How life has changed in Denbighshire: Census 2021

The population reached nearly 96,000

Between the last two censuses (held in 2011 and 2021), the population of Denbighshire increased by 2.2%, from just over 93,700 in 2011 to around 95,800 in 2021.

This means Denbighshire's population increased by a greater percentage than the overall population of Wales. The population of Wales increased by 1.4%, from 3,063,000 to 3,107,000.

In 2021, Denbighshire was home to around 0.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This area was the eighth-least densely populated out of all 22 local authority areas across Wales.

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 higher in Denbighshire than across Wales

Percentage population change, Denbighshire and surrounding areas, 2011 Census to Census 2021

An older Denbighshire

Between the last two censuses, the average (median) age of Denbighshire increased by three years, from 44 to 47 years of age.

This area had a lower average (median) age than nearby Conwy (49 years) and a higher average (median) age than Wales as a whole (42 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 65 to 74 years rose by just over 2,100 (an increase of 19.9%), while the number of residents between 35 and 49 years fell by just over 3,100 (16.7% decrease).

The share of residents aged between 65 and 74 years increased by 1.9 percentage points between 2011 and 2021

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The percentage of Welsh speakers in Denbighshire fell from 24.6% in 2011 to 22.5% in 2021.

This was the joint second-largest decline (alongside Pembrokeshire and Powys) in the percentage of Welsh speakers of any local authority area in the country (the largest decline was in Carmarthenshire). Of the few areas where knowledge of the Welsh language increased, Cardiff saw the largest change (from 11.1% to 12.2%).

In 2021, there were just under 1,300 fewer Welsh-speaking Denbighshire residents (over the age of three years) compared with 2011. The number of people who did not speak Welsh increased by 3,800.

In nearby Conwy, 25.9% of people over the age of three years could speak Welsh, down from 27.4% at the 2011 Census. Across Wales, the percentage of Welsh speakers fell from 19.0% to 17.8%.

The percentage of people who could speak Welsh in Denbighshire decreased by 2.1 percentage points

National identity in Denbighshire

Denbighshire saw Wales' second-largest percentage-point rise in the proportion of people who identified as "Welsh only" (from 44.1% in 2011 to 44.7% in 2021).

Wales' largest increase in the percentage of people who identified as "Welsh only" occurred in Isle of Anglesey (from 54.7% to 55.6%).

During this period, Denbighshire remained the fifth-lowest for the share of people who identified as "Welsh only" (out of all 22 Welsh local authority areas). During this period, Denbighshire went from having the fifth-lowest to the fifth-lowest percentage of people who identified as "Welsh only" (out of all 22 Welsh local authority areas).

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 identified as "Welsh only" in Denbighshire increased by 0.6 percentage points

Denbighshire residents' country of birth

In the latest census, around 56,400 Denbighshire residents said they were born in Wales. This represented 58.8% of the local population. The figure has risen from just under 54,500 in 2011, which at the time represented 58.1% of Denbighshire's population.

England was the next most represented, with just over 33,700 Denbighshire residents reporting this country of birth (35.2%). This figure was down from just over 34,000 in 2011, which at the time represented 36.3% of the population of Denbighshire.

The number of Denbighshire residents born in Scotland fell from around 1,000 in 2011 (1.1% of the local population) to just over 850 in 2021 (0.9%).

In 2021, 58.8% of Denbighshire residents reported their country of birth as Wales

Rise in private renting

Denbighshire saw Wales' largest percentage-point rise in the proportion of privately-rented homes (from 15.9% in 2011 to 20.0% in 2021).

Rhondda Cynon Taf saw the country's next largest increase in the percentage of privately-rented homes (from 13.7% in 2011 to 17.6% in 2021).

Every local authority area across Wales saw a rise in the percentage of privately-rented homes, as the percentage across Wales grew from 14.1% to 17.0%.

Private renting in Denbighshire increased by 4.1 percentage points

Fewer couples without children

Denbighshire saw Wales' largest percentage-point fall in the proportion of households including a couple but no children (from 17.6% in 2011 to 16.0% in 2021).

Monmouthshire saw the country's next largest decrease in the percentage of households including a couple but no children (from 20.0% in 2011 to 18.4% in 2021).

In 2021, Denbighshire was ranked 17th-highest out of the 22 Welsh local authority areas for the percentage of households including a couple without children. In 2011, it was ranked 11th-highest.

The percentage of households including a couple without children in Denbighshire decreased by 1.7 percentage points

Disability in Denbighshire

Denbighshire saw Wales' largest percentage-point rise in the proportion of residents who were identified as disabled and limited a little (from 10.9% in 2011 to 11.7% in 2021). 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.

Ceredigion saw the country's next largest increase in the proportion of residents who were identified as disabled and limited a little (from 10.9% in 2011 to 11.5% in 2021).

During this period, Denbighshire overtook seven local authority areas, including Carmarthenshire and Swansea, to become the Welsh local authority area with the fourth-highest proportion of people who were identified as disabled and limited a little.

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 little in Denbighshire increased by 0.8 percentage points

More people looking after their family or home

Denbighshire saw Wales' third-largest percentage-point rise in the proportion of people who were economically inactive because they were looking after their family or home (from 3.1% in 2011 to 4.2% in 2021).

Wales' largest increases in the percentage of people who were economically inactive because they were looking after their family or home occurred in Blaenau Gwent (from 4.1% to 5.3%) and Merthyr Tydfil (from 3.5% to 4.7%).

Every local authority area across Wales saw a rise in the percentage of people who were economically inactive because they were looking after their family or home, as the percentage across Wales grew from 3.5% to 4.3%.

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 looking after their family or home (economically inactive) in Denbighshire increased by 1.1 percentage points

Working hours in Denbighshire

In 2021, 9.0% of Denbighshire residents aged 16 years and over and in employment said they worked 15 hours or less per week. This figure was the same in 2011.

In 2021, Denbighshire was ranked 11th-highest out of the 22 Welsh local authority areas for the percentage of adults in employment working 15 hours or less. In 2011, it was ranked 12th-lowest.

The percentage of people aged 16 years and over and in employment who said they usually worked 15 hours or less per week increased from 9.5% to 9.9% in nearby Conwy. Across Wales, the percentage fell from 9.3% to 9.0%.

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

In 2021, 9.0% of usual residents aged 16 years and over and in employment said they worked 15 hours or less per week in Denbighshire

Unpaid care in Denbighshire

In 2021, 4.6% of Denbighshire residents (aged five years and over) reported providing up to 19 hours of unpaid care each week. This figure decreased from 7.2% 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, Denbighshire was ranked 11th-highest out of the 22 Welsh local authority areas for the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care. In 2011, it was ranked 16th-lowest.

The decrease in the proportion of people (aged five years and over) providing up to 19 hours of weekly unpaid care in Denbighshire (2.6 percentage points) was similar to the decrease in nearby Conwy (2.4 percentage points). In nearby Conwy, the proportion fell from 7.0% in 2011 to 4.6% in 2021, while across Wales, the proportion fell from 7.4% to 4.7%.

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 Denbighshire decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Religion in Denbighshire

In 2021, 42.1% of Denbighshire residents reported having "No religion", up from 26.8% in 2011. The rise of 15.2 percentage points was the largest increase of all broad religious groups in Denbighshire. 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 Wales, the percentage of residents who described themselves as having "No religion" increased from 32.1% to 46.5%.

In 2021, 49.3% of people in Denbighshire described themselves as Christian (down from 64.1%), while 6.7% did not state their religion (down from 7.7% 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, 42.1% of usual residents in Denbighshire reported having "No religion"

Health in Denbighshire

In 2021, 47.0% of Denbighshire residents described their health as "very good", decreasing from 47.3% in 2011. Those describing their health as "good" rose from 31.5% to 32.4%. 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 Denbighshire residents describing their health as "very bad" was 1.6% (similar to 2011), while those describing their health as "bad" fell from 5.5% to 4.9%.

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 Denbighshire decreased by 0.3 percentage points

More adults never married or in a civil partnership

Of Denbighshire residents aged 16 years and over, 34.3% said they had never been married or in a civil partnership in 2021, up from 30.5% in 2011.

In 2021, just over 4 in 10 people (44.5%) said they were married or in a registered civil partnership, compared with 48.3% in 2011. The percentage of adults in Denbighshire that had divorced or dissolved a civil partnership increased from 10