Derbyshire Observatory – 2021 Census Results

First Release

The first set of census data was released on 28 June 2022. This included population data by gender, five-year age band and household estimates at local authority level and above. The key findings for Derbyshire were as follows:

On census day, 21 March 2021, Derbyshire’s population was 794,600, an increase of 24,900 since the last Census in 2011. The rate of population growth for Derbyshire was 3.2%, much lower than the growth for England (6.6%).
Most Derbyshire districts have experienced a growth in population over the last ten years, with the exception of Chesterfield that is one of eighteen local authorities across England to have experienced a decline in population since 2011, albeit a very small decline of 0.2% (the equivalent of 200 people).
South Derbyshire has seen the largest growth in population with an increase of 12,600 people since 2011. This equates to a 13.3% increase and ranks as the 25^th (/309) fastest growing local authority across England. This places an increased demand on the supply of local services in the south of the county, including schools, transport, and healthcare.
There were 404,800 women (50.9% of the overall population) and 389,800 men (49.1%) in Derbyshire.
Children aged 0-14 represent 15.9% of Derbyshire’s population, lower than the England average of (17.4%) and a 0.6% (800) decline in the age group since 2011.
The number of 15-24 year olds has declined by 12.5% since the last census, higher than the England decline of 4.4% and highlighting potential additional challenges to the local labour market in terms of the supply of labour and ongoing skills shortages.
The number of people aged 65+ in the county has grown by 22.8% (32,600) since 2011, now representing 22.1% of Derbyshire’s population and remaining well above the England average of 18.4%. The ongoing increase in the number of older people in the county will continue to have significant implications for older people’s services in Derbyshire.
2021 Census figures show there were 354,200 households in Derbyshire. This represents an increase of 6.5% since 2011, higher than the England increase of 6.2%.

Further analysis for Derbyshire and districts can be found in the infographics and links below: