Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02004449

Halstead Central & West

Halstead Central & West is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,883 residents in Braintree. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

8,883

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,901

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,822.5

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

57.8%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

18.4%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

20.6%

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.

Wellington North, Somerset West and Taunton10,520 residents · 57.7% owned · 18.1% no carFareham Fort, Fareham7,572 residents · 58.9% owned · 24.7% no carDaventry Central, West Northamptonshire9,425 residents · 57.4% owned · 21.4% no carThatcham Town, West Berkshire7,542 residents · 56.5% owned · 18.3% no carRainham North East, Medway7,300 residents · 61.3% owned · 20.7% no carFoley Park, Wyre Forest7,564 residents · 63.2% owned · 20.1% no car

Most similar within Braintree

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Braintree South, Braintree9,832 residents · 58.4% owned · 18.4% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Halstead Central & West

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

Tenure

Owned57.8%
2,256 households
Social rented22.6%
880 households
Private rented18.8%
735 households
Shared ownership0.6%
22 households
Lives rent free0.2%
8 households
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached36.1%
1,410 households
Terraced30.5%
1,189 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement17.7%
691 households
Detached11.6%
454 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits1.5%
60 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1.5%
59 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.9%
37 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
1 households
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household43.2%
1,683 households
2 cars or vans in household27.8%
1,084 households
No cars or vans in household18.4%
719 households
3 or more cars or vans in household10.6%
414 households
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms41.1%
1,603 households
2 bedrooms33.2%
1,295 households
1 bedroom14.5%
565 households
4 or more bedrooms11.2%
438 households
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household61.8%
2,411 households
One-person household34.4%
1,341 households
Other household types3.8%
149 households
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household34.4%
1,341 households
2 people in household32.8%
1,279 households
3 people in household15.1%
588 households
4 people in household11.8%
462 households
5 people in household4.3%
169 households
6 people in household1.1%
42 households
7 people in household0.4%
15 households
8 or more people in household0.2%
6 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1518.1%
1,612 residents
15–2916.3%
1,445 residents
30–4419.1%
1,696 residents
45–6427.3%
2,426 residents
65 and over19.2%
1,704 residents
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White95.9%
8,523 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.9%
165 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh1.5%
135 residents
Other ethnic group0.4%
33 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.3%
28 residents
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications21.8%
1,565 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above20.6%
1,479 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications17.6%
1,260 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications17.3%
1,241 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications13.4%
964 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.3%
450 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.9%
210 residents aged 16 and over
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)61%
4,371 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive37.5%
2,691 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.5%
109 residents aged 16 and over
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations17.8%
1,277 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations15.2%
1,093 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations15.2%
1,091 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers13.3%
953 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.8%
848 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations7.9%
567 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed7.5%
538 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations6.9%
493 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4.3%
311 residents aged 16 and over
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health43.6%
3,876 residents
Good health37.4%
3,320 residents
Fair health14.3%
1,267 residents
Bad health3.6%
324 residents
Very bad health1.1%
96 residents
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act81.1%
7,200 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act18.9%
1,683 residents
Halstead Central & West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension43.7%
1,706 households
Household is deprived in one dimension36.6%
1,429 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions15.5%
605 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions3.8%
147 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.4%
14 households
Halstead Central & West · 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 Braintree

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.