We have collated a series of socio-economic statistics for Blue Town in Swale from UK government sources such as the 2021 Census and the Index of Multiple Deprivation. They should give you a broad snapshot of the area and the surrounding locations. Are the residents of Blue Town older than the national average or younger? What is the population of Blue Town and Swale? Is Blue Town an unemployment hotspot? This page should provide you with the answers.
Blue Town & Swale Immigration Statistics
We have analysed the Census 2021 raw data on country of birth and compiled immigration statistics as percentages of the population. All percentages have been rounded to two decimal places. Below are the figures for Blue Town in the Swale local area district.
| Area | Born in UK | Born outside UK |
|---|---|---|
| Sheerness | 91.84% | 8.16% |
| Swale | 91.99% | 8.01% |
| South East | 84.24% | 15.76% |
| England | 82.65% | 17.35% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Blue Town compared to other wards in Swale
| # | Ward | Born in UK | Born outside UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chalkwell | 83.89% | 16.11% |
| 2 | Murston | 85.01% | 14.99% |
| 3 | Kemsley | 87.1% | 12.9% |
| 4 | Roman | 87.12% | 12.88% |
| 5 | The Meads | 89.79% | 10.21% |
| 6 | Milton Regis | 90.37% | 9.63% |
| 7 | Teynham and Lynsted | 91.1% | 8.9% |
| 8 | Abbey | 91.37% | 8.63% |
| 9 | Sheerness | 91.84% | 8.16% |
| 10 | Homewood | 92.01% | 7.99% |
| 11 | Sheppey East | 92.44% | 7.56% |
| 12 | Boughton and Courtenay | 92.83% | 7.17% |
| 13 | St Ann's | 93.31% | 6.69% |
| 14 | Watling | 93.47% | 6.53% |
| 15 | Borden and Grove Park | 93.51% | 6.49% |
| 16 | Woodstock | 93.89% | 6.11% |
| 17 | Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow | 93.93% | 6.07% |
| 18 | East Downs | 93.99% | 6.01% |
| 19 | West Downs | 94.43% | 5.57% |
| 20 | Queenborough and Halfway | 94.55% | 5.45% |
| 21 | Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch | 94.68% | 5.32% |
| 22 | Sheppey Central | 94.94% | 5.06% |
| 23 | Priory | 95.08% | 4.92% |
| 24 | Minster Cliffs | 95.51% | 4.49% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Blue Town Age Distribution Statistics
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 Census and the calculated the proportion of age groups in Sheerness.| Age Band | Proportion |
|---|---|
| 4 & under |  |
| 5 - 9 years | |
| 10 - 15 years | |
| 16 - 19 years | |
| 20 - 24 years | |
| 25 - 34 years | |
| 35 - 49 years | |
| 50 - 64 years | |
| 65 - 74 years | |
| 75 - 84 years | |
| 85 years & over | |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Blue Town Education Statistics
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census to found of the level of education Blue Town residents have in terms of formal qualifications as a percentage. The UK government breaks qualifications down into 7 levels. A detailed explanation of these levels can be found here. However, the Census groups these into just 4 \'levels\'. Here are some examples of the qualifications each census level represents when not stated;
- Level 1 - GCSE grades D, E, F, or G & below
- Level 2 - GCSE A*, A, B, C or O Level grades A, B or C
- Level 3 - A or AS qualification at any grade
- Level 4 - HNC, Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree or Phd
| Level | Sheerness | England |
|---|---|---|
| No Qualifications | 30.75% | 18.08% |
| Level 1 | 15.95% | 9.69% |
| Level 2 | 16.71% | 13.32% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.17% | 5.32% |
| Level 3 | 14.72% | 16.92% |
| Level 4 | 13.72% | 33.92% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
What are the occupations of the residents of Blue Town?
The largest employment sector in Blue Town is Elementary Occupations. The smallest employment sector is Professional Occupations.| Sector | Proportion |
|---|---|
| Elementary Occupations | 19.16% |
| Process Plant & Machine Operatives | 14.22% |
| Skilled Trades | 12.99% |
| Caring, leisure & Other Services | 12.07% |
| Associate Professional & Technical | 9.27% |
| Administrative & Secretarial | 8.5% |
| Managers, Directors & Senior Officials | 7.37% |
| Professional Occupations | 6.98% |
How many residents own or rent their home in Blue Town and Swale
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census and calculated what proportion of people in Blue Town either own or rent their home. All percentages have been rounded to two decimal places. 40.66 of residents own their home either outright or mortgaged. 59.34 of Blue Town residents rent their home either privately or through a social landlord.| Area | Owned | Rented |
|---|---|---|
| Sheerness | 40.66% | 59.34% |
| Swale | 66.97% | 33.03% |
| South East | 65.66% | 34.34% |
| England | 61.31% | 38.69% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Blue Town has a significantly lower level of home ownership than the national average. This is indicative or an economically deprived area.
