How life has changed in Kingston upon Thames: Census 2021

The population reached nearly 170,000

Between the last two censuses (held in 2011 and 2021), the population of Kingston upon Thames increased by 5.0%, from around 160,100 in 2011 to around 168,100 in 2021.

The population here increased by a smaller percentage than the overall population of London (7.7%), and by a smaller percentage than the overall population of England (up 6.6% since the 2011 Census).

In 2021, Kingston upon Thames was home to around 32.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land, compared with 30.7 in 2011. This area was among the top 15% most densely populated English local authority areas at the last census.

This article generally uses percentages to enable comparisons over time and between areas. The percentage point change is also used to show the difference between the 2011 and 2021 percentages.

Population growth was lower in Kingston upon Thames than across London

Percentage population change, Kingston upon Thames and surrounding areas, 2011 Census to Census 2021

An older Kingston upon Thames

Between the last two censuses, the average (median) age of Kingston upon Thames increased by three years, from 35 to 38 years of age.

This area had a higher average (median) age than London as a whole in 2021 (35 years) but a lower average (median) age than England (40 years).

The median age is the age of the person in the middle of the group, meaning that one half of the group is younger than that person and the other half is older.

The number of people aged 50 to 64 years rose by just under 4,600 (an increase of 18.0%), while the number of residents between 25 and 34 years fell by just over 2,400 (9.5% decrease).

The share of residents aged between 50 and 64 years increased by 2.0 percentage points between 2011 and 2021

Family in Kingston upon Thames

The percentage of households including a couple with dependent children increased in Kingston upon Thames, but fell across England.

In Kingston upon Thames, the percentage of households including a couple with dependent children rose from 22.3% in 2011 to 24.1% in 2021, while across England it fell from 19.3% to 18.9%. During the same period, the regional percentage increased from 17.8% to 18.8%.

The percentage of households including a couple without children in Kingston upon Thames fell from 16.9% to 15.8%, while the percentage of households including a couple with only non-dependent children increased from 6.0% to 6.8%.

The percentage of households including a couple with dependent children in Kingston upon Thames increased by 1.7 percentage points

Marriage and civil partnership in Kingston upon Thames

The percentage of people aged 16 years and over who were married (or in a civil partnership) increased here, but fell across England.

In Kingston upon Thames, the percentage that said they were married (or in a civil partnership) rose from 46.2% in 2011 to 47.1% in 2021, while across England it fell from 46.8% to 44.7%. During the same period, the regional percentage fell from 40.2% to 40.0%.

The percentage of adults who had never married or registered a civil partnership in Kingston upon Thames remained at 39.4%, while the percentage of adults who had divorced or dissolved a civil partnership increased from 6.9% to 7.2%.

These figures include same-sex marriages and opposite-sex civil partnerships in 2021, neither of which were legally recognised in England and Wales in 2011. Same-sex marriages have been legally recognised in England and Wales since 2014 and opposite-sex civil partnerships have been recognised since 2019.

The percentage of adults who were married or in a civil partnership in Kingston upon Thames increased by 0.8 percentage points

Disability in Kingston upon Thames

In 2021, 5.7% of Kingston upon Thames residents were identified as being disabled and limited a lot. This figure decreased from 6.8% in 2011. These are age-standardised proportions.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

In 2021, just under 1 in 11 people (8.7%) were identified as being disabled and limited a little, compared with 8.8% in 2011. The proportion of Kingston upon Thames residents who were not disabled increased from 84.5% to 85.6%.

This area had Greater London's joint third lowest proportion of residents who were identified as being disabled and limited a lot (alongside Bromley). Across the region, only City of London (3.9%) and Richmond upon Thames (4.8%) had a lower proportion of residents who were identified as being disabled and limited a lot.

Because of its small size, comparisons to City of London should be made with caution.

Census 2021 was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived their health status and activity limitations, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.

Caution should be taken when making comparisons between 2011 and 2021 because of changes in question wording and response options.

The percentage of people who were identified as being disabled and limited a lot in Kingston upon Thames decreased by 1.1 percentage points

Health in Kingston upon Thames

In 2021, 51.3% of Kingston upon Thames residents described their health as "very good", increasing from 48.3% in 2011. Those describing their health as "good" fell from 34.7% to 33.5%. These are age-standardised proportions.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

The proportion of Kingston upon Thames residents describing their health as "very bad" was 0.9% (similar to 2011), while those describing their health as "bad" fell from 3.5% to 3.0%.

