Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02006255

Holywells

Holywells is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,120 residents in Ipswich. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

8,120

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,533

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,291.8

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

56.1%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

22.8%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

30.4%

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.

Basford & Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent9,493 residents · 56.7% owned · 24.4% no carAlstone & St Mark's, Cheltenham10,439 residents · 58.6% owned · 22.9% no carFletton, Peterborough10,266 residents · 47.0% owned · 27.5% no carBitterne West, Southampton8,318 residents · 57.7% owned · 19.5% no carTaunton North Town, Somerset West and Taunton11,305 residents · 52.5% owned · 24.8% no carKings Furlong, Basingstoke and Deane8,832 residents · 50.8% owned · 28.1% no car

Most similar within Ipswich

The closest matches in the same local authority.

California, Ipswich9,700 residents · 62.2% owned · 20.9% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Holywells

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

Tenure

Owned56.1%
1,982 households
Private rented36.3%
1,282 households
Social rented7%
246 households
Shared ownership0.7%
23 households
Lives rent free0%
0 households
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Semi-detached36.7%
1,297 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement28.7%
1,013 households
Terraced20.7%
732 households
Detached10.2%
361 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits1.7%
60 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop1.2%
43 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.7%
24 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
4 households
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household49.4%
1,747 households
No cars or vans in household22.8%
804 households
2 cars or vans in household21.5%
761 households
3 or more cars or vans in household6.3%
222 households
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms44.8%
1,584 households
2 bedrooms35.7%
1,262 households
1 bedroom11.5%
408 households
4 or more bedrooms7.9%
280 households
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household60.1%
2,121 households
One-person household33.4%
1,179 households
Other household types6.5%
230 households
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household35.7%
1,263 households
1 person in household33.4%
1,179 households
3 people in household16%
566 households
4 people in household10.3%
363 households
5 people in household3.2%
113 households
6 people in household1.1%
40 households
7 people in household0.2%
8 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
2 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1515.6%
1,266 residents
15–2922.7%
1,847 residents
30–4423.4%
1,904 residents
45–6424.5%
1,989 residents
65 and over13.7%
1,114 residents
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White84.9%
6,892 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh6.3%
512 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups3.8%
307 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African3.1%
255 residents
Other ethnic group1.9%
151 residents
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above30.4%
2,059 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications20.6%
1,397 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications16.6%
1,129 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications13.4%
911 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications10.3%
697 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship5.7%
384 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3%
204 residents aged 16 and over
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)62.6%
4,245 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive33.8%
2,294 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student3.6%
241 residents aged 16 and over
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations19.6%
1,329 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations13.2%
897 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations12.5%
851 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations12%
815 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations11.8%
799 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students10.3%
696 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers8%
545 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed6.7%
452 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations5.9%
398 residents aged 16 and over
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health46.9%
3,812 residents
Good health37.6%
3,057 residents
Fair health11.7%
952 residents
Bad health2.8%
231 residents
Very bad health0.8%
69 residents
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act83.8%
6,806 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act16.2%
1,315 residents
Holywells · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension51.3%
1,813 households
Household is deprived in one dimension32.9%
1,163 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions12.8%
451 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions2.9%
102 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.1%
3 households
Holywells · 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 Ipswich

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.