Blue Town compared to other wards in Swale
| # | Ward | Owned | Rented |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woodstock (Swale) | 81.99% | 18.01% |
| 2 | West Downs | 80.62% | 19.38% |
| 3 | Minster Cliffs | 80.36% | 19.64% |
| 4 | Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow | 79.91% | 20.09% |
| 5 | Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch | 78.3% | 21.7% |
| 6 | Boughton and Courtenay | 75.39% | 24.61% |
| 7 | Borden and Grove Park | 74.3% | 25.7% |
| 8 | East Downs | 70.83% | 29.17% |
| 9 | Sheppey East | 70.69% | 29.31% |
| 10 | Kemsley | 69.24% | 30.76% |
| 11 | Queenborough and Halfway | 68.48% | 31.52% |
| 12 | St Ann's (Swale) | 68.2% | 31.8% |
| 13 | Sheppey Central | 68.18% | 31.82% |
| 14 | The Meads | 67.77% | 32.23% |
| 15 | Watling (Swale) | 67.17% | 32.83% |
| 16 | Homewood | 66.17% | 33.83% |
| 17 | Chalkwell (Swale) | 65.99% | 34.01% |
| 18 | Teynham and Lynsted | 64.44% | 35.56% |
| 19 | Abbey (Swale) | 63.49% | 36.51% |
| 20 | Priory (Swale) | 62.25% | 37.75% |
| 21 | Milton Regis | 60.7% | 39.3% |
| 22 | Murston | 58.64% | 41.36% |
| 23 | Roman (Swale) | 56.82% | 43.18% |
| 24 | Sheerness | 40.66% | 59.34% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Blue Town Unemployment Statistics
Since the introduction of Universal Credit, The Department for Work & Pensions have not issued any statistics (in our view) that can be used to ascertain the levels of unemployment or under employment in the UK, just meaningless geographic counts. However, the Office of National Statistics does publish claimant counts of people receiving out of work benefits, be that legacy Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit as a proportion of people over 16. These figures are usually updated once a month and are for Local Authority Districts and Unitary Authority Districts. So below are the figures of Swale.| Area | Unemployed | Yearly Change |
|---|---|---|
| Swale | 3.7% | -0.6% |
| South East | 2.9% | -0.3% |
| England | 3.8% | -0.3% |
| UK | 3.7% | -0.3% |
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), Last Retrieved: March 2023
| Economic Status | Proportion |
|---|---|
| In Employment | 49.01% |
| In Part-Time Work | 25.95% |
| Unemployed | 9.23% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Blue Town Health Statistics
Sheerness has a significantly lower proportion of residents (>5%) describing their health as very good than the national average for England.| Area | VG | G | F | B | VB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheerness | 40.93% | 33.41% | 17.44% | 6.38% | 1.85% |
| Swale | 45.47% | 34.77% | 14.07% | 4.41% | 1.28% |
| South East | 49.98% | 34.01% | 11.77% | 3.31% | 0.93% |
| England | 48.49% | 33.71% | 12.65% | 3.98% | 1.17% |
VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, B = Bad & VB = Very Bad
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
How has the health of residents in Swale changed since 2011?
Swale residents who describe their health as either good or very good has increased by 0.05% between the 2011 and 2021 census.| Year | VG | G | F | B | VB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 44.32% | 35.87% | 14.07% | 4.42% | 1.32% |
| 2021 | 45.47% | 34.77% | 14.07% | 4.41% | 1.28% |
VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, B = Bad & VB = Very Bad
Source: Census 2011/2021 (Nomis/ONS)
What is the population of Blue Town and Swale?
The table below contains the populations figures for each ward in Swale including Blue Town. These population ONS figures are estimated are dated Mid 2020.
| Ward | Population |
|---|---|
| Abbey | 5356 |
| Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow | 6216 |
| Borden and Grove Park | 6454 |
| Boughton and Courtenay | 6720 |
| Chalkwell | 3445 |
| East Downs | 2717 |
| Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch | 6289 |
| Homewood | 6389 |
| Kemsley | 7135 |
| Milton Regis | 6285 |
| Minster Cliffs | 7765 |
| Murston | 7040 |
| Priory | 2903 |
| Queenborough and Halfway | 8173 |
| Roman | 6876 |
| Sheerness | 13475 |
| Sheppey Central | 9120 |
| Sheppey East | 7254 |
| St Ann's | 5628 |
| Teynham and Lynsted | 6326 |
| The Meads | 4118 |
| Watling | 6317 |
| West Downs | 2880 |
| Woodstock | 6134 |
| Swale Total | 151015 |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Last updated: 20/02/2024, Additional Sources: Office for National Statistics & Department for Work & Pensions.
