Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · E02006939

Central Reading North

Central Reading North is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,076 residents in Reading. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Reading
7,076

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,379

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,304.9

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

20.2%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

56.0%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

54.5%

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.

Central Watford, Watford11,413 residents · 31.6% owned · 42.9% no carEaling Broadway East, Ealing6,426 residents · 28.3% owned · 51.6% no carCentral Croydon, Croydon7,373 residents · 21.0% owned · 68.1% no carSt George in the East & Wapping North, Tower Hamlets8,965 residents · 25.6% owned · 68.9% no carGreenhill South, Harrow11,669 residents · 38.7% owned · 48.1% no carSurrey Quays, Southwark10,291 residents · 32.5% owned · 56.7% no car

Most similar within Reading

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Central Reading South, Reading8,240 residents · 24.4% owned · 51.3% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Central Reading North

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

Tenure

Private rented65.3%
2,207 households
Owned20.2%
681 households
Social rented12%
404 households
Shared ownership2.5%
84 households
Lives rent free0.1%
3 households
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement64.6%
2,181 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits12.6%
427 households
Terraced12.6%
424 households
Semi-detached3.3%
113 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop3%
100 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse2.3%
78 households
Detached1.5%
51 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
3 households
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

No cars or vans in household56%
1,893 households
1 car or van in household36.5%
1,233 households
2 cars or vans in household6.6%
223 households
3 or more cars or vans in household0.9%
30 households
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

1 bedroom43.2%
1,459 households
2 bedrooms41.3%
1,397 households
3 bedrooms9.6%
324 households
4 or more bedrooms5.9%
201 households
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household50%
1,687 households
One-person household38.2%
1,291 households
Other household types11.8%
399 households
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household38.3%
1,293 households
2 people in household36.3%
1,226 households
3 people in household14.3%
483 households
4 people in household7.5%
252 households
5 people in household2.2%
74 households
6 people in household0.7%
23 households
7 people in household0.6%
19 households
8 or more people in household0.3%
10 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1513.1%
928 residents
15–2927.3%
1,932 residents
30–4436.2%
2,559 residents
45–6417.9%
1,264 residents
65 and over5.6%
393 residents
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White53.3%
3,767 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh27%
1,910 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African9.6%
681 residents
Other ethnic group5.7%
401 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups4.5%
315 residents
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

Level 4 qualifications or above54.5%
3,334 residents aged 16 and over
No qualifications13.7%
838 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications10.4%
639 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications7.4%
451 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications6.9%
420 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship3.6%
221 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.5%
213 residents aged 16 and over
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)73.9%
4,519 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive23.2%
1,421 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2.9%
178 residents aged 16 and over
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations22.1%
1,354 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations20.8%
1,271 residents aged 16 and over
L13 Routine occupations10.9%
667 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed9.5%
584 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations8.9%
542 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations8.3%
507 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students7.9%
484 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers6.7%
410 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations4.9%
297 residents aged 16 and over
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health52.5%
3,711 residents
Good health35.5%
2,515 residents
Fair health9.4%
665 residents
Bad health2.2%
157 residents
Very bad health0.4%
27 residents
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act89.6%
6,336 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act10.4%
739 residents
Central Reading North · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension53.7%
1,814 households
Household is deprived in one dimension31.7%
1,071 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions11.1%
375 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions3.2%
109 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.3%
10 households
Central Reading North · 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 Reading

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.