Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02000990

Horwich South & Middlebrook

Horwich South & Middlebrook is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,352 residents in Bolton. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Bolton
8,352

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,690

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

884.8

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

73.2%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

15.6%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

35.4%

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.

Morley Bruntcliffe & Woodkirk, Leeds8,309 residents · 75.3% owned · 16.9% no carStanley, Moorhouse & Bottomboat, Wakefield6,929 residents · 69.9% owned · 16.1% no carSlaithwaite & Linthwaite, Kirklees6,967 residents · 72.4% owned · 19.1% no carRothwell Outer, Leeds8,521 residents · 73.3% owned · 16.8% no carGreetland & Stainland, Calderdale9,388 residents · 72.3% owned · 15.0% no carScholes & Hunsworth, Kirklees6,580 residents · 72.6% owned · 14.6% no car

Most similar within Bolton

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Blackrod & Butterwick Fields, Bolton6,303 residents · 77.0% owned · 13.9% no carWesthoughton East, Bolton9,747 residents · 79.8% owned · 11.7% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Horwich South & Middlebrook

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

Tenure

Owned73.2%
2,702 households
Private rented17.6%
650 households
Social rented8.9%
328 households
Shared ownership0.2%
7 households
Lives rent free0.1%
3 households
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced36.4%
1,344 households
Detached29.3%
1,081 households
Semi-detached25.4%
936 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement6.7%
249 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse1%
37 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.8%
30 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.3%
12 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
1 households
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household44.5%
1,642 households
2 cars or vans in household31.5%
1,163 households
No cars or vans in household15.6%
577 households
3 or more cars or vans in household8.3%
307 households
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms44.2%
1,629 households
2 bedrooms27.9%
1,029 households
4 or more bedrooms22.4%
827 households
1 bedroom5.5%
204 households
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household66.7%
2,461 households
One-person household29.4%
1,084 households
Other household types4%
146 households
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household37.2%
1,371 households
1 person in household29.4%
1,084 households
3 people in household16.7%
616 households
4 people in household12.8%
471 households
5 people in household3%
109 households
6 people in household0.8%
31 households
7 people in household0.2%
8 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
8 or more people in household0%
0 households
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1516.1%
1,349 residents
15–2915.8%
1,323 residents
30–4421.5%
1,796 residents
45–6427.2%
2,272 residents
65 and over19.3%
1,614 residents
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White92.1%
7,696 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh4.1%
346 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.9%
161 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African1.1%
95 residents
Other ethnic group0.7%
56 residents
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above35.4%
2,453 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications18.6%
1,285 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications14.4%
996 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications13.8%
956 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications8.6%
594 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.9%
478 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.3%
162 residents aged 16 and over
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)62.9%
4,356 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive35.7%
2,468 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.4%
97 residents aged 16 and over
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations24%
1,659 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations14.8%
1,026 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations13.2%
916 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations11.4%
790 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations11%
764 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers8.8%
611 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed6.2%
426 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations5.8%
400 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4.7%
327 residents aged 16 and over
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health49.7%
4,147 residents
Good health34.5%
2,877 residents
Fair health11%
921 residents
Bad health3.7%
306 residents
Very bad health1.2%
100 residents
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act84%
7,014 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act16%
1,338 residents
Horwich South & Middlebrook · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension55.1%
2,032 households
Household is deprived in one dimension31.3%
1,156 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions11.4%
420 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions2.1%
78 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.1%
5 households
Horwich South & Middlebrook · 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.