Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02002272

Birstall

Birstall is a Census neighbourhood of about 9,671 residents in Kirklees. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Kirklees
9,671

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,243

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

1,794

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

62.6%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

22.9%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

25.2%

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.

Pudsey North East, Leeds7,687 residents · 59.7% owned · 27.7% no carRetford South, Bassetlaw8,795 residents · 60.9% owned · 20.4% no carWellington North, Somerset West and Taunton10,520 residents · 57.7% owned · 18.1% no carTyldesley North, Wigan8,192 residents · 62.6% owned · 22.0% no carRastrick West, Calderdale7,986 residents · 67.4% owned · 22.1% no carTingley East & East Ardsley, Leeds6,909 residents · 67.7% owned · 19.2% no car

Most similar within Kirklees

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Hightown & Hartshead Moor, Kirklees6,722 residents · 62.7% owned · 18.6% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Birstall

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

Tenure

Owned62.6%
2,655 households
Social rented21.4%
909 households
Private rented15.1%
641 households
Shared ownership0.6%
26 households
Lives rent free0.3%
12 households
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached41.9%
1,778 households
Terraced27.2%
1,152 households
Detached16.6%
705 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement12.7%
537 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.6%
26 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.6%
24 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.4%
17 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
3 households
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household42.8%
1,816 households
2 cars or vans in household26.9%
1,143 households
No cars or vans in household22.9%
973 households
3 or more cars or vans in household7.3%
311 households
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms41.8%
1,772 households
2 bedrooms30.3%
1,287 households
4 or more bedrooms14.5%
617 households
1 bedroom13.4%
567 households
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household64.8%
2,748 households
One-person household31.6%
1,342 households
Other household types3.6%
152 households
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household35.2%
1,495 households
1 person in household31.6%
1,342 households
3 people in household15.6%
662 households
4 people in household11.7%
496 households
5 people in household4.3%
182 households
6 people in household1.1%
48 households
7 people in household0.4%
16 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
3 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1518.9%
1,831 residents
15–2916.8%
1,624 residents
30–4420%
1,933 residents
45–6426.1%
2,520 residents
65 and over18.2%
1,763 residents
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White94.6%
9,145 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh2%
197 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups2%
192 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.9%
88 residents
Other ethnic group0.5%
46 residents
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above25.2%
1,942 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications21.9%
1,690 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications17.6%
1,359 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications14.7%
1,137 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications10.9%
840 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship7.1%
546 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.7%
205 residents aged 16 and over
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)61.3%
4,729 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive37.5%
2,890 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.3%
97 residents aged 16 and over
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations18.9%
1,456 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations18.5%
1,431 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations13.1%
1,015 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.9%
922 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers9.7%
749 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations9.7%
747 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed6.9%
536 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations6.7%
515 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4.5%
348 residents aged 16 and over
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health44.9%
4,341 residents
Good health34.8%
3,366 residents
Fair health14.8%
1,432 residents
Bad health4.3%
413 residents
Very bad health1.2%
119 residents
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act81.8%
7,916 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act18.2%
1,756 residents
Birstall · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension45.7%
1,937 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.9%
1,439 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions15.7%
666 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.4%
187 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.3%
14 households
Birstall · 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 Kirklees

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.