 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.7 3.4%
3.3%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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Change in housing in Plymouth

Plymouth saw the South West's second-largest percentage-point fall in the proportion of households in the social rented sector (from 19.3% in 2011 to 18.4% in 2021).

Across the region, only Bristol saw a greater fall in the percentage of households in the social rented sector (from 20.3% to 18.7%).

Despite the decrease, Plymouth was in the highest 25% of English local authority areas for the share of households in the social rented sector in 2021.

The rate of social renting in Plymouth decreased by 0.9 percentage points

Percentage of households by housing tenure,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
Owns outright or with a mortgage or loan 58.7 57.6 67.4 65.9 63.3 61.3 58.7%
57.6%
Shared ownership 0.8 1.2 0.8 1.1 0.8 1.0 0.8%
1.2%
Social rented 19.3 18.4 13.3 13.3 17.7 17.1 19.3%
18.4%
Private rented 20.2 22.6 17.1 19.7 16.8 20.5 20.2%
22.6%
Lives rent free 1.1 0.1 1.4 0.1 1.3 0.1 1.1%
0.1%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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Health in Plymouth

In 2021, 44.8% of Plymouth residents described their health as "very good", increasing from 43.5% in 2011. Those describing their health as "good" rose from 34.0% to 34.1%. These are age-standardised proportions.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

The proportion of Plymouth residents describing their health as "very bad" was 1.5% (similar to 2011), while those describing their health as "bad" fell from 5.6% to 5.1%.

These data reflect people’s own opinions in describing their overall health on a five point scale, from very good to very bad.

Census 2021 was conducted during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived and rated their health, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.

The percentage of people in very good health in Plymouth increased by 1.3 percentage points

Age-standardised proportion of usual residents by self-reported health,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
Very good health 43.5 44.8 46.8 48.7 45.0 47.5 43.5%
44.8%
Good health 34.0 34.1 34.8 34.1 34.8 34.2 34.0%
34.1%
Fair health 15.3 14.4 13.3 12.5 14.2 13.0 15.3%
14.4%
Bad health 5.6 5.1 4.0 3.7 4.6 4.1 5.6%
5.1%
Very bad health 1.6 1.5 1.1 1.1 1.4 1.2 1.6%
1.5%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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Religion in Plymouth

In 2021, 48.9% of Plymouth residents reported having "No religion", making it the most common response in this local authority area (up from 32.9% in 2011). Because the census question about religious affiliation is voluntary and has varying response rates, caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.

Across the South West, the percentage of residents who described themselves as having "No religion" increased from 29.3% to 44.1%, while across England the percentage increased from 24.8% to 36.7%.

In 2021, 42.5% of people in Plymouth described themselves as Christian (down from 58.1%), while 5.9% did not state their religion (down from 7.1% the decade before).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as a changing age structure or residents relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals chose to self-identify between censuses. Religious affiliation is the religion with which someone connects or identifies, rather than their beliefs or religious practice.

Read the bulletin Religion, England and Wales: Census 2021.

In 2021, 48.9% of usual residents in Plymouth reported having "No religion"

Percentage of usual residents by religion,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
No religion 32.9 48.9 29.3 44.1 24.8 36.7 32.9%
48.9%
Christian 58.1 42.5 60.4 46.2 59.4 46.3 58.1%
42.5%
Buddhist 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.3%
0.4%
Hindu 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.5 1.5 1.8 0.2%
0.3%
Jewish 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.1%
0.1%
Muslim 0.8 1.3 1.0 1.4 5.0 6.7 0.8%
1.3%
Sikh 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.8 0.9 0.0%
0.0%
Other 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.5%
0.6%
Not answered 7.1 5.9 7.9 6.5 7.1 6.0 7.1%
5.9%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

| |

Plymouth residents' country of birth

In the latest census, around 232,100 Plymouth residents said they were born in England. This represented 87.7% of the local population. The figure has risen from just under 229,000 in 2011, which at the time represented 89.3% of Plymouth's population.

Scotland was the next most represented, with just over 3,900 Plymouth residents reporting this country of birth (1.5%). This figure was down from just under 4,400 in 2011, which at the time represented 1.7% of the population of Plymouth.

The number of Plymouth residents born in Wales fell from around 3,700 in 2011 (1.4% of the local population) to around 3,300 in 2021 (1.2%).

In 2021, 87.7% of Plymouth residents reported their country of birth as England

Percentage of usual residents by country of birth,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
England 89.3 87.7 88.6 86.4 83.5 80.3 89.3%
87.7%
Scotland 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.1 1.7%
1.5%
Wales 1.4 1.2 2.0 1.8 1.0 0.8 1.4%
1.2%
Poland 0.9 1.2 0.9 1.1 1.1 1.3 0.9%
1.2%
Countries that joined the EU between April 2001 and March 2011 (other than Poland, Croatia, Lithuania and Romania) 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.7 0.7 1.0 0.6%
0.8%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021
Notes:
  1. This chart shows the five most common countries of birth in Plymouth in 2021
  2. Please see the data dictionary for further detail on country of birth groupings

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Family in Plymouth

In 2021, 5.5% of Plymouth households included a couple with only non-dependent children. This figure was at a similar level in 2011 (5.6%).

