Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02000562

Highbury

Highbury is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,865 residents in Islington. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Islington
7,865

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,488

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

12,137.3

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

34.2%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

60.6%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

59.1%

Adults with a degree or above

ONS Census 2021 · qualifications

Neighbourhoods most like this one

Closest matches elsewhere in England and Wales, across 14 Census themes. Similarity is statistical, not a recommendation, and says nothing about how anywhere feels to live in.

De Beauvoir, Hackney7,614 residents · 28.0% owned · 62.1% no carHornsey East, Haringey8,453 residents · 32.2% owned · 53.9% no carDalston East, Hackney9,217 residents · 31.4% owned · 64.4% no carClissold North, Hackney6,749 residents · 34.4% owned · 56.7% no carMansfield Road & Park Hill Road, Camden7,393 residents · 41.8% owned · 54.4% no carPrimrose Hill, Camden7,591 residents · 34.5% owned · 57.6% no car

Most similar within Islington

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Islington North & Canonbury West, Islington9,939 residents · 25.4% owned · 65.6% no carArchway East, Islington9,571 residents · 33.9% owned · 58.3% no carCanonbury East & Mildmay Park, Islington10,438 residents · 29.1% owned · 67.8% no carIslington East & Arlington, Islington8,922 residents · 25.1% owned · 68.8% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Highbury

People, households and homes at the stated Census geography. These describe the 2021 population, not the occupants of a particular home.

Tenure

Social rented37.9%
1,321 households
Owned34.2%
1,193 households
Private rented26.5%
923 households
Shared ownership1%
34 households
Lives rent free0.5%
17 households
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement54.1%
1,888 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits26.9%
939 households
Terraced11.9%
416 households
Semi-detached3.6%
127 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse1.7%
58 households
Detached0.8%
28 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.7%
26 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
5 households
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

No cars or vans in household60.6%
2,115 households
1 car or van in household33%
1,151 households
2 cars or vans in household5.3%
186 households
3 or more cars or vans in household1%
36 households
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

2 bedrooms34.9%
1,216 households
1 bedroom31.9%
1,113 households
3 bedrooms18.5%
646 households
4 or more bedrooms14.7%
512 households
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household53%
1,849 households
One-person household35.3%
1,230 households
Other household types11.8%
410 households
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household35.3%
1,230 households
2 people in household33%
1,152 households
3 people in household15.7%
549 households
4 people in household10%
347 households
5 people in household3.9%
137 households
6 people in household1.4%
48 households
8 or more people in household0.4%
13 households
7 people in household0.3%
11 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1514.5%
1,143 residents
15–2921.8%
1,718 residents
30–4430.1%
2,368 residents
45–6422.7%
1,784 residents
65 and over10.8%
850 residents
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White65.2%
5,128 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African12%
946 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh8.5%
667 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups7.2%
563 residents
Other ethnic group7.1%
561 residents
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above59.1%
3,925 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications13%
864 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications11%
728 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications6.9%
461 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications5.3%
354 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship2.3%
155 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.3%
153 residents aged 16 and over
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)68.1%
4,522 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive30.3%
2,010 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.6%
108 residents aged 16 and over
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations26.1%
1,734 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations24.3%
1,611 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed9.5%
632 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers8.6%
572 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students7.6%
502 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations7.3%
487 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations6.8%
452 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations6.6%
439 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations3.2%
212 residents aged 16 and over
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health55.5%
4,367 residents
Good health28.7%
2,259 residents
Fair health10.6%
834 residents
Bad health3.8%
295 residents
Very bad health1.4%
110 residents
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act83.9%
6,600 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act16.1%
1,265 residents
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension50.9%
1,775 households
Household is deprived in one dimension29.7%
1,034 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions14.5%
505 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.6%
160 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.4%
13 households
Highbury · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Each percentage uses its Census table’s own total. Rounding and source categories can affect totals. ONS Census data · OGL v3.0.

How the similarity is worked out

Alike on the Census, which is not the same as alike to live in.

Every neighbourhood is described by its shares across the Census themes above — tenure, housing, cars, household make-up, age, ethnic group, qualifications, work, health and deprivation — each theme weighted equally, which is the approach ONS takes in its own Output Area Classification. The neighbourhoods listed are the closest on those numbers, published in full rather than folded into a score. Nothing here measures schools, crime, prices or what a place is like to be in, and a close match is a statistical fact rather than a suggestion to move.

Browse every neighbourhood in Islington

Evidence ledger

Source and date are part of the record.

Shared catalogue checked 2026-08-28: 88 candidate data layers listed. Catalogue presence is not publication approval; only separately approved public projections may be shown.