Census demography dashboard commentary: households and population
This commentary is from the households and population page of the Census demography dashboard. Select an area below to view the commentary.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Average household size
Overall, for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area the average household size (which measures the average number of household residents per occupied household) has changed little between Census 2011 and Census 2021, being 2.39 people per household at Census 2011 and 2.38 at Census 2021. Within this, though, there have been different developments between the more urban districts of Cambridge City and Peterborough, where average household sizes have increased since Census 2011, and the more rural districts of East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire, where the average household size has fallen slightly.
Average household size tends to be higher for Peterborough’s urban wards – such as Park (3.03 people per household), North (2.93) and Ravensthorpe (2.79) – but also for wards that have seen significant housing development – such as Cambourne in South Cambridgeshire (2.83) and St Neots East in Huntingdonshire (2.74). Lower average household sizes tend to be found in some market town wards – such as Ely East in East Cambridgeshire (2.03), March East in Huntingdonshire (2.08) and Whittlesey South in Fenland (2.13) – and some urban wards in Cambridge – such as Petersfield (2.14) and Market (2.17).
Change in number of households
Wards that have had significant housing development between Census 2011 and 2021 have seen the biggest percentage increases in the number of households between Census 2011 and 2021. This includes Trumpington in Cambridge (140.9%), St Neots East in Huntingdonshire (106.5%) and Hargate & Hempsted in Peterborough (77.2%). Just two wards in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have seen decreases in the number of households, which are Newnham (-9.2%) in Cambridge and Bassingbourn (-2.4%).
Residence type
Almost all wards in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have a very small proportion of their population living in communal establishments. Notable communal establishment populations can be found in wards where there is university accommodation for students in Cambridge, such as Newnham (66.3%), Market (44.9%), Castle (32.4%) and Petersfield (15.4%). There is also a notable communal establishment population at Littlehey prison in the ward of Great Staughton (with communal establishment residents accounting for 26.0% of total population there) in Huntingdonshire. For all other wards, the proportion of the population living in households is greater than 90%.
Cambridgeshire
Average household size
Overall, for Cambridgeshire the average household size (which measures the average number of household residents per occupied household) has changed little between Census 2011 and Census 2021, falling marginally from 2.38 people per household to 2.35 per household at Census 2021. Within this, though, there have been different developments between the more urban districts of Cambridge City, where the average household size has increased since Census 2011 from 2.30 to 2.41 people per household, and the more rural districts of East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire, where average household sizes have fallen slightly.
The average household size tends to be higher for wards that have seen significant housing development – such as Cambourne in South Cambridgeshire (2.83 people per household), St Neots East in Huntingdonshire (2.74) and Trumpington in Cambridge (2.55). However some other wards also have higher average household sizes, such as Queen Edith’s in Cambridge (2.82), Caldecote in South Cambridgeshire (2.62) and Wisbech North in Fenland (2.56). Lower average household sizes are more common in some market town wards – such as Ely East in East Cambridgeshire (2.03), March East in Huntingdonshire (2.08) and Whittlesey South in Fenland (2.13) – and some urban wards in Cambridge – such as Petersfield (2.14) and Market (2.17).
Change in number of households
Wards that have seen significant housing development between Census 2011 and 2021 have seen the biggest percentage increases in the number of households between Census 2011 and 2021. This includes Trumpington in Cambridge (140.9%), St Neots East in Huntingdonshire (106.5%) and Longstanton in South Cambridgeshire (65.3%). Just two wards in Cambridgeshire have seen decreases in the number of households, which are Newnham (-9.2%) and Bassingbourn (-2.4%).
Residence type
Almost all wards in Cambridgeshire have a very small proportion of their population living in communal establishments. Notable communal establishment populations can be found in wards where there is university accommodation for students in Cambridge, such as Newnham (66.3%), Market (44.9%), Castle (32.4%) and Petersfield (15.4%). There is also a notable communal establishment population at Littlehey prison in the ward of Great Staughton (with communal establishment residents accounting for 26.0% of total population there) in Huntingdonshire. For all other wards, the proportion of the population living in households is greater than 90%.
