Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02003601

Potton

Potton is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,156 residents in Central Bedfordshire. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Central Bedfordshire
8,156

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,494

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

130.1

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

72.4%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

7.5%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

33.6%

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.

Thrapston & Brigstock, North Northamptonshire11,120 residents · 70.6% owned · 8.7% no carWoodford Halse, Byfield & Staverton, West Northamptonshire8,497 residents · 74.4% owned · 7.9% no carSomersham, Riptons & Raveleys, Huntingdonshire9,682 residents · 72.3% owned · 6.1% no carThurston, Badwell Ash & Elmswell North, Mid Suffolk8,870 residents · 79.2% owned · 7.3% no carWellesbourne & Snitterfield, Stratford-on-Avon10,656 residents · 72.0% owned · 8.7% no carStokenchurch, Buckinghamshire5,852 residents · 75.9% owned · 7.7% no car

Most similar within Central Bedfordshire

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Toddington, Heath & Reach, Central Bedfordshire10,698 residents · 77.9% owned · 7.4% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Potton

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

Tenure

Owned72.4%
2,529 households
Private rented13.5%
470 households
Social rented12.1%
424 households
Shared ownership2%
69 households
Lives rent free0.1%
2 households
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Detached37.2%
1,299 households
Semi-detached36.4%
1,270 households
Terraced17.8%
622 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement6.8%
237 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.6%
22 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.5%
17 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.5%
16 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.3%
10 households
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

2 cars or vans in household38.7%
1,349 households
1 car or van in household37.3%
1,301 households
3 or more cars or vans in household16.6%
578 households
No cars or vans in household7.5%
262 households
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms37.8%
1,318 households
4 or more bedrooms34.2%
1,194 households
2 bedrooms20.4%
711 households
1 bedroom7.7%
268 households
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household70.2%
2,451 households
One-person household26%
908 households
Other household types3.8%
131 households
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household39.6%
1,382 households
1 person in household26.1%
911 households
3 people in household15.9%
555 households
4 people in household13.2%
459 households
5 people in household4%
139 households
6 people in household1.1%
39 households
7 people in household0.1%
3 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
2 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1517.2%
1,399 residents
15–2914.4%
1,175 residents
30–4419%
1,549 residents
45–6428.6%
2,329 residents
65 and over20.9%
1,705 residents
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White95.8%
7,813 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.6%
129 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh1.4%
111 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.9%
74 residents
Other ethnic group0.3%
26 residents
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above33.6%
2,242 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications18.5%
1,237 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.3%
1,019 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications14.3%
952 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications10.1%
673 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6%
403 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.2%
147 residents aged 16 and over
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)63.5%
4,235 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive35.2%
2,352 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.3%
87 residents aged 16 and over
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations23.6%
1,574 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations17.1%
1,139 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers13.9%
931 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations13.7%
912 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations9.5%
635 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations9.3%
621 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations5%
331 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed4.2%
279 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students3.8%
252 residents aged 16 and over
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health49.9%
4,070 residents
Good health35.5%
2,897 residents
Fair health11.2%
911 residents
Bad health2.7%
221 residents
Very bad health0.7%
57 residents
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act84.5%
6,891 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act15.5%
1,265 residents
Potton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension56.2%
1,962 households
Household is deprived in one dimension32.4%
1,130 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions9.5%
333 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions1.9%
66 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0%
0 households
Potton · 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 Central Bedfordshire

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.