Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02001811

Pennywell and Grindon

Pennywell and Grindon is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,699 residents in Sunderland. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Sunderland
8,699

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,983

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,708.3

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

47.8%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

38.6%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

17.4%

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.

Howdon, North Tyneside6,408 residents · 45.2% owned · 40.0% no carBrockley Whins, South Tyneside5,391 residents · 40.6% owned · 40.3% no carHeworth, Gateshead9,146 residents · 50.5% owned · 36.3% no carWindy Nook & Whitehills, Gateshead6,549 residents · 56.5% owned · 35.5% no carBlyth Isabella, Northumberland7,822 residents · 49.3% owned · 32.0% no carSimonside, South Tyneside5,348 residents · 45.3% owned · 39.5% no car

Most similar within Sunderland

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Thorney Close & Plains Farm, Sunderland9,686 residents · 37.9% owned · 40.9% no carNorth Hylton, Sunderland8,213 residents · 51.0% owned · 33.3% no carSouth Hylton, Sunderland6,215 residents · 57.6% owned · 30.8% no carHylton Red House & Marley Pots, Sunderland8,840 residents · 42.4% owned · 41.1% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Pennywell and Grindon

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

Tenure

Owned47.8%
1,902 households
Social rented41.2%
1,641 households
Private rented10.9%
433 households
Shared ownership0.2%
6 households
Lives rent free0%
1 households
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached71%
2,829 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement11.2%
448 households
Detached9.8%
392 households
Terraced7%
279 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.5%
21 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.3%
12 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
1 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0%
1 households
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household39.8%
1,586 households
No cars or vans in household38.6%
1,538 households
2 cars or vans in household16.9%
674 households
3 or more cars or vans in household4.6%
185 households
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms43.9%
1,750 households
2 bedrooms39.8%
1,587 households
1 bedroom8.6%
344 households
4 or more bedrooms7.6%
302 households
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household61.2%
2,440 households
One-person household35%
1,393 households
Other household types3.8%
152 households
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household35%
1,393 households
2 people in household32.2%
1,283 households
3 people in household18.1%
721 households
4 people in household10.6%
421 households
5 people in household3%
120 households
6 people in household0.8%
31 households
7 people in household0.2%
8 households
8 or more people in household0.2%
6 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1517.7%
1,543 residents
15–2916.8%
1,465 residents
30–4418.2%
1,583 residents
45–6427.9%
2,425 residents
65 and over19.3%
1,683 residents
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White97.1%
8,450 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.1%
92 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African1%
85 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh0.6%
51 residents
Other ethnic group0.3%
23 residents
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications28.5%
2,012 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above17.4%
1,226 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications15.8%
1,112 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.3%
1,080 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications12.1%
856 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship7.9%
554 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3%
208 residents aged 16 and over
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)51.4%
3,625 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive47.6%
3,356 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1%
67 residents aged 16 and over
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations18.6%
1,313 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed17.4%
1,224 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations16.5%
1,163 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations12.3%
869 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations12.2%
861 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers6.9%
484 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations6.1%
432 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students5.5%
390 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations4.4%
313 residents aged 16 and over
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health42%
3,654 residents
Good health32.4%
2,815 residents
Fair health16.4%
1,424 residents
Bad health7.3%
636 residents
Very bad health2%
170 residents
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act74.4%
6,474 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act25.6%
2,225 residents
Pennywell and Grindon · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is deprived in one dimension35.9%
1,430 households
Household is not deprived in any dimension34.2%
1,363 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions21.7%
865 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions7.9%
313 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.3%
13 households
Pennywell and Grindon · 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 Sunderland

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.