Socio-economic statistics for Halifax, Calderdale

Socio-economic statistics for Halifax, Calderdale

We have collated a series of socio-economic statistics for Halifax in Calderdale 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 Halifax older than the national average or younger? What is the population of Halifax and Calderdale? Is Halifax an unemployment hotspot? This page should provide you with the answers.

Halifax Age Distribution Statistics

We have taken the raw data from the 2021 Census and the calculated the proportion of age groups in Town.
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

Halifax Education Statistics

We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census to found of the level of education Halifax 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

In this first table we have compared Halifax to the national average for England.
Level Town England
No Qualifications 22.4% 18.08%
Level 1 10.75% 9.69%
Level 2 14.33% 13.32%
Apprenticeship 6.97% 5.32%
Level 3 17.15% 16.92%
Level 4 25.51% 33.92%

How many residents own or rent their home in Halifax and Calderdale

We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census and calculated what proportion of people in Halifax either own or rent their home. All percentages have been rounded to two decimal places. 48.09 of residents own their home either outright or mortgaged. 51.91 of Halifax residents rent their home either privately or through a social landlord.
Area Owned Rented
Town (Calderdale) 48.09% 51.91%
Calderdale 64.59% 35.41%
Yorkshire and The Humber 62.58% 37.42%
England 61.31% 38.69%

Halifax has a significantly lower level of home ownership than the national average. This is indicative or an economically deprived area.

Halifax compared to other wards in Calderdale

# Ward Owned Rented
1 Northowram and Shelf 77.97% 22.03%
2 Hipperholme and Lightcliffe 75.06% 24.94%
3 Greetland and Stainland 72.94% 27.06%
4 Ryburn 71.77% 28.23%
5 Calder (Calderdale) 71.26% 28.74%
6 Luddendenfoot 71.17% 28.83%
7 Skircoat 68.31% 31.69%
8 Rastrick 67.67% 32.33%
9 Brighouse 65.34% 34.66%
10 Warley (Calderdale) 64.98% 35.02%
11 Todmorden 62.58% 37.42%
12 Sowerby Bridge 61.53% 38.47%
13 Illingworth and Mixenden 61.27% 38.73%
14 Elland 61.03% 38.97%
15 Ovenden 51.22% 48.78%
16 Park (Calderdale) 50.92% 49.08%
17 Town (Calderdale) 48.09% 51.91%
Halifax is ranked 17 out of 17 wards in Calderdale for the percentage of home owners.

Halifax Health Statistics

Town 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
Town (Calderdale) 43.33% 33.64% 16.01% 5.41% 1.62%
Calderdale 46.61% 34.19% 13.51% 4.38% 1.3%
Yorkshire and The Humber 46.18% 34.31% 13.7% 4.49% 1.32%
England 48.49% 33.71% 12.65% 3.98% 1.17%
VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, B = Bad & VB = Very Bad

How has the health of residents in Calderdale changed since 2011?

Calderdale residents who describe their health as either good or very good has increased by 0.11% between the 2011 and 2021 census.
Year VG G F B VB
2011 46.34% 34.35% 13.78% 4.38% 1.15%
2021 46.61% 34.19% 13.51% 4.38% 1.3%
VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, B = Bad & VB = Very Bad

Halifax 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 Calderdale.
Area Unemployed Yearly Change
Calderdale 4.2% -0.3%
Yorkshire and The Humber 4.2% -0.3%
England 3.8% -0.3%
UK 3.7% -0.3%
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), Last Retrieved: March 2023
The 2021 census had data on people who were economically active (seeking work) yet unemployed on Census day (Sunday March 21st 2021). These statitics do cover Halifax on a ward level. However, it has to be noted that the Census day was during the height of the Covid19 pandemic and therefore are not reflective of normal levels of unemployment. For example, between March 2020 and June 2020 people claiming Universal Credit doubled in most areas of the United Kingdom and then steadily declined up to the day of the Census and beyond. This data also contains the proportion of people in part-time work (working between 1-35 hours per week), which maybe an indicator of under employment in Halifax.
Economic Status Proportion
In Employment 54.94%
In Part-Time Work 25%
Unemployed 6.58%
75% of the people in work, are in full-time employment in Halifax

Halifax & Calderdale 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 Halifax in the Calderdale local area district.

Area Born in UK Born outside UK
Town (Calderdale) 89.57% 10.43%
Calderdale 91.49% 8.51%
Yorkshire and The Humber 88.65% 11.35%
England 82.65% 17.35%

Halifax compared to other wards in Calderdale

# Ward Born in UK Born outside UK
1 Park 65.6% 34.4%
2 Warley 84.4% 15.6%
3 Skircoat 86.32% 13.68%
4 Town 89.57% 10.43%
5 Ovenden 91.95% 8.05%
6 Elland 94.13% 5.87%
7 Calder 94.2% 5.8%
8 Todmorden 94.7% 5.3%
9 Rastrick 95.08% 4.92%
10 Sowerby Bridge 95.56% 4.44%
11 Brighouse 96.03% 3.97%
12 Illingworth and Mixenden 96.05% 3.95%
13 Hipperholme and Lightcliffe 96.18% 3.82%
14 Luddendenfoot 96.34% 3.66%
15 Northowram and Shelf 96.47% 3.53%
16 Ryburn 97.04% 2.96%
17 Greetland and Stainland 97.39% 2.61%
'; Halifax is ranked 4 out of 17 wards in Calderdale for the number of residents born outside of the UK.

What are the occupations of the residents of Halifax?

The largest employment sector in Halifax is Professional Occupations. The smallest employment sector is Administrative & Secretarial.
Sector Proportion
Professional Occupations 15.54%
Skilled Trades 12.49%
Associate Professional & Technical 11.8%
Caring, leisure & Other Services 11.35%
Elementary Occupations 11.11%
Process Plant & Machine Operatives 9.94%
Managers, Directors & Senior Officials 9.86%
Administrative & Secretarial 9.56%

What is the population of Halifax and Calderdale?

The table below contains the populations figures for each ward in Calderdale including Halifax. These population ONS figures are estimated are dated Mid 2020.

Ward Population
Brighouse 11199
Calder 12067
Elland 12218
Greetland and Stainland 11318
Hipperholme and Lightcliffe 12245
Illingworth and Mixenden 12805
Luddendenfoot 10713
Northowram and Shelf 11735
Ovenden 12729
Park 16371
Rastrick 11212
Ryburn 11546
Skircoat 13571
Sowerby Bridge 12111
Todmorden 12414
Town 13106
Warley 14079
Calderdale Total 211439



Last updated: 20/02/2024, Additional Sources: Office for National Statistics & Department for Work & Pensions.

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