Socio-economic statistics for Boston Spa, Leeds

Is Boston Spa in Leeds a nice place to live or is it a bit rough? We have collated a series of socio-economic statistics and demographics 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 Boston Spa older than the national average or younger? What is the population of Boston Spa and Leeds? What is the claimant count in Boston Spa and how many residents are unemployed? This page should provide you with the answers.

Boston Spa 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 Leeds.

Area	Unemployed	Yearly Change
Leeds	4.5%	-0.2%
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 Boston Spa 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 Boston Spa.

Economic Status	Proportion
In Employment	50.23%
In Part-Time Work	27.53%
Unemployed	3.03%

Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)

72.47% of the people in work, are in full-time employment in Boston Spa

Boston Spa Education Statistics

We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census to found of the level of education Boston Spa 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 Boston Spa to the national average for England.

Level	Wetherby	England
No Qualifications	15.42%	18.08%
Level 1	8.28%	9.69%
Level 2	13.11%	13.32%
Apprenticeship	5.19%	5.32%
Level 3	14.73%	16.92%
Level 4	40.95%	33.92%

Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)

What are the occupations of the residents of Boston Spa?

The largest employment sector in Boston Spa is Professional Occupations. The smallest employment sector is Process Plant & Machine Operatives.

Sector	Proportion
Professional Occupations	24.91%
Managers, Directors & Senior Officials	19.46%
Associate Professional & Technical	14.38%
Administrative & Secretarial	9.75%
Skilled Trades	8.05%
Elementary Occupations	7.45%
Caring, leisure & Other Services	6.63%
Process Plant & Machine Operatives	4.03%

Source: Office for National Statistics (30 June 2020)

Boston Spa Health Statistics

Wetherby has more residents (very_good_pc-$country_health->very_good_pc, 2)%) describing their health as very good than the national average for England.

Area	VG	G	F	B	VB
Wetherby	50.06%	33.12%	12.25%	3.4%	1.17%
Leeds	49.52%	33.29%	12.18%	3.89%	1.12%
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

Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)

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

Leeds residents who describe their health as either good or very good has increased by 0.93% between the 2011 and 2021 census.

Year	VG	G	F	B	VB
2011	48.08%	33.8%	12.71%	4.19%	1.22%
2021	49.52%	33.29%	12.18%	3.89%	1.12%

VG = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, B = Bad & VB = Very Bad

Source: Census 2011/2021 (Nomis/ONS)

Boston Spa Age Distribution Statistics

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

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)

Boston Spa & Leeds 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 Boston Spa in the Leeds local area district.

Boston Spa has a lower rate of immigrants than Leeds, the Yorkshire and The Humber region and England as a whole.

Area	Born in UK	Born outside UK
Wetherby	95.6%	4.4%
Leeds	84.2%	15.8%
Yorkshire and The Humber	88.65%	11.35%
England	82.65%	17.35%

Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)

Boston Spa compared to other wards in Leeds

#	Ward	Born in UK	Born outside UK
1	Gipton & Harehills	57.41%	42.59%
2	Little London & Woodhouse	61.02%	38.98%
3	Hunslet & Riverside	63.66%	36.34%
4	Burmantofts & Richmond Hill	66.82%	33.18%
5	Beeston & Holbeck	70.43%	29.57%
6	Chapel Allerton	74.34%	25.66%
7	Armley	76.64%	23.36%
8	Alwoodley	79.64%	20.36%
9	Roundhay	81.68%	18.32%
10	Moortown	81.7%	18.3%
11	Headingley & Hyde Park	82.34%	17.66%
12	Kirkstall	82.7%	17.3%
13	Middleton Park	84.6%	15.4%
14	Weetwood	84.89%	15.11%
15	Killingbeck & Seacroft	85.61%	14.39%
16	Adel & Wharfedale	88.54%	11.46%
17	Farnley & Wortley	89.23%	10.77%
18	Calverley & Farsley	90.36%	9.64%
19	Bramley & Stanningley	91.14%	8.86%
20	Morley South	91.7%	8.3%
21	Horsforth	92.14%	7.86%
22	Cross Gates & Whinmoor	92.52%	7.48%
23	Pudsey	93.03%	6.97%
24	Morley North	93.67%	6.33%
25	Harewood	94.45%	5.55%
26	Ardsley & Robin Hood	95.01%	4.99%
27	Rothwell	95.02%	4.98%
28	Guiseley & Rawdon	95.22%	4.78%
29	Wetherby	95.6%	4.4%
30	Otley & Yeadon	95.77%	4.23%
31	Kippax & Methley	96.53%	3.47%

';Boston Spa is ranked 29 out of 31 wards in Leeds for the number of residents born outside of the UK.

Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)

How many residents own or rent their home in Boston Spa and Leeds

We have taken the raw data from the 2021 census and calculated what proportion of people in Boston Spa either own or rent their home. All percentages have been rounded to two decimal places. 76.13 of residents own their home either outright or mortgaged. 23.87 of Boston Spa residents rent their home either privately or through a social landlord.

Area	Owned	Rented
Wetherby	76.13%	23.87%
Leeds	56.98%	43.02%
Yorkshire and The Humber	62.58%	37.42%
England	61.31%	38.69%

Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)

Boston Spa has a significantly higher level of home ownership than the national average. This is indicative or an economically wealthy area.

Boston Spa compared to other wards in Leeds

#	Ward	Owned	Rented
1	Harewood (Leeds)	84.78%	15.22%
2	Adel & Wharfedale	79.67%	20.33%
3	Guiseley & Rawdon	77.6%	22.4%
4	Wetherby	76.13%	23.87%
5	Ardsley & Robin Hood	74.64%	25.36%
6	Kippax & Methley	74.26%	25.74%
7	Horsforth	73.76%	26.24%
8	Calverley & Farsley	73.37%	26.63%
9	Morley North	73.35%	26.65%
10	Roundhay	71.72%	28.28%
11	Alwoodley	71.51%	28.49%
12	Rothwell	70.87%	29.13%
13	Otley & Yeadon	68.24%	31.76%
14	Moortown	68.23%	31.77%
15	Cross Gates & Whinmoor	66.33%	33.67%
16	Pudsey	65.73%	34.27%
17	Morley South	62.52%	37.48%
18	Weetwood	60.47%	39.53%
19	Farnley & Wortley	60.13%	39.87%
20	Bramley & Stanningley	51.56%	48.44%
21	Middleton Park	47.75%	52.25%
22	Chapel Allerton	47.12%	52.88%
23	Killingbeck & Seacroft	43.75%	56.25%
24	Kirkstall	39.77%	60.23%
25	Armley	38.53%	61.47%
26	Beeston & Holbeck	38.25%	61.75%
27	Gipton & Harehills	31.91%	68.09%
28	Burmantofts & Richmond Hill	26.01%	73.99%
29	Hunslet & Riverside	25.76%	74.24%
30	Headingley & Hyde Park	16.78%	83.22%
31	Little London & Woodhouse	12.88%	87.12%

Boston Spa is ranked 4 out of 31 wards in Leeds for the percentage of home owners.

Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)

What is the population of Boston Spa and Leeds?

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

Ward	Population
Adel & Wharfedale	19605
Alwoodley	22944
Ardsley & Robin Hood	22699
Armley	25313
Beeston & Holbeck	26957
Bramley & Stanningley	22613
Burmantofts & Richmond Hill	28766
Calverley & Farsley	23248
Chapel Allerton	24471
Cross Gates & Whinmoor	23327
Farnley & Wortley	24329
Garforth & Swillington	20202
Gipton & Harehills	33645
Guiseley & Rawdon	22697
Harewood	18182
Headingley & Hyde Park	32459
Horsforth	22447
Hunslet & Riverside	28727
Killingbeck & Seacroft	24901
Kippax & Methley	21222
Kirkstall	22223
Little London & Woodhouse	37849
Middleton Park	28811
Moortown	22471
Morley North	22482
Morley South	22574
Otley & Yeadon	22064
Pudsey	24747
Rothwell	20250
Roundhay	23259
Temple Newsam	21193
Weetwood	21542
Wetherby	20567
Leeds Total	798786

Source: Census 2021 (Nomis/ONS)

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

Top 20 most depressing towns in Britain 2024