These data reflect people’s own opinions in describing their overall health on a five point scale, from very good to very bad.

Census 2021 was conducted during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived and rated their health, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.

The percentage of people in very good health in Kingston upon Thames increased by 3.0 percentage points

Rise in private renting

Of Kingston upon Thames households, 27.3% rented privately in 2021, up from 22.5% in 2011.

In 2021, just under one in nine households (11.0%) lived in socially rented housing, compared with 11.8% in 2011. The percentage of Kingston upon Thames households that owned their home (outright or with a mortgage or loan) decreased from 64.1% to 60.9%.

The increase in the percentage of privately-rented homes in Kingston upon Thames (4.8 percentage points) was similar to the increase across London (4.9 percentage points, from 25.1% to 30.0%). Across England, the percentage increased by 3.6 percentage points, from 16.8% to 20.5%.

Private renting in Kingston upon Thames increased by 4.8 percentage points

Unpaid care in Kingston upon Thames

In 2021, 4.2% of Kingston upon Thames residents (aged five years and over) reported providing up to 19 hours of unpaid care each week. This figure decreased from 6.9% in 2011. These are age-standardised proportions.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout this section. They enable comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure.

In 2021, 1.5% of residents (aged five years and over) reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.2% in 2011. The proportion of Kingston upon Thames residents (aged five years and over) that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.8% to 2.0%.

The decrease in the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care in Kingston upon Thames (2.7 percentage points) was similar to the decrease across London (2.6 percentage points, from 6.4% to 3.8%). Across England, the proportion fell by 2.8 percentage points, from 7.2% to 4.4%.

Census 2021 was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived and managed their provision of unpaid care, and therefore may have affected how people chose to respond.

Caution should be taken when making comparisons between 2011 and 2021 because of changes in question wording and response options.

The percentage of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care in Kingston upon Thames decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Ethnic groups in Kingston upon Thames

In 2021, 5.7% of Kingston upon Thames residents identified their ethnic group within the "Other" category ("Arab" or "Any other ethnic group"), up from 2.7% in 2011. The 2.9 percentage-point change was the largest increase among high-level ethnic groups in this area.

Across London, the percentage of people from the "Other ethnic groups" ("Arab" or "Any other ethnic group") increased from 3.4% to 6.3%, while across England the percentage increased from 1.0% to 2.2%.

In 2021, 68.3% of people in Kingston upon Thames identified their ethnic group within the "White" category (compared with 74.5% in 2011), while 17.8% identified their ethnic group within the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" category (compared with 16.3% the previous decade).

The percentage of people who identified their ethnic group within the "Mixed or Multiple" category increased from 3.9% in 2011 to 5.4% in 2021.

There are many factors that may be contributing to the changing ethnic composition of England and Wales, such as differing patterns of ageing, fertility, mortality, and migration. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals chose to self-identify between censuses.

In 2021, 5.7% of usual residents in Kingston upon Thames identified their ethnic group within the "Other" category ("Arab" or "Any other ethnic group")

Religion in Kingston upon Thames

In 2021, 34.3% of Kingston upon Thames residents reported having "No religion", up from 25.7% in 2011. The rise of 8.6 percentage points was the largest increase of all broad religious groups in Kingston upon Thames. Because the census question about religious affiliation is voluntary and has varying response rates, caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.

Across London, the percentage of residents who described themselves as having "No religion" increased from 21.0% to 27.1%, while across England the percentage increased from 24.8% to 36.7%.

In 2021, 42.6% of people in Kingston upon Thames described themselves as Christian (down from 52.9%), while 8.0% described themselves as Muslim (up from 5.9% the decade before).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as a changing age structure or residents relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals chose to self-identify between censuses. Religious affiliation is the religion with which someone connects or identifies, rather than their beliefs or religious practice.

In 2021, 34.3% of usual residents in Kingston upon Thames reported having "No religion"

Kingston upon Thames residents' country of birth

In the latest census, around 107,400 Kingston upon Thames residents said they were born in England. This represented 63.9% of the local population. The figure has decreased from just over 110,100 in 2011, which at the time represented 68.8% of Kingston upon Thames' population.

India was the next most represented, with around 3,700 Kingston upon Thames residents reporting this country of birth (2.2%). This figure was up from just over 2,800 in 2011, which at the time represented 1.8% of the population of Kingston upon Thames.