Peterborough
Average household size
For Peterborough, the average household size (which measures the average number of household residents per occupied household) has increased between Census 2011 and Census 2021, from 2.46 people per household to 2.53 people per household. Average household size tends to be higher for Peterborough’s urban wards compared to the rural wards. The range for the urban wards is from 3.03 people per household in Park to 2.20 in Werrington, compared to a range of 2.47 in Barnack to 2.39 in Glinton & Castor. Other urban wards with notably high population per household ratios are North (2.93), Ravensthorpe (2.79) and Hampton Vale (2.75). It is notable that households in some of the more established urban wards where there has been little house building have become more densely populated compared to Census 2011, such as Werrington, North and Ravensthorpe.
Change in number of households
Wards that have seen significant housing development between Census 2011 and 2021 have seen the biggest percentage increases in the number of households between Census 2011 and 2021. This includes Hargate & Hempsted (77.2%), Stanground South (63.5%) and Hampton Vale (35.7%). For Peterborough’s rural wards, two have seen notable increases in the number of households – Eye, Thorney & Newborough (19.8%) and Barnack (18.3%) – while two have seen most limited increases – Glinton & Castor (3.7%) and Wittering (0.7%).
Residence type
For almost all wards in Peterborough, at least 98% of the population live in households. Only two wards have a larger proportion that live in communal establishments, which are Ravensthorpe (6.5%), in which Peterborough prison is located, and Wittering (7.0%), where the RAF Wittering armed forces base is located.
Cambridge
Average household size
The average household size (which measures the average number of household residents per occupied household) for Cambridge has increased between Census 2011 and Census 2021 from 2.30 people per household to 2.41 people per household.
Average household size tends to be higher for wards on the periphery of Cambridge compared to wards in the centre. This includes Queen Edith’s (2.82), Coleridge (2.55) and Trumpington (2.55). Queen Edith’s has a notably higher average household size than in Census 2011 (2.42). This is likely to be due to the definition change between Census 2011 and Census 2021, with much of the nurse’s accommodation in Queen Edith’s ward re-classed as households in Census 2021 rather than communal establishments. Wards in more student focused areas of Cambridge have lower population per household ratios, such as Petersfield (2.14), Market (2.17) and West Chesterton (2.17).
Change in number of households
Wards that have seen significant housing development between Census 2011 and 2021 have seen the biggest percentage increases in the number of households between Census 2011 and 2021. This includes Trumpington (140.9%) and Castle (54.5%). Newnham ward (-9.2%) is the only ward in Cambridge to have seen a decrease in the number of households.
Residence type
Notable communal establishment populations can be found in wards where there is university accommodation for students in Cambridge, including Newnham (66.3% of total population live in communal establishments), Market (44.9%), Castle (32.4%) and Petersfield (15.4%). For the remaining wards in Cambridge, over 90% of the population live in households.
East Cambridgeshire
Average household size
The average household size (which measures the average number of household residents per occupied household) for East Cambridgeshire has fallen slightly from 2.40 people per household at Census 2011 to 2.36 people per household at Census 2021.
There are no clear geographic differences in average household sizes across East Cambridgeshire. Some market town wards have higher average household sizes – such as Ely North (2.51) and Soham North (2.41) – while others have notably lower average household sizes – such as Ely East (2.03) and Soham South (2.29). This same trend can be found for rural wards, for example there are higher average household sizes in Downham Villages (2.45) and Bottisham (2.40) compared to lower average household sizes in Woodditton (2.29) and Burwell (2.31).
Change in number of households
Wards that have seen more housing development between Census 2011 and 2021 have seen the biggest percentage increases in the number of households between Census 2011 and 2021. This includes Soham South (27.2%), Ely North (14.9%) and Littleport (14.6%). While market town wards have tended to see higher increases than rural wards, notable exceptions are Ely West (1.5%) and Ely East (4.2%).
