Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02005511

Watton

Watton is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,967 residents in Breckland. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

8,967

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,001

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

1,245.4

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

69.3%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

16.1%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

18.0%

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.

Holbeach, South Holland7,742 residents · 65.1% owned · 16.3% no carDownham Market, King's Lynn and West Norfolk11,348 residents · 66.4% owned · 18.5% no carDiss & Roydon, South Norfolk10,921 residents · 62.9% owned · 18.3% no carFakenham, North Norfolk8,015 residents · 64.6% owned · 18.1% no carMarch West, Fenland7,488 residents · 70.1% owned · 16.1% no carNew Costessey, South Norfolk7,535 residents · 72.2% owned · 15.5% no car

Most similar within Breckland

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Dereham Central & Toftwood, Breckland11,605 residents · 60.9% owned · 17.9% no carSwaffham, Breckland8,565 residents · 64.0% owned · 17.8% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Watton

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

Tenure

Owned69.3%
2,773 households
Private rented19.4%
776 households
Social rented10.1%
406 households
Shared ownership1%
42 households
Lives rent free0.1%
4 households
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Detached49.8%
1,993 households
Semi-detached24.8%
992 households
Terraced14.7%
590 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement6.7%
268 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure1.7%
69 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.9%
37 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.7%
30 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.6%
24 households
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household45.8%
1,832 households
2 cars or vans in household27.3%
1,094 households
No cars or vans in household16.1%
646 households
3 or more cars or vans in household10.8%
432 households
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms44.1%
1,764 households
2 bedrooms33.8%
1,352 households
4 or more bedrooms15.1%
606 households
1 bedroom7%
280 households
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household63.9%
2,556 households
One-person household29.7%
1,187 households
Other household types6.5%
259 households
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household42.1%
1,683 households
1 person in household29.7%
1,187 households
3 people in household13.5%
539 households
4 people in household9.8%
394 households
5 people in household3.3%
132 households
6 people in household1.2%
48 households
7 people in household0.2%
10 households
8 or more people in household0.2%
9 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1514.1%
1,261 residents
15–2914.9%
1,340 residents
30–4417.3%
1,549 residents
45–6424.6%
2,204 residents
65 and over29.2%
2,615 residents
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White96.9%
8,693 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1.1%
103 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh0.9%
78 residents
Other ethnic group0.5%
49 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.5%
46 residents
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications29.4%
2,246 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above18%
1,377 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications14.7%
1,127 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications13.8%
1,053 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications12.8%
978 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship7.6%
582 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.8%
288 residents aged 16 and over
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)53.7%
4,110 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive45.4%
3,477 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student0.8%
64 residents aged 16 and over
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations21.9%
1,672 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations16.2%
1,238 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations15.3%
1,167 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.4%
875 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers10%
765 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed7.7%
591 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations7.6%
582 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations7%
539 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students2.9%
222 residents aged 16 and over
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Good health39%
3,494 residents
Very good health38.5%
3,455 residents
Fair health16.7%
1,497 residents
Bad health4.6%
414 residents
Very bad health1.2%
107 residents
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act79%
7,086 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act21%
1,881 residents
Watton · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is deprived in one dimension40.2%
1,607 households
Household is not deprived in any dimension40%
1,602 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions16.6%
666 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions3%
122 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.1%
5 households
Watton · 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 Breckland

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.