Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02000988

Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting

Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting is a Census neighbourhood of about 9,045 residents in Bolton. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Bolton
9,045

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,639

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,634.3

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

55.0%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

29.1%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

24.8%

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.

Chadderton Central, Oldham8,847 residents · 56.8% owned · 31.3% no carBuckley Wells & Fishpool, Bury7,779 residents · 56.7% owned · 28.8% no carFenham, Newcastle upon Tyne11,810 residents · 56.8% owned · 32.8% no carSpotland Bridge, Rochdale8,149 residents · 56.5% owned · 26.4% no carHurst Cross, Tameside8,694 residents · 52.7% owned · 32.4% no carCrosland Moor, Kirklees7,484 residents · 58.6% owned · 31.6% no car

Most similar within Bolton

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Daubhill & Fernhill Gate, Bolton7,481 residents · 53.8% owned · 29.1% no carFarnworth North, Bolton6,524 residents · 52.1% owned · 31.8% no carTonge, Bolton9,178 residents · 54.7% owned · 30.7% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting

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

Tenure

Owned55%
2,001 households
Social rented23.5%
854 households
Private rented21.2%
772 households
Lives rent free0.2%
8 households
Shared ownership0.1%
4 households
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced44%
1,601 households
Semi-detached26.6%
968 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement15.2%
554 households
Detached12.1%
439 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits1%
38 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.9%
34 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.2%
6 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
1 households
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household43.5%
1,585 households
No cars or vans in household29.1%
1,060 households
2 cars or vans in household21%
764 households
3 or more cars or vans in household6.3%
231 households
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

2 bedrooms39.9%
1,453 households
3 bedrooms33.8%
1,230 households
4 or more bedrooms16.2%
588 households
1 bedroom10.1%
369 households
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household59.2%
2,151 households
One-person household34.4%
1,250 households
Other household types6.4%
234 households
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household34.3%
1,250 households
2 people in household26.9%
980 households
3 people in household16.1%
587 households
4 people in household11.8%
428 households
5 people in household6.5%
235 households
6 people in household2.6%
96 households
7 people in household1.2%
42 households
8 or more people in household0.6%
23 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1519.7%
1,784 residents
15–2919.2%
1,738 residents
30–4420.6%
1,867 residents
45–6424.8%
2,239 residents
65 and over15.7%
1,416 residents
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White60.1%
5,437 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh33.2%
3,001 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African3%
268 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups2.2%
199 residents
Other ethnic group1.5%
138 residents
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above24.8%
1,771 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications24.6%
1,758 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications16.5%
1,182 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.1%
1,079 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications11.2%
800 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship5.1%
366 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.6%
187 residents aged 16 and over
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)54.6%
3,901 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive42.9%
3,067 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2.5%
177 residents aged 16 and over
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations16.4%
1,175 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations15.1%
1,079 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed13.9%
994 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations12.6%
897 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations12.1%
861 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers9.4%
669 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students8.6%
612 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations7.5%
537 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations4.5%
319 residents aged 16 and over
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health45.9%
4,150 residents
Good health33.6%
3,034 residents
Fair health13.8%
1,244 residents
Bad health5.3%
476 residents
Very bad health1.5%
137 residents
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act81%
7,325 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act19%
1,719 residents
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension41%
1,491 households
Household is deprived in one dimension34.7%
1,263 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions19.4%
705 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.8%
174 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.2%
7 households
Astley Bridge & Waters Meeting · 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 Bolton

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.