In 2021, just over one in six households (17.3%) included a couple with dependent children, compared with 17.9% in 2011. The percentage of single-family households including a couple without children decreased from 18.6% to 17.8%.

Plymouth saw the South West's joint third-largest fall (alongside Torridge) in the percentage of households including a couple with only non-dependent children. This area had the region’s sixth lowest percentage of households including a couple with only non-dependent children.

The percentage of households including a couple with only non-dependent children in Plymouth decreased by 0.1 percentage points

Percentage of households by household composition,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
One-person household: Aged 66 years and over (Aged 65 years and over in 2011) 12.3 13.2 13.8 14.6 12.4 12.8 12.3%
13.2%
One-person household: Other 19.1 19.4 16.5 15.7 17.9 17.3 19.1%
19.4%
Single-family household: Cohabiting-couple family: No children 18.6 17.8 19.7 18.5 17.6 16.8 18.6%
17.8%
Single-family household: Cohabiting-couple family: With dependent children 17.9 17.3 18.6 17.9 19.3 18.9 17.9%
17.3%
Single-family household: Cohabiting-couple family: All children non-dependent 5.6 5.5 5.6 5.9 6.1 6.3 5.6%
5.5%
Single-family household: Lone-parent household 10.6 11.1 8.9 9.1 10.6 11.1 10.6%
11.1%
Other household types 15.9 15.7 16.9 18.3 16.1 16.9 15.9%
15.7%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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National identity in Plymouth

In 2021, 5.5% of Plymouth residents did not identify with any national identity associated with the UK. This figure increased from 4.2% in 2011.

In 2021, 1.2% of residents identified with a UK and non-UK national identity, compared with 0.4% in 2011. The percentage of residents in Plymouth that identified as "British only" increased from 15.4% to 57.2%.

The increase in the percentage of people who did not identify with any national identity associated with the UK was greater across the South West (1.7 percentage points, from 4.4% to 6.1%) than in Plymouth (1.3 percentage points). Across England, the percentage increased by 1.7 percentage points, from 8.2% to 10.0%.

In Census 2021, “British” was moved to the top response option and this may have influenced how people described their national identity. For further information, please see our quality report.

The percentage of people who did not identify with at least one UK national identity in Plymouth increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents by national identity,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
British only identity 15.4 57.2 16.0 55.5 19.2 56.8 15.4%
57.2%
Welsh only identity 0.9 0.6 1.1 0.8 0.6 0.3 0.9%
0.6%
Welsh and British only identity 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.2%
0.2%
English only identity 67.0 16.5 64.5 16.9 60.4 15.3 67.0%
16.5%
English and British only identity 10.1 17.2 10.2 15.9 9.1 14.3 10.1%
17.2%
Any other combination of only UK identities 1.8 1.5 2.9 2.8 1.6 1.1 1.8%
1.5%
Non-UK identity only 4.2 5.5 4.4 6.1 8.2 10.0 4.2%
5.5%
UK identity and non-UK identity 0.4 1.2 0.6 1.6 0.9 2.0 0.4%
1.2%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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More adults never married or in a civil partnership

Of Plymouth residents aged 16 years and over, 40.2% said they had never been married or in a civil partnership in 2021, up from 37.1% in 2011.

In 2021, just over 4 in 10 people (40.4%) said they were married or in a registered civil partnership, compared with 43.1% in 2011. The percentage of adults in Plymouth that had divorced or dissolved a civil partnership increased from 10.5% to 10.8%.

The increase in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over who had never been married or in a civil partnership was greater across the South West (3.5 percentage points, from 31.1% to 34.7%) than in Plymouth (3.0 percentage points). Across England, the percentage increased by 3.3 percentage points, from 34.6% to 37.9%.

These figures include same-sex marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships in 2021, neither of which were legally recognised in England and Wales in 2011. Same-sex marriages have been legally recognised in England and Wales since 2014 and opposite-sex civil partnerships have been recognised since 2019.

The percentage of adults who had never married or registered a civil partnership in Plymouth increased by 3.0 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 years and over by legal partnership status,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
Never married and never registered a civil partnership 37.1 40.2 31.1 34.7 34.6 37.9 37.1%
40.2%
Married or in a registered civil partnership 43.1 40.4 49.2 46.5 46.8 44.7 43.1%
40.4%
Separated, but still legally married or still legally in a civil partnership 2.5 2.6 2.3 2.1 2.7 2.2 2.5%
2.6%
Divorced or civil partnership dissolved 10.5 10.8 9.8 10.1 9.0 9.1 10.5%
10.8%
Widowed or surviving civil partnership partner 6.7 6.1 7.5 6.6 6.9 6.1 6.7%
6.1%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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Disability in Plymouth

In 2021, 9.7% of Plymouth residents were identified as being disabled and limited a lot. This figure decreased from 11.1% in 2011. These are age-standardised proportions.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

In 2021, just under one in eight people (12.3%) were identified as being disabled and limited a little, compared with 11.3% in 2011. The proportion of Plymouth residents who were not disabled increased from 77.6% to 78.0%.

