Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02003563

Shirley South

Shirley South is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,018 residents in Southampton. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Southampton
8,018

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,559

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

7,586.3

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

47.7%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

31.5%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

31.4%

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.

Pin Green, Stevenage8,797 residents · 48.8% owned · 28.1% no carKettering Town & West, North Northamptonshire12,629 residents · 50.9% owned · 27.2% no carMaidenhall, Stoke & Port, Ipswich9,841 residents · 40.8% owned · 31.0% no carBramley South & Upper Armley, Leeds9,052 residents · 54.1% owned · 33.8% no carFletton, Peterborough10,266 residents · 47.0% owned · 27.5% no carBedwell, Stevenage8,055 residents · 43.9% owned · 33.8% no car

Most similar within Southampton

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Shirley Warren, Southampton7,249 residents · 36.4% owned · 34.8% no carItchen, Southampton8,126 residents · 53.7% owned · 23.8% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Shirley South

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

Tenure

Owned47.7%
1,699 households
Private rented28.2%
1,005 households
Social rented22.7%
807 households
Shared ownership1.2%
44 households
Lives rent free0.1%
4 households
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement37.4%
1,333 households
Semi-detached28.3%
1,008 households
Terraced21.8%
777 households
Detached5.6%
198 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits5.4%
193 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1.1%
38 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.4%
14 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
0 households
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household43.9%
1,563 households
No cars or vans in household31.5%
1,123 households
2 cars or vans in household19.8%
704 households
3 or more cars or vans in household4.8%
171 households
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms40.8%
1,454 households
2 bedrooms27.6%
984 households
1 bedroom25.3%
900 households
4 or more bedrooms6.3%
223 households
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household57.2%
2,037 households
One-person household35.9%
1,278 households
Other household types6.9%
246 households
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household35.9%
1,278 households
2 people in household30.6%
1,091 households
3 people in household15.7%
560 households
4 people in household11.9%
423 households
5 people in household3.9%
140 households
6 people in household1.3%
45 households
7 people in household0.4%
15 households
8 or more people in household0.3%
9 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1519.2%
1,542 residents
15–2917.2%
1,379 residents
30–4424.9%
1,993 residents
45–6423.7%
1,900 residents
65 and over15%
1,205 residents
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White85.1%
6,821 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh7.7%
614 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups2.9%
235 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African2.7%
214 residents
Other ethnic group1.6%
132 residents
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above31.4%
2,009 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications20.3%
1,295 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications14.8%
946 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications13.4%
857 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications10.2%
652 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.3%
400 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.6%
231 residents aged 16 and over
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)64.8%
4,142 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive32.9%
2,102 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2.3%
145 residents aged 16 and over
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations19.3%
1,234 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations15.7%
1,005 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations13.8%
881 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations12.4%
792 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers10%
637 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations9.6%
614 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed7.9%
502 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations6.3%
401 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students5.1%
326 residents aged 16 and over
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health45.6%
3,656 residents
Good health35.9%
2,880 residents
Fair health12.7%
1,019 residents
Bad health4.6%
368 residents
Very bad health1.2%
96 residents
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act82.1%
6,581 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act17.9%
1,435 residents
Shirley South · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension44.6%
1,590 households
Household is deprived in one dimension34.1%
1,216 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions16.3%
581 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.5%
160 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.4%
15 households
Shirley South · 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 Southampton

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.