Handbridge and St Mary's Ward Profile

People and community

There are 4,223 people living in Handbridge & St. Mary's, 47.2% male and 52.8% female. The population of 16-74 year olds decreases by 13.4% during the day, as a result of people travelling to work.

Older people

1,237 residents are over 60 and 373 pensioners live alone. The number of people over 60 is 6.6% higher than the average for Chester District and for pensioners living alone it is 3.2% higher than the District average.

Younger people

582 residents are under 16. This is 4.7% lower than the average for Chester District.

Young families and lone parents

11.8% of Handbridge & St. Mary's households (144 households) have one or more children aged 0 to 4. This is 3% lower than the District average.
4% of Handbridge & St. Mary's households are lone parents with dependent children (81 lone parents). This is 1.2% lower than the average for Chester District.

Ethnicity

The ethnicity of the population in Handbridge & St. Mary's is displayed in the table below and illustrates whether this is above or below average for the District.

 

 

Ethnic Group	% of Handbridge and St Mary's Population	Difference between Handbridge and St Mary's and District average
White	97%	1% lower
Mixed	0.7%	0.1% higher
Asian or Asian British	1.6%	0.9% higher
Black or Black British	0.1%	Same
Chinese or other Ethnic Group	0.6%	0.1% higher

 

 

Health

According to the Census 2001, 8.4% of Handbridge & St. Mary's population describe themselves as not being in good health (356 people) this is the same as the average for Chester District.

762 residents have a limiting long term illness (18%). This is 0.5% higher than the average for Chester District. 6.7% of those that are economically active have a limiting long term illness.

Community safety

In the financial year 2003/04 the burglary rate was 21.2 per 1000 households in Handbridge & St. Mary's. This is 5 per 1000 households higher than the District average. The vehicle related crime rate was 15.4 per 1000 population and the violent crime rate in the same year was 7.6 per 1000 population. These are 0.5 per 1000 population higher and 9.5 per 1000 population lower than the District averages respectively.

Economic activity and well being

3.7% of Handbridge & St. Mary's economically active residents are unemployed (74 people) and 63.3% are economically active (as taken from the Census 2001). The level of unemployed residents is 0.1% higher than the average for Chester District.

15% of those aged 0-15 are affected by income deprivation (90 children). This is 2% lower than the average for Chester District.

8% of those over 60 are affected by income deprivation (99 older people). This is 4% lower than the District average.

Education and lifelong learning

According to the Census 2001, 22.1% of Handbridge & St. Mary's population aged between 16 and 74 have no qualifications (703 people).

Housing

73.7% of Handbridge & St. Mary's households (1,498 households) are owner occupied (0.7% higher than District average), 12.6% of households (257 households) are privately rented (3.7% higher than District average) and 9.9% are socially rented (202 households, 4.6% lower than the District average).

Transport and access

25.2% of Handbridge & St. Mary’s households do not have a car (512 households). This is 3.1% higher than the average for Chester District.
19.6% of the resident population of Handbridge & St. Mary's aged 16-74 in employment travel over 20 km to work (380 persons). This is 2.5% higher than the District average.

English Indices of Deprivation

Handbridge and St Marys has an area affected by environment deprivation. No areas affected by income, employment, health, education, barriers to housing and services or crime deprivation. Nor is it affected by the 'Index of Multiple Deprivation'.