Residence type
Wards in East Cambridgeshire have very small proportions of their population that live in communal establishments, ranging from 3.2% in Bottisham to 0% in Sutton and Woodditton.
Fenland
Average household size
The average household size (which measures the average number of household residents per occupied household) for Fenland is little changed between Census 2011, 2.31 people per household, and Census 2021, 2.29 people per household.
Average household size tends to be higher for market town wards in Fenland compared to rural wards. The highest average household sizes are found in Wisbech North (2.56 people per household), Wisbech Walsoken & Waterlees (2.39) and Whittlesey East & Villages (2.39). However, some market town wards have notably lower average household sizes, such as March East (2.08), Whittlesey South (2.13) and Wisbech South (2.22). For rural wards, the average household size ranges from 2.35 in Parson Drove & Wisbech St Mary to 2.26 in Leverington & Wisbech Rural.
Change in number of households
Wards that have seen more housing development between Census 2011 and 2021 have seen the biggest percentage increases in the number of households between Census 2011 and 2021. This includes the market town wards of Whittlesey East & Villages (16.0%), Whittlesey North West (14.6%) and Chatteris North & Manea (14.2%). For rural wards, both Parson Drove & Wisbech St Mary (12.3%) and Doddington & Wimblington (10.9%) have seen notable increases in the number of households.
Residence type
Wards in Fenland have very small proportions of their population that live in communal establishments, ranging from 5.8% in March North (where Whitemoor prison is located) to 0% in Wisbech North, Whittlesey Lattersey, Parson Drove & Wisbech St Mary and March West & Benwick.
Huntingdonshire
Average household size
In Huntingdonshire the average household size (which measures the average number of household residents per occupied household) fell between Census 2011 and Census 2021 from 2.41 people per household to 2.32 people per household.
Average household size tends to be higher for wards that have seen significant housing development since Census 2011. This includes St Neots East (2.74), The Stukeleys (2.48) and Brampton (2.42). Some more rural wards also have notably higher average household size, such as Great Paxton (2.46) and Yaxley (2.41). In contrast, a mix of market town and rural wards have lower average household sizes, including St Ives South (2.15), St Neots Eynesbury (2.20) and Buckden (2.22).
Change in number of households
Wards that have seen significant housing development between Census 2011 and 2021 have seen the biggest percentage increases in the number of households between Census 2011 and 2021. This includes St Neots East (106.5%), The Stukeleys (39.7%) and Brampton (31.4%).
Residence type
Almost all wards in Huntingdonshire have very small proportions of their population that live in communal establishments. This ranges from 4.6% in Hemingford Grey & Houghton to 0% in Somersham, St Ives East and St Ives West. Only one ward, Great Staughton), in which Littlehey Prison is located, has a notable proportion (26.0%) living in communal establishments.
South Cambridgeshire
Average household size
The average household size (which measures the average number of household residents per occupied household) for South Cambridgeshire decreased from 2.45 to 2.40 people per household between Census 2011 and Census 2021.
Wards that have seen significant housing development since Census 2011 have higher average household sizes, notably Cambourne (2.83) and Longstanton (2.52). For rural wards, average household sizes range from 2.62 in Caldecote to 2.24 in Bar Hill.
Change in number of households
Wards that have seen more housing development between Census 2011 and 2021 have seen the biggest percentage increases in the number of households between Census 2011 and 2021. This includes Longstanton (65.3%) and Cambourne (39.8%), but also Caxton & Papworth (21.0%) and Harston & Comberton (20.0%). One ward in South Cambridgeshire, Bassingbourn (-2.4%), has seen a decrease in the number of households.
Residence type
Almost all wards in South Cambridgeshire have very small proportions of their population that live in communal establishments. This ranges from 3.0% in Bassingbourn to 0% in a number of wards. Just one ward in South Cambridgeshire, Girton (5.7%), has a slightly higher proportion of the population that live in communal establishments. This is likely due to the university accommodation located in this ward.