Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02001303

Atherton North

Atherton North is a Census neighbourhood of about 9,028 residents in Wigan. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Wigan
9,028

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,870

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,948.9

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

47.2%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

31.2%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

20.7%

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.

Newstead & Blurton South, Stoke-on-Trent8,703 residents · 47.8% owned · 29.1% no carKimberworth Park, Rotherham7,207 residents · 50.5% owned · 31.8% no carWoodhouse, Mansfield8,316 residents · 55.1% owned · 25.1% no carPeel Green, Salford5,976 residents · 41.2% owned · 38.4% no carChaddesden West, Derby7,966 residents · 44.5% owned · 34.6% no carKirkby Central, Ashfield6,164 residents · 48.4% owned · 29.3% no car

Most similar within Wigan

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Leigh North, Wigan8,167 residents · 53.5% owned · 28.0% no carHindley East, Wigan7,986 residents · 59.4% owned · 25.4% no carInce-in-Makerfield, Wigan8,122 residents · 45.4% owned · 32.6% no carPemberton North, Wigan6,605 residents · 59.7% owned · 25.4% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Atherton North

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

Tenure

Owned47.2%
1,826 households
Social rented40.5%
1,567 households
Private rented11.3%
439 households
Lives rent free0.7%
28 households
Shared ownership0.3%
10 households
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached53.9%
2,089 households
Terraced20.4%
792 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement14.8%
574 households
Detached9.6%
370 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.5%
18 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.5%
18 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.2%
9 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
3 households
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household41.2%
1,593 households
No cars or vans in household31.2%
1,209 households
2 cars or vans in household21.6%
835 households
3 or more cars or vans in household6%
234 households
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms53.4%
2,068 households
2 bedrooms24.9%
965 households
1 bedroom11.9%
461 households
4 or more bedrooms9.8%
379 households
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household61.6%
2,388 households
One-person household33.3%
1,291 households
Other household types5.1%
198 households
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household33.4%
1,291 households
2 people in household30.5%
1,178 households
3 people in household17.1%
661 households
4 people in household12.1%
467 households
5 people in household5.1%
198 households
6 people in household1.2%
46 households
7 people in household0.6%
22 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
5 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1521.2%
1,912 residents
15–2919%
1,715 residents
30–4421.4%
1,934 residents
45–6424.7%
2,227 residents
65 and over13.7%
1,240 residents
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White92.8%
8,381 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African3.3%
295 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh1.8%
164 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.6%
145 residents
Other ethnic group0.5%
46 residents
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications25.7%
1,798 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above20.7%
1,449 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications16.2%
1,134 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.3%
1,068 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications12.6%
882 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.8%
473 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.6%
185 residents aged 16 and over
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)57.4%
4,006 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive40.6%
2,839 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2%
140 residents aged 16 and over
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations18.2%
1,272 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations14.5%
1,011 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations14.2%
994 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed14.2%
990 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.2%
780 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers9.5%
664 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations6.4%
449 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations6.2%
434 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students5.7%
396 residents aged 16 and over
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health43.7%
3,946 residents
Good health32.6%
2,943 residents
Fair health15.6%
1,406 residents
Bad health6.3%
565 residents
Very bad health1.9%
167 residents
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act76.8%
6,929 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act23.2%
2,099 residents
Atherton North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension36.6%
1,416 households
Household is deprived in one dimension32.4%
1,255 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions22.5%
872 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions8.1%
315 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.3%
13 households
Atherton North · 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 Wigan

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.