The number of Kingston upon Thames residents born in countries that joined the EU between April 2001 and March 2011 (other than Poland, Croatia, Lithuania and Romania) rose from around 2,100 in 2011 (1.3% of the local population) to just under 3,500 in 2021 (2.1%).

In 2021, 63.9% of Kingston upon Thames residents reported their country of birth as England

National identity in Kingston upon Thames

Of Kingston upon Thames residents, 17.8% did not identify with any national identity associated with the UK in 2021, up from 17.1% in 2011.

In 2021, just under 1 in 20 people (4.6%) identified with a UK and non-UK national identity, compared with 2.3% in 2011. The percentage of residents in Kingston upon Thames that identified as "British only" increased from 25.2% to 55.9%.

The percentage of people who did not identify with any national identity associated with the UK was 22.5% (similar to 2011) across London. Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 10.0%.

In Census 2021, “British” was moved to the top response option and this may have influenced how people described their national identity. For further information, please see our quality report.

The percentage of people who did not identify with at least one UK national identity in Kingston upon Thames increased by 0.7 percentage points

Change in employment

Of Kingston upon Thames residents aged 16 years and over, 60.0% said they were employed (excluding full-time students) in 2021, up from 59.8% in 2011.

The percentage who said they were unemployed remained at 3.0%, while the percentage of retired Kingston upon Thames residents increased from 15.7% to 16.1%.

The increase in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over (excluding full-time students) who were employed was greater across London (0.8 percentage points, from 58.6% to 59.4%) than in Kingston upon Thames (0.3 percentage points). Across England, the percentage fell by 0.8 percentage points, from 56.5% to 55.7%.

Census 2021 took place during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a period of rapid and unparalleled change; the national lockdown, associated guidance and furlough measures will have affected the labour market and our ability to measure it.

The percentage of people aged 16 years and over who were employed (excluding full-time students) in Kingston upon Thames increased by 0.3 percentage points

Change in work hours

In 2021, 11.0% of Kingston upon Thames residents aged 16 years and over and in employment said they worked 15 hours or less per week. This figure increased from 10.4% in 2011.

In 2021, just over one in eight people (12.7%) said they worked over 49 hours per week, compared with 15.4% in 2011. The percentage of adults in employment working 31 to 48 hours per week increased from 57.4% to 59.2%.

The increase in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over and in employment who said they usually worked 15 hours or less per week was greater across London (1.9 percentage points, from 8.8% to 10.7%) than in Kingston upon Thames (0.6 percentage points). Across England, the percentage increased by 0.6 percentage points, from 9.7% to 10.3%.

Working hours may have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The percentage of adults who worked 15 hours or less in Kingston upon Thames increased by 0.6 percentage points

About the data

Census data are adjusted to reflect estimated non-response so that the published results relate to the entire usually resident population as it was on Census Day (21 March 2021).

Those respondents who were on furlough because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were asked to classify themselves as "temporarily away from work" to ensure they remained in the economically active population.

Students are counted as usually resident at their term-time address even if they were not physically present there on Census Day.

The questions relating to disability differed slightly between 2011 and 2021 to ensure that data were more closely aligned with the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010). There was also a change to question wording for unpaid care, for more information read the health, disability and unpaid care quality information.

Age-standardised proportions are used throughout the health, disability and unpaid care sections. They allow for fairer comparisons between populations over time and across geographies, as they account for differences in the population size and age structure. The 2013 European Standard Population is used to standardise proportions.

Percentages and percentage point changes have been individually rounded to one decimal place. This means they may not sum exactly.

Tell us what you think about this publication by answering a few questions.

Download the data used in this article

About these articles

There is an article like this for every local authority district in England and Wales. The articles have been written and semi-automated by our data journalists and are a new publishing format for the Office for National Statistics.

Topics are chosen and ordered automatically based on how relevant they are for each area, however all data are checked before publishing.

We have not included topics that were new for Census 2021 or where there is no comparability with the 2011 Census. Read about how we developed and tested the questions for Census 2021.

These articles were first published on 8 December 2022 covering topics such as demography, country of birth, ethnic groups, religion, national identity and economic activity status. They were updated on 19 January 2023 following the release of more data from Census 2021 and now include housing tenure, general health, disability and unpaid care.

Related links

Contact

Telephone: +44 1329 44 4972

↑ Back to the top