Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02003161

Torquay Central

Torquay Central is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,758 residents in Torbay. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Torbay
7,758

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,954

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

5,211.6

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

35.6%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

44.7%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

23.0%

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.

Folkestone Harbour, Folkestone and Hythe6,544 residents · 27.1% owned · 50.3% no carRyde Central, Isle of Wight6,127 residents · 46.3% owned · 38.7% no carSouthport Waterfront, Sefton9,524 residents · 33.4% owned · 48.5% no carLowestoft Harbour & Kirkley, East Suffolk7,630 residents · 37.3% owned · 41.7% no carWeymouth Town, Melcombe Regis & Rodwell, Dorset9,524 residents · 47.6% owned · 37.3% no carCliftonville West, Thanet10,633 residents · 29.0% owned · 49.5% no car

Most similar within Torbay

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Paignton Central, Torbay9,852 residents · 47.2% owned · 40.5% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Torquay Central

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

Tenure

Private rented53.7%
2,124 households
Owned35.6%
1,406 households
Social rented9.6%
381 households
Shared ownership1%
38 households
Lives rent free0.1%
5 households
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement36%
1,424 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits23.7%
939 households
Terraced16.8%
666 households
Semi-detached7.8%
309 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse5.6%
220 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop5.4%
214 households
Detached4.6%
183 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
2 households
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

No cars or vans in household44.7%
1,767 households
1 car or van in household39.9%
1,579 households
2 cars or vans in household11.8%
468 households
3 or more cars or vans in household3.6%
143 households
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

1 bedroom38.1%
1,506 households
2 bedrooms35.8%
1,415 households
3 bedrooms14.6%
578 households
4 or more bedrooms11.6%
458 households
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

One-person household50.7%
2,007 households
Single family household42%
1,662 households
Other household types7.3%
288 households
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household50.7%
2,007 households
2 people in household28.5%
1,129 households
3 people in household9.8%
390 households
4 people in household6.3%
250 households
5 people in household2.5%
98 households
6 people in household0.9%
37 households
8 or more people in household0.8%
32 households
7 people in household0.4%
17 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1513.5%
1,045 residents
15–2918.2%
1,413 residents
30–4420.5%
1,588 residents
45–6429.2%
2,268 residents
65 and over18.6%
1,446 residents
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White92.6%
7,184 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh3.5%
272 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups2.3%
181 residents
Other ethnic group1%
80 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.5%
39 residents
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above23%
1,529 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications22.1%
1,468 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications16.4%
1,087 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications15.3%
1,015 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications12.9%
856 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.7%
446 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.6%
239 residents aged 16 and over
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)54.1%
3,596 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive44.9%
2,983 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1%
64 residents aged 16 and over
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations17.5%
1,161 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations16.9%
1,121 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers14.9%
988 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations13.4%
892 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed11.9%
787 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations8%
532 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations7.1%
474 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations5.9%
394 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4.4%
292 residents aged 16 and over
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health39.1%
3,031 residents
Good health33.3%
2,580 residents
Fair health18.6%
1,442 residents
Bad health7.1%
548 residents
Very bad health2%
157 residents
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act72.3%
5,609 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act27.7%
2,149 residents
Torquay Central · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension34%
1,344 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.2%
1,313 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions21.1%
836 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions10.5%
415 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions1.2%
49 households
Torquay Central · 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 Torbay

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.