We have collated a series of socio-economic statistics for Castle in Bedford 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 Castle older than the national average or younger? What is the population of Castle and Bedford? Is Castle an unemployment hotspot? This page should provide you with the answers.
Castle Education Statistics
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census to found of the level of education Castle 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 | Castle | England |
|---|---|---|
| No Qualifications | 18.82% | 18.08% |
| Level 1 | 8.94% | 9.69% |
| Level 2 | 10.87% | 13.32% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.79% | 5.32% |
| Level 3 | 12.77% | 16.92% |
| Level 4 | 40.31% | 33.92% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
What are the occupations of the residents of Castle?
The largest employment sector in Castle is Professional Occupations. The smallest employment sector is Administrative & Secretarial.| Sector | Proportion |
|---|---|
| Professional Occupations | 21.21% |
| Elementary Occupations | 18.16% |
| Associate Professional & Technical | 11.85% |
| Managers, Directors & Senior Officials | 10.5% |
| Caring, leisure & Other Services | 9.48% |
| Skilled Trades | 8.51% |
| Process Plant & Machine Operatives | 7.26% |
| Administrative & Secretarial | 6.37% |
How many residents own or rent their home in Castle and Bedford
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census and calculated what proportion of people in Castle either own or rent their home. All percentages have been rounded to two decimal places. 29.51 of residents own their home either outright or mortgaged. 70.49 of Castle residents rent their home either privately or through a social landlord.| Area | Owned | Rented |
|---|---|---|
| Castle (Bedford) | 29.51% | 70.49% |
| Bedford | 62.66% | 37.34% |
| East | 65.23% | 34.77% |
| England | 61.31% | 38.69% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Castle has a significantly lower level of home ownership than the national average. This is indicative or an economically deprived area.
Castle compared to other wards in Bedford
| # | Ward | Owned | Rented |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bromham and Biddenham | 83.76% | 16.25% |
| 2 | Oakley (Bedford) | 81.55% | 18.45% |
| 3 | Putnoe | 81.45% | 18.55% |
| 4 | Wyboston | 78.87% | 21.13% |
| 5 | Sharnbrook | 78.19% | 21.81% |
| 6 | Kempston South | 77.81% | 22.19% |
| 7 | Riseley | 76.73% | 23.27% |
| 8 | Great Barford | 76.08% | 23.92% |
| 9 | Wilshamstead | 75.15% | 24.85% |
| 10 | Clapham | 75.13% | 24.87% |
| 11 | Brickhill | 74.94% | 25.06% |
| 12 | Wootton (Bedford) | 74.42% | 25.58% |
| 13 | Harrold | 71.62% | 28.38% |
| 14 | Kempston Rural | 70.87% | 29.13% |
| 15 | Newnham (Bedford) | 70.4% | 29.6% |
| 16 | Elstow and Stewartby | 67.67% | 32.33% |
| 17 | Eastcotts | 66.99% | 33.01% |
| 18 | Kempston Central and East | 61.24% | 38.76% |
| 19 | Kempston West | 59.25% | 40.75% |
| 20 | De Parys | 57.9% | 42.1% |
| 21 | Kempston North | 55.11% | 44.89% |
| 22 | Goldington | 51.56% | 48.44% |
| 23 | Queens Park (Bedford) | 50.95% | 49.05% |
| 24 | Kingsbrook | 46.77% | 53.23% |
| 25 | Cauldwell | 41.95% | 58.05% |
| 26 | Harpur | 38.31% | 61.69% |
| 27 | Castle (Bedford) | 29.51% | 70.49% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Castle & Bedford 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 Castle in the Bedford local area district.
