Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02004512

Central Colchester

Central Colchester is a Census neighbourhood of about 11,314 residents in Colchester. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

11,314

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

5,555

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,224.6

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

45.9%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

34.3%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

40.6%

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.

Taunton North Town, Somerset West and Taunton11,305 residents · 52.5% owned · 24.8% no carBasingstoke Central, Black Dam & Eastrop, Basingstoke and Deane7,887 residents · 44.7% owned · 31.3% no carFreemantle, Southampton7,816 residents · 39.2% owned · 32.8% no carIpswich Central, Ipswich10,692 residents · 38.3% owned · 37.5% no carRochester West, Medway7,458 residents · 42.4% owned · 27.1% no carSalisbury Town North & Milford, Wiltshire6,156 residents · 55.8% owned · 26.4% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Central Colchester

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

Tenure

Owned45.9%
2,550 households
Private rented42.4%
2,355 households
Social rented11.1%
616 households
Shared ownership0.5%
28 households
Lives rent free0.1%
6 households
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement40%
2,222 households
Terraced23.1%
1,282 households
Semi-detached19.1%
1,061 households
Detached9.1%
505 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse4.2%
233 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits2.5%
138 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1.9%
108 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
7 households
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household47.9%
2,662 households
No cars or vans in household34.3%
1,904 households
2 cars or vans in household14.7%
818 households
3 or more cars or vans in household3.1%
172 households
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

2 bedrooms40.1%
2,230 households
3 bedrooms24.7%
1,373 households
1 bedroom23.8%
1,322 households
4 or more bedrooms11.4%
631 households
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household52%
2,892 households
One-person household41.4%
2,298 households
Other household types6.6%
367 households
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household41.4%
2,298 households
2 people in household34%
1,887 households
3 people in household13.2%
732 households
4 people in household8.1%
449 households
5 people in household2.3%
127 households
6 people in household0.8%
42 households
7 people in household0.3%
15 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
6 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1515.3%
1,735 residents
15–2921%
2,373 residents
30–4425.2%
2,854 residents
45–6422.1%
2,506 residents
65 and over16.3%
1,846 residents
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White81.9%
9,270 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh7.8%
884 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups3.7%
420 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African3.7%
418 residents
Other ethnic group2.8%
320 residents
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above40.6%
3,846 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications16.8%
1,592 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications13.4%
1,266 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications13.3%
1,260 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications8.9%
847 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship4.1%
390 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3%
282 residents aged 16 and over
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)63.8%
6,055 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive33.2%
3,147 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student3%
282 residents aged 16 and over
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations23.4%
2,216 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations15.1%
1,432 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations12.1%
1,147 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11%
1,046 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations10.1%
957 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers9.5%
900 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students7.3%
697 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed6.6%
626 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations4.9%
462 residents aged 16 and over
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health48%
5,429 residents
Good health35.3%
3,999 residents
Fair health11.9%
1,350 residents
Bad health3.6%
405 residents
Very bad health1.2%
131 residents
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act82.4%
9,319 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act17.6%
1,996 residents
Central Colchester · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension52.1%
2,896 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.4%
1,857 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions11.5%
638 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions2.9%
159 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.1%
6 households
Central Colchester · 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 Colchester

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.