Yorkshire and The Humber’s population profile combines a large English-born majority with varied ages, identities, religions, household tenures and working patterns. The figures below come from the Office for National Statistics’ York Census 2021 area-change article, using the region’s official comparison series.
Contents
- Age structure
- Country of birth
- Ethnic composition
- Religion
- National identity
- Housing tenure
- Economic activity and working hours
These are Census 2021 results for usual residents or households on Census Day, 21 March 2021. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place, so groups may not sum exactly to 100%. The age, birthplace, ethnic, religion and identity measures describe Yorkshire and The Humber, not the City of York local authority.
Age structure
The 2021 Census shows a broad spread across working-age, older and younger groups. The largest listed age band was residents aged 50 to 64, who made up 19.7% of Yorkshire and The Humber’s usual resident population. Residents aged 35 to 49 accounted for 18.5%, while those aged 25 to 34 accounted for 13.1%.
Older residents formed a substantial part of the regional profile. People aged 65 to 74 represented 10.3% of usual residents, and those aged 75 to 84 represented 6.3%. People aged 85 and over made up a further 2.4%.
Younger age groups also represented important shares. Children aged 10 to 15 accounted for 7.2% of the usual resident population. People aged 20 to 24 represented 6.3%, children aged 5 to 9 represented 5.9%, and children aged 4 and under represented 5.4%. Residents aged 16 to 19 made up 4.7%.
| Age group | Share of usual residents |
|---|---|
| 50 to 64 years | 19.7% |
| 35 to 49 years | 18.5% |
| 25 to 34 years | 13.1% |
| 65 to 74 years | 10.3% |
| 10 to 15 years | 7.2% |
| 20 to 24 years | 6.3% |
| 75 to 84 years | 6.3% |
| 5 to 9 years | 5.9% |
| 4 years and under | 5.4% |
| 16 to 19 years | 4.7% |
| 85 years and over | 2.4% |
This is an age profile rather than a population forecast. It describes usual residents recorded in the 2021 Census and should not be read as a current estimate or a projection of future population change.
Country of birth
Country-of-birth figures indicate where residents were born, rather than their nationality or national identity. Residents born in England accounted for 86.8% of Yorkshire and The Humber’s usual resident population in the 2021 Census.
The supplied ONS regional comparison also identifies residents born in Poland as 1.3% of the population and residents born in Scotland as 1.1%. Residents born in Wales represented 0.5%, while residents born in China represented 0.3%.
| Country of birth | Share of usual residents |
|---|---|
| England | 86.8% |
| Poland | 1.3% |
| Scotland | 1.1% |
| Wales | 0.5% |
| China | 0.3% |
These named categories do not describe every country of birth. They are selected figures from the ONS comparison series, so they should not be combined as a complete breakdown of all birthplace categories. They also should not be treated as a measure of migration, because a birthplace is not the same thing as arrival date, citizenship or migration status.
Ethnic composition
The Census 2021 ethnic-group results show that the White ethnic group represented 85.4% of usual residents in Yorkshire and The Humber. The Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh ethnic group represented 8.9%.
The Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups category represented 2.1% of usual residents, matching the 2.1% recorded for the Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African ethnic group. Other ethnic groups represented 1.4%.
| Ethnic group category | Share of usual residents |
|---|---|
| White | 85.4% |
| Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh | 8.9% |
| Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups | 2.1% |
| Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African | 2.1% |
| Other ethnic groups | 1.4% |
Ethnic group is a self-defined Census measure. The categories above retain the terminology used in the ONS regional comparison. Because the percentages are rounded to one decimal place, they may not sum exactly when added together.
Religion
Religious affiliation was a voluntary Census question. Christian affiliation was reported by 44.9% of usual residents in Yorkshire and The Humber, while 39.4% reported no religion. Muslim affiliation was reported by 8.1%.
