Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02005314

Skelmersdale West

Skelmersdale West is a Census neighbourhood of about 6,413 residents in West Lancashire. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

6,413

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

2,893

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

1,717.3

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

57.3%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

27.3%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

21.0%

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.

Leigh West, Wigan8,321 residents · 57.3% owned · 25.2% no carPemberton North, Wigan6,605 residents · 59.7% owned · 25.4% no carColne North, Pendle10,767 residents · 58.7% owned · 27.2% no carBricknell West, Kingston upon Hull, City of7,899 residents · 52.9% owned · 29.4% no carWigan South, Wigan9,029 residents · 49.5% owned · 31.8% no carHuthwaite, Ashfield6,696 residents · 57.8% owned · 24.1% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Skelmersdale West

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

Tenure

Owned57.3%
1,657 households
Social rented23.1%
668 households
Private rented19%
550 households
Lives rent free0.3%
10 households
Shared ownership0.3%
8 households
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced43.1%
1,246 households
Semi-detached31.4%
909 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement14.2%
410 households
Detached10.2%
296 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.6%
16 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.3%
10 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
4 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.1%
3 households
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household44.9%
1,299 households
No cars or vans in household27.3%
790 households
2 cars or vans in household20.8%
601 households
3 or more cars or vans in household7%
204 households
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms51.8%
1,500 households
2 bedrooms28.6%
829 households
4 or more bedrooms10.4%
301 households
1 bedroom9.1%
264 households
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household59%
1,706 households
One-person household35.7%
1,033 households
Other household types5.3%
154 households
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household35.7%
1,033 households
2 people in household31.9%
924 households
3 people in household17.4%
503 households
4 people in household9.8%
283 households
5 people in household3.7%
107 households
6 people in household1.2%
34 households
7 people in household0.2%
7 households
8 or more people in household0.2%
5 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1515.8%
1,014 residents
15–2918.7%
1,197 residents
30–4418.5%
1,185 residents
45–6428.1%
1,800 residents
65 and over19%
1,219 residents
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White96.9%
6,216 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.4%
89 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh1.1%
73 residents
Other ethnic group0.4%
28 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.1%
8 residents
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications23.8%
1,267 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above21%
1,120 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications18.4%
981 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.5%
828 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications12.2%
652 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship6.3%
336 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.6%
141 residents aged 16 and over
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)58.9%
3,135 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive39.3%
2,093 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.8%
98 residents aged 16 and over
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations21.1%
1,123 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations15.5%
826 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations15.1%
806 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations10.9%
581 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed9.9%
525 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers7.8%
414 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations7.4%
394 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students6.7%
355 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations5.7%
301 residents aged 16 and over
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health43.1%
2,763 residents
Good health33.7%
2,160 residents
Fair health15.7%
1,009 residents
Bad health6%
387 residents
Very bad health1.5%
94 residents
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act77.5%
4,969 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act22.5%
1,444 residents
Skelmersdale West · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension41.5%
1,202 households
Household is deprived in one dimension34.7%
1,004 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions18.8%
543 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions4.7%
137 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.3%
8 households
Skelmersdale 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 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.