Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02003188

Central Bournemouth

Central Bournemouth is a Census neighbourhood of about 13,199 residents in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
13,199

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

5,762

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

7,035

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

33.4%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

40.4%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

36.1%

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.

Old Portsmouth & Southsea Common, Portsmouth8,087 residents · 44.8% owned · 34.8% no carYork City Centre, York11,347 residents · 30.2% owned · 52.2% no carSt Denys, Southampton7,923 residents · 33.8% owned · 33.8% no carSouthsea West, Portsmouth6,748 residents · 36.6% owned · 38.5% no carPreston Town Centre, Preston10,382 residents · 26.3% owned · 53.3% no carCathedral Quarter & California, Derby12,267 residents · 21.1% owned · 49.3% no car

Most similar within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The closest matches in the same local authority.

East Cliff, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole13,187 residents · 33.1% owned · 38.4% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Central Bournemouth

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

Tenure

Private rented54.9%
3,162 households
Owned33.4%
1,922 households
Social rented11.2%
645 households
Shared ownership0.5%
29 households
Lives rent free0.1%
4 households
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement71.8%
4,136 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits13.8%
797 households
Detached4.8%
277 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse3.6%
209 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop2.4%
139 households
Terraced2%
113 households
Semi-detached1.5%
87 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
4 households
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household44.5%
2,565 households
No cars or vans in household40.4%
2,328 households
2 cars or vans in household12.2%
705 households
3 or more cars or vans in household2.8%
162 households
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

2 bedrooms42.3%
2,438 households
1 bedroom42%
2,420 households
3 bedrooms8.7%
500 households
4 or more bedrooms7%
402 households
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

One-person household47.4%
2,727 households
Single family household41.7%
2,401 households
Other household types10.9%
630 households
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household47.4%
2,730 households
2 people in household33.6%
1,936 households
3 people in household11.1%
637 households
4 people in household5.6%
325 households
5 people in household1.3%
74 households
6 people in household0.7%
40 households
7 people in household0.2%
13 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
4 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 157.7%
1,010 residents
15–2940.1%
5,298 residents
30–4423.1%
3,043 residents
45–6415.7%
2,073 residents
65 and over13.4%
1,775 residents
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White80.8%
10,663 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh6.9%
909 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups5.8%
766 residents
Other ethnic group3.6%
476 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African2.9%
387 residents
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above36.1%
4,385 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications28.4%
3,454 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications12.6%
1,528 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications9.1%
1,105 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications6.6%
807 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship4%
486 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.2%
383 residents aged 16 and over
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)51%
6,193 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive41.2%
5,004 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student7.8%
952 residents aged 16 and over
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L15 Full-time students26.5%
3,223 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations15.2%
1,847 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations11%
1,341 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations9.6%
1,169 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations9.4%
1,148 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations8.7%
1,051 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers8.1%
985 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed6.5%
794 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations4.9%
591 residents aged 16 and over
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health48.9%
6,455 residents
Good health35.2%
4,647 residents
Fair health11.5%
1,514 residents
Bad health3.5%
465 residents
Very bad health0.9%
118 residents
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act83.3%
10,997 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act16.7%
2,202 residents
Central Bournemouth · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension45.9%
2,641 households
Household is deprived in one dimension34.7%
2,001 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions14.4%
829 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.3%
249 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.7%
40 households
Central Bournemouth · 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

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.