Smaller reported affiliations included Hindu at 0.5%, Sikh at 0.4%, other religions at 0.4%, Buddhist at 0.3% and Jewish at 0.2%. The religion question was not answered by 5.7% of usual residents.
| Religious affiliation or response | Share of usual residents |
|---|---|
| Christian | 44.9% |
| No religion | 39.4% |
| Muslim | 8.1% |
| Question not answered | 5.7% |
| Hindu | 0.5% |
| Sikh | 0.4% |
| Other religions | 0.4% |
| Buddhist | 0.3% |
| Jewish | 0.2% |
The “no religion” figure is a reported response, not a conclusion about personal belief beyond the Census question. Likewise, the non-response figure is shown separately because the question was voluntary. These results describe affiliation on Census Day, 21 March 2021.
National identity
National identity responses provide a different measure from country of birth and ethnic group. British only identity was reported by 58.7% of usual residents in Yorkshire and The Humber. English and British only identity accounted for 16.8%, while English only identity accounted for 15.3%.
Non-UK identity only was reported by 6.7% of usual residents. A UK identity combined with a non-UK identity represented 1.3%, and any other combination of only UK identities represented 0.9%.
Welsh only identity was reported by 0.2%, while Welsh and British only identity represented 0.1%.
| National identity response | Share of usual residents |
|---|---|
| British only | 58.7% |
| English and British only | 16.8% |
| English only | 15.3% |
| Non-UK identity only | 6.7% |
| UK identity combined with non-UK identity | 1.3% |
| Other combination of only UK identities | 0.9% |
| Welsh only | 0.2% |
| Welsh and British only | 0.1% |
The response categories show that national identity can be expressed in more than one way. They should not be substituted for birthplace statistics: for example, being born in England and reporting a British-only identity are separate Census measures.
Housing tenure
Housing-tenure figures relate to households rather than individual residents. In Yorkshire and The Humber, households owning their home outright or with a mortgage or loan accounted for 62.6% of households in the 2021 Census.
Private renting accounted for 19.4% of households, while social renting accounted for 17.3%. Shared ownership represented 0.5%, and living rent free represented 0.2%.
| Household tenure | Share of households |
|---|---|
| Owned outright or with a mortgage or loan | 62.6% |
| Private rented | 19.4% |
| Social rented | 17.3% |
| Shared ownership | 0.5% |
| Living rent free | 0.2% |
The ownership category combines households that own outright with those buying through a mortgage or loan. It therefore should not be interpreted as an outright-ownership rate. These are household tenure results recorded on Census Day, not later rental, sales or affordability measures.
Economic activity and working hours
Economic-activity figures cover residents aged 16 years and over, excluding full-time students for the main activity categories. In this population, 53.5% were economically active and in employment, while 2.7% were economically active and unemployed.
Economically active full-time students in employment represented 1.7% of residents aged 16 and over, and economically active full-time students who were unemployed represented 0.7%. Among economically inactive residents, 22.9% were retired and 5.8% were students.
Other economically inactive groups included residents looking after home or family at 4.9%, residents inactive because of long-term sickness or disability at 4.7%, and other economically inactive residents at 3.2%.
| Economic activity category | Share of residents aged 16 and over |
|---|---|
| Economically active and in employment, excluding full-time students | 53.5% |
| Retired economically inactive | 22.9% |
| Student economically inactive | 5.8% |
| Looking after home or family | 4.9% |
| Long-term sickness or disability | 4.7% |
| Other economically inactive | 3.2% |
| Economically active and unemployed, excluding full-time students | 2.7% |
| Full-time students in employment | 1.7% |
| Full-time students unemployed | 0.7% |
Working-hours figures refer to residents aged 16 years and over who were in employment. The largest group usually worked 31 to 48 hours per week, representing 59.3% of employed residents. A further 21.1% usually worked 16 to 30 hours, 9.9% usually worked 49 or more hours, and 9.7% usually worked 15 hours or less.
| Usual working hours | Share of employed residents aged 16 and over |
|---|---|
| 31 to 48 hours per week | 59.3% |
| 16 to 30 hours per week | 21.1% |
| 49 or more hours per week | 9.9% |
| 15 hours or less per week | 9.7% |
The economic-activity and working-hours measures were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. They describe the Census 2021 measurement period and should therefore be read as a snapshot of that period, rather than as a timeless measure of Yorkshire’s labour market.