Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02004632

Coleford

Coleford is a Census neighbourhood of about 10,854 residents in Forest of Dean. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

10,854

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,864

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

993.8

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

67.5%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

16.0%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

24.1%

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.

Wombourne Inner, South Staffordshire7,121 residents · 61.9% owned · 18.5% no carCheadle Town, Staffordshire Moorlands6,186 residents · 67.0% owned · 21.1% no carWhitchurch, Shropshire10,142 residents · 64.7% owned · 17.6% no carTotton Town, New Forest7,736 residents · 68.2% owned · 19.8% no carHailsham South & West, Wealden5,791 residents · 70.6% owned · 16.0% no carRetford East, Bassetlaw8,821 residents · 65.7% owned · 21.2% no car

Most similar within Forest of Dean

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Cinderford, Forest of Dean12,961 residents · 66.4% owned · 17.6% no carLydney, Forest of Dean11,303 residents · 68.8% owned · 15.1% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Coleford

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

Tenure

Owned67.5%
3,281 households
Social rented18%
874 households
Private rented13.8%
671 households
Shared ownership0.7%
34 households
Lives rent free0.1%
4 households
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Detached38.4%
1,866 households
Semi-detached37.5%
1,825 households
Terraced13.7%
665 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement6.2%
304 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure1.2%
60 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1.1%
53 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits1%
47 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.9%
45 households
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household39.4%
1,918 households
2 cars or vans in household30%
1,458 households
No cars or vans in household16%
779 households
3 or more cars or vans in household14.6%
709 households
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms41.8%
2,035 households
2 bedrooms25.9%
1,259 households
4 or more bedrooms19.8%
963 households
1 bedroom12.5%
607 households
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household64.2%
3,126 households
One-person household32%
1,559 households
Other household types3.8%
183 households
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household36.8%
1,790 households
1 person in household32%
1,556 households
3 people in household14.9%
723 households
4 people in household11.4%
554 households
5 people in household3.6%
175 households
6 people in household1%
49 households
7 people in household0.2%
8 households
8 or more people in household0.2%
8 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1515.8%
1,714 residents
15–2914.6%
1,581 residents
30–4416.4%
1,784 residents
45–6428.1%
3,051 residents
65 and over25.1%
2,726 residents
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White98.4%
10,677 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups0.7%
73 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh0.6%
68 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.2%
18 residents
Other ethnic group0.2%
18 residents
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above24.1%
2,174 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications22%
1,980 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications17.5%
1,579 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications16%
1,441 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications11%
992 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.8%
616 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.6%
238 residents aged 16 and over
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)55.2%
4,981 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive43.7%
3,945 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.1%
97 residents aged 16 and over
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations17.4%
1,569 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations16.5%
1,488 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations14.2%
1,285 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers12.4%
1,114 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.4%
1,028 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations8.6%
775 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed8.2%
744 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations7.4%
665 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students3.9%
351 residents aged 16 and over
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health42.5%
4,614 residents
Good health35.1%
3,806 residents
Fair health16%
1,742 residents
Bad health5.1%
550 residents
Very bad health1.3%
142 residents
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act79.3%
8,605 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act20.7%
2,249 residents
Coleford · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension43.3%
2,108 households
Household is deprived in one dimension36.2%
1,759 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions16%
777 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.4%
212 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.2%
8 households
Coleford · 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 Forest of Dean

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.