| Area | Born in UK | Born outside UK |
|---|---|---|
| Castle (Bedford) | 62.03% | 37.97% |
| Bedford | 78.6% | 21.4% |
| East | 85.09% | 14.91% |
| England | 82.65% | 17.35% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Castle compared to other wards in Bedford
| # | Ward | Born in UK | Born outside UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cauldwell | 56.9% | 43.1% |
| 2 | Queens Park | 57.1% | 42.9% |
| 3 | Castle | 62.03% | 37.97% |
| 4 | Kingsbrook | 68.23% | 31.77% |
| 5 | Harpur | 68.41% | 31.59% |
| 6 | Kempston Central and East | 72.88% | 27.12% |
| 7 | Kempston South | 76.05% | 23.95% |
| 8 | De Parys | 77.62% | 22.38% |
| 9 | Goldington | 78.9% | 21.1% |
| 10 | Kempston North | 79.59% | 20.41% |
| 11 | Kempston West | 80.38% | 19.62% |
| 12 | Eastcotts | 80.83% | 19.17% |
| 13 | Newnham | 81.68% | 18.32% |
| 14 | Brickhill | 83.08% | 16.92% |
| 15 | Kempston Rural | 83.85% | 16.15% |
| 16 | Putnoe | 84.1% | 15.9% |
| 17 | Elstow and Stewartby | 85.07% | 14.93% |
| 18 | Bromham and Biddenham | 87.54% | 12.46% |
| 19 | Wilshamstead | 88.31% | 11.69% |
| 20 | Clapham | 88.45% | 11.55% |
| 21 | Great Barford | 89.57% | 10.43% |
| 22 | Wootton | 89.88% | 10.12% |
| 23 | Sharnbrook | 91.94% | 8.06% |
| 24 | Oakley | 92.57% | 7.43% |
| 25 | Harrold | 93% | 7% |
| 26 | Wyboston | 93.76% | 6.24% |
| 27 | Riseley | 94.51% | 5.49% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Castle Health Statistics
Castle has a lower proportion of residents (very_good_pc-$ward_health->very_good_pc, 2)%) describing their health as very good than the national average for England.| Area | VG | G | F | B | VB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle (Bedford) | 47.85% | 34.02% | 12.82% | 4.15% | 1.16% |
| Bedford | 48.82% | 34.97% | 11.85% | 3.43% | 0.94% |
| East | 48.28% | 34.64% | 12.5% | 3.58% | 1% |
| 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 Bedford changed since 2011?
Bedford residents who describe their health as either good or very good has increased by 0.91% between the 2011 and 2021 census.| Year | VG | G | F | B | VB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 46.9% | 35.98% | 12.58% | 3.55% | 0.98% |
| 2021 | 48.82% | 34.97% | 11.85% | 3.43% | 0.94% |
VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, B = Bad & VB = Very Bad
Source: Census 2011/2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Castle Age Distribution Statistics
We have taken the raw data from the 2021 Census and the calculated the proportion of age groups in Castle.| 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)
Castle 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 Bedford.| Area | Unemployed | Yearly Change |
|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 3.9% | -0.3% |
| East of England | 3% | -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 | 59.96% |
| In Part-Time Work | 20.93% |
| Unemployed | 7.55% |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
What is the population of Castle and Bedford?
The table below contains the populations figures for each ward in Bedford including Castle. These population ONS figures are estimated are dated Mid 2020.
| Ward | Population |
|---|---|
| Brickhill | 7969 |
| Bromham and Biddenham | 6963 |
| Castle | 8526 |
| Cauldwell | 11189 |
| Clapham | 4555 |
| De Parys | 6817 |
| Eastcotts | 4663 |
| Elstow and Stewartby | 4885 |
| Goldington | 9687 |
| Great Barford | 8283 |
| Harpur | 8718 |
| Harrold | 4158 |
| Kempston Central and East | 6981 |
| Kempston North | 3609 |
| Kempston Rural | 6763 |
| Kempston South | 3900 |
| Kempston West | 6485 |
| Kingsbrook | 9764 |
| Newnham | 7769 |
| Oakley | 3709 |
| Putnoe | 6923 |
| Queens Park | 9502 |
| Riseley | 3358 |
| Sharnbrook | 3809 |
| Wilshamstead | 5842 |
| Wootton | 6270 |
| Wyboston | 3590 |
| Bedford Total | 174687 |
Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)
Last updated: 20/02/2024, Additional Sources: Office for National Statistics & Department for Work & Pensions.
