Census 2001 - West Midlands and its people
Growing slowly and most children

West Midlands comprises the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, along with the metropolitan county and the unitary authorities of Herefordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Telford and Wrekin. There are 34 local authority districts in total

 Population      Marital status and types of household      Ethnicity    
 Country of birth      Religion      Health      Economic activity      Occupation    
 Method of travel to work      Qualifications      Housing and households      Background Notes

The West Midlands region is one of the slowest growing regions in the country in terms of population but has the largest proportion of children and the highest average household size.

Some of the main points from the census show:

• The population increased by 0.7 per cent - 38,000 people - between 1991 and 2001. Of the English regions with population increase, only Yorkshire and the Humber had a slower rate of growth.
• It has the highest proportion (20.8 per cent) among the English regions of under-16s.
• It has the highest proportion in England of households with dependent children - 30.7 per cent compared with 29.5 per cent for England as a whole.
• It has the lowest proportion outside London of people identifying themselves as White (88.8 per cent).
• About one in nine people provide unpaid care in the West Midlands compared with about one in ten for England as a whole.
• It has the lowest proportion of people working in associate professional and technical occupations (engineering technicians, nurses, artists).
• It has a lower proportion of people than the rest of England travelling to work by public transport and a higher proportion by motor vehicle.
• Just over a third of the population aged 16-74 has no qualifications.
• The West Midlands has more whole houses and bungalows than the national average and fewer flats, maisonettes and apartments.
• Among English regions, the West Midlands has the highest average household size, 2.41 people compared with 2.36 for England as a whole.

Population

The population of the West Midlands was 5,267,000 at Census Day, April 2001, 10.7 per cent of the population of England. The age structure for people living in the West Midlands is fairly typical of England as a whole. The West Midlands has fewer people in the 30-44 age group, 21.9 per cent compared with 22.6 per cent in England, but more in the 10-14 age group, 6.9 per cent compared with 6.6 per cent in England.

Marital status and types of household

The West Midlands has an above average proportion of adults who are married. It also has the highest proportion of households with dependent children, 30.7 per cent compared with 29.5 per cent for England. Tamworth, with 35.4 per cent, is the third highest local authority in England.

Ethnicity

The West Midlands, with the exception of London, has the lowest proportion of people identifying themselves as White - 88.8 per cent compared with 90.9 per cent for England as a whole.

The West Midlands has above average proportions of White Irish, Mixed White and Black Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black Caribbean people.

Indian people form 3.4 per cent of the population of the West Midlands, including 8 per cent or more in Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Coventry. Pakistani people form 2.9 per cent of the region's population, with the majority living in Birmingham.

Since 1991, the proportion of the population identified as White has fallen from 91.8 per cent to 88.8 per cent. The Asian or Asian British group has increased from 5.6 per cent to 7.3 per cent. The new "Mixed" group formed 1.4 per cent of the 2001 population.

Country of birth

The proportion of the West Midlands population born in England was 89.1 per cent, higher than for England as a whole (87.4 per cent), but lower than for any region except for London and the South East.

Religion

The proportion of people who state that their religion is Christian is higher in the West Midlands (72.6 per cent) than for England (71.7 per cent). After Christian, the most common religion in the West Midlands is Muslim with 4.1 per cent of the population.

The West Midlands had a higher proportion of Sikhs than any other region (2 per cent compared with 0.7 per cent for England) and the lowest proportion of Jewish people of any other region (0.1 per cent compared with 0.5 per cent for England).

Health

The West Midlands has a slightly lower proportion of people in good health than the average for England as a whole (67.2 per cent compared with 68.8 per cent for England), and a slightly higher proportion with a long-term illness than England as a whole (18.9 per cent compared with 17.9 per cent).

Economic Activity

The West Midlands has a lower proportion of economically active people than England as a whole, with 65.9 per cent compared with 66.9 per cent nationally.

The proportion of people aged 16-74 who were unemployed is higher than for England as a whole (3.8 per cent compared with 3.3 per cent for England).

Occupation

The West Midlands has the highest proportion of people working in the manufacturing industry: 20.8 per cent of people aged 16-74 in employment compared with the average for England of 14.8 per cent.

The West Midlands has the lowest proportion of people working in associate professional and technical occupations (for example, engineering technicians, nurses, artists), the second highest proportion working in skilled trades (gardeners, electricians cooks) and as process, plant and machine operatives (quarry workers, bus drivers).

It also has the second lowest proportion of people working in personal service occupations (nursery nurses, barbers).

Method of travel to work

The West Midlands has a lower proportion of people than England as a whole travelling to work by public transport (10.5 per cent compared with 14.9 per cent) and a higher proportion travelling to work by private motor vehicle (68.5 per cent compared with 62.7 per cent).

Qualifications

The West Midlands has an above average proportion of people aged 16-74 with no qualifications (33.9 per cent) and is the second lowest region for both level 3 (2 A-levels or equivalent) at 7.4 per cent, and level 4/5 (degree, professional qualification or equivalent), at 16.2 per cent.

Sandwell district has the highest proportion in England of people aged 16-74 with no qualifications (45.6 per cent). Stoke-on-Trent unitary authority (42.9 per cent) and Walsall (42.7 per cent) are also in the top ten for no qualifications.

Housing and households

In the West Midlands, 69 per cent of households are owner occupiers, ranging from 60 per cent in Birmingham, Sandwell and Wolverhampton to 83 per cent in Staffordshire Moorlands and Bromsgrove.

The West Midlands has an above average proportion of social renting (council, housing associations). Thirty per cent of households rent from a social landlord in Sandwell and 29 per cent in Wolverhampton.

Ten per cent of households in the West Midlands rent from a private landlord, the second lowest proportion among English regions. The highest rates of private renting in the region are in South Shropshire (16 per cent) and Bridgnorth (15 per cent).

The West Midlands has the highest average household size of the English regions - 2.41 compared with 2.36 for England as a whole.

There is a wide variation in car ownership across the region. Only 13 per cent of households do not have the use of a car in Bromsgrove compared with 37 per cent in Sandwell and 38 per cent in Birmingham.

Background Notes

1. Census day was 29 April 2001. Census data give a snapshot picture of the country at this time. Population counts by age and sex for England and Wales, Wales, regions of England and English and Welsh local authorities were published on 30 September 2002.

2. The Office for National Statistics is responsible for the census in England and Wales. The Census in Scotland and in Northern Ireland is carried out by the General Register Office for Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency respectively. Census data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are released separately.

3. Detailed Census results published today are mainly for England and Wales and its regions and local authorities. Individual press releases are available for Wales and each of the nine English Government Office Regions: North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East Midlands, South West, South East, London and the East. Press releases covering six key Census topic areas are also issued today: Ethnicity and religion, Families, Health, Households, People and places, Work. Census data published today are available free on the National Statistics website: www.statistics.gov.uk/census/

4. Further releases of Census data will take place through Spring and Summer 2003. In March/April there will be cross-tabulated data, followed by data down to small area/ward level. In the summer will begin a series of multi-source topic reports which draw upon other sources in addition to census to provide detailed pictures of specific topics and areas.

5. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available from the press office.

6. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference. © Crown copyright 2003.