This area had the region’s second highest proportion of residents who were identified as being disabled and limited a lot. Across the region, only Torbay, with 9.9%, had a higher proportion.

Census 2021 was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived their health status and activity limitations, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.

Caution should be taken when making comparisons between 2011 and 2021 because of changes in question wording and response options.

The percentage of people who were identified as being disabled and limited a lot in Plymouth decreased by 1.4 percentage points

Age-standardised proportion of usual residents by long-term health condition or illness,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
Disabled and limited a lot 11.1 9.7 8.1 7.0 9.1 7.5 11.1%
9.7%
Disabled and limited a little 11.3 12.3 10.1 10.8 10.2 10.2 11.3%
12.3%
Not disabled 77.6 78.0 81.9 82.2 80.7 82.3 77.6%
78.0%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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Ethnic groups in Plymouth

In 2021, 2.2% of Plymouth residents identified their ethnic group within the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" category, up from 1.5% in 2011. The 0.7 percentage-point change was the largest increase among high-level ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South West, the percentage of people from the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" ethnic group increased from 2.0% to 2.8%, while across England the percentage increased from 7.8% to 9.6%.

In 2021, 94.0% of people in Plymouth identified their ethnic group within the "White" category (compared with 96.1% in 2011), while 1.8% identified their ethnic group within the "Mixed or Multiple" category (compared with 1.3% the previous decade).

The percentage of people who identified their ethnic group within the "Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African" category increased from 0.7% in 2011 to 1.1% in 2021.

There are many factors that may be contributing to the changing ethnic composition of England and Wales, such as differing patterns of ageing, fertility, mortality, and migration. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals chose to self-identify between censuses.

Read the bulletin Ethnic group, England and Wales: Census 2021.

In 2021, 2.2% of usual residents in Plymouth identified their ethnic group within the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" category

Percentage of usual residents by ethnic group,
0%
2011
2021


comparisons
Classification 2011_Plymouth_% 2021_Plymouth_% 2011_South West_% 2021_South West_% 2011_England_%2021_England_% Percentage in Plymouth Percentage in undefined
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh 1.5 2.2 2.0 2.8 7.8 9.6 1.5%
2.2%
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African 0.7 1.1 0.9 1.2 3.5 4.2 0.7%
1.1%
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups 1.3 1.8 1.4 2.0 2.3 3.0 1.3%
1.8%
White 96.1 94.0 95.4 93.1 85.4 81.0 96.1%
94.0%
Other ethnic groups 0.4 1.0 0.3 0.9 1.0 2.2 0.4%
1.0%

Source: Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021

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About the data

Census data are adjusted to reflect estimated non-response so that the published results relate to the entire usually resident population as it was on Census Day (21 March 2021).

Those respondents who were on furlough because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were asked to classify themselves as "temporarily away from work" to ensure they remained in the economically active population.

Students are counted as usually resident at their term-time address even if they were not physically present there on Census Day.

The questions relating to disability differed slightly between 2011 and 2021 to ensure that data were more closely aligned with the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010). There was also a change to question wording for unpaid care, for more information read the health, disability and unpaid care quality information.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout the health, disability and unpaid care sections. They allow for fairer comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure. The 2013 European Standard Population is used to standardise proportions.

Percentages and percentage point changes have been individually rounded to one decimal place. This means they may not sum exactly.

Tell us what you think about this publication by answering a few questions.

Download the data used in this article

xlsx (1.5 MB)

About these articles

There is an article like this for every local authority district in England and Wales. The articles have been written and semi-automated by our data journalists and are a new publishing format for the Office for National Statistics.

Topics are chosen and ordered automatically based on how relevant they are for each area, however all data are checked before publishing.

We have not included topics that were new for Census 2021 or where there is no comparability with the 2011 Census. Read about how we developed and tested the questions for Census 2021.

These articles were first published on 8 December 2022 covering topics such as demography, country of birth, ethnic groups, religion, national identity and economic activity status. They were updated on 19 January 2023 following the release of more data from Census 2021 and now include housing tenure, general health, disability and unpaid care.

All versions of this article

Related links

Census 2021 topic summaries

Supporting information | Released 2 November 2022

What topic summary data for Census 2021 will be available and how to view them.

Census maps

Interactive tool | Released 8 December 2022

Use our interactive map to find out what people’s lives are like across England and Wales.

How well do you know your area?

Digital Content Article | Released 2 December 2022

Test your knowledge of where you live with our Census quiz.

Contact

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