Rural South Area Committee Profile

People and community

There are 13,316 people living in Chester Rural South, 49.2% male and 50.8% female. The population of 16-74 year olds increases by 49% during the day, as a result of people travelling to work.

3,167 residents are over 60 and 782 pensioners live alone. The number of people over 60 is 1.1% higher than the average for Chester District and for pensioners living alone it is 0.9% lower than the District average.

2,490 residents are under 16. This is 0.2% higher than the average for Chester District.

12.6 % of Rural South’s households (512 households) have one or more children aged 0 to 4. This is 2.2% lower than the District average.

3.4% of Rural South’s households are lone parents with dependent children (189 lone parents). This is 1.8% lower than the average for Chester District.

Health

According to the Census 2001, 6.7 of Chester Rural South’s population describe themselves as not being in good health this is 1.7% lower than the average for Chester District.

1,992 residents have a limiting long term illness. This is 2.5% lower than the average for Chester District.

Community safety

In the financial year 2003/04 the burglary rate was 7.8 per 1000 households in Chester Rural South. The vehicle related crime rate was 7.6 per 1000 population and the violent crime rate in the same year was 5.1 per 1000 population.

Economic activity and well being

177 of Chester Rural South’s residents are unemployed and 6,721 are economically active District (as taken from the Census 2001). The level of unemployed residents is 1% lower than the average for Chester District.

9% of those aged 0-15 are affected by income deprivation. This is 8% lower than the average for Chester.

According to Census 2001, 23% of Rural South’s population aged between 16 and 74 have no qualifications (2,278 people).

Housing

73% of Rural South’s households are owner occupied (the same as the District average), 12.2% of households are privately rented (3.3% higher than District average) and 8.5% are socially rented (6% lower than the District average).