Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02005305

Rufford & Banks

Rufford & Banks is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,972 residents in West Lancashire. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

7,972

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,500

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

139.3

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

79.7%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

9.4%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

31.1%

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.

Hutton, Locking & Banwell, North Somerset10,810 residents · 81.3% owned · 8.9% no carBewdley East & Upper Arley, Wyre Forest6,757 residents · 74.3% owned · 11.9% no carHeathfield & Liverton, Teignbridge6,721 residents · 75.1% owned · 8.9% no carMinster & St-Nicholas-at-Wade, Thanet8,055 residents · 73.9% owned · 11.3% no carWeeley & Thorpe-le-Soken, Tendring7,913 residents · 85.2% owned · 10.6% no carBerrow & Brent Knoll, Sedgemoor11,059 residents · 82.4% owned · 8.4% no car

Most similar within West Lancashire

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Scarisbrick, Halsall & Haskayne, West Lancashire7,506 residents · 80.8% owned · 7.9% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Rufford & Banks

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

Tenure

Owned79.7%
2,791 households
Private rented10.7%
373 households
Social rented8.1%
282 households
Shared ownership1.5%
52 households
Lives rent free0.1%
2 households
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached40.5%
1,417 households
Detached39.7%
1,388 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure7.4%
259 households
Terraced7.2%
252 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement4.5%
158 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.3%
12 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.3%
9 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.1%
4 households
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household40.5%
1,418 households
2 cars or vans in household34.6%
1,212 households
3 or more cars or vans in household15.5%
542 households
No cars or vans in household9.4%
328 households
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms37.4%
1,310 households
2 bedrooms30.7%
1,074 households
4 or more bedrooms26.7%
935 households
1 bedroom5.2%
181 households
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household67.8%
2,376 households
One-person household27.8%
973 households
Other household types4.4%
155 households
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household42.5%
1,486 households
1 person in household27.7%
971 households
3 people in household14.1%
494 households
4 people in household10.8%
379 households
5 people in household3.6%
125 households
6 people in household0.9%
30 households
7 people in household0.4%
13 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
2 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1513%
1,037 residents
15–2913.4%
1,072 residents
30–4414.4%
1,145 residents
45–6431.5%
2,507 residents
65 and over27.7%
2,210 residents
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White98.1%
7,816 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups0.9%
72 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh0.5%
41 residents
Other ethnic group0.4%
28 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.2%
13 residents
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above31.1%
2,128 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications18.8%
1,286 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications17.4%
1,189 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications13.5%
923 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications9%
618 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship7.2%
493 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.1%
212 residents aged 16 and over
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)54.7%
3,747 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive43.9%
3,007 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.4%
94 residents aged 16 and over
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations21.5%
1,472 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers14.9%
1,021 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations12%
822 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations12%
819 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations11.6%
795 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.2%
766 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed7.3%
501 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations5.5%
374 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4%
277 residents aged 16 and over
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health45.4%
3,623 residents
Good health33.2%
2,650 residents
Fair health14.9%
1,190 residents
Bad health4.7%
378 residents
Very bad health1.6%
131 residents
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act79%
6,299 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act21%
1,673 residents
Rufford & Banks · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension48.5%
1,696 households
Household is deprived in one dimension35.3%
1,233 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions13.7%
478 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions2.5%
87 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.1%
2 households
Rufford & Banks · 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 West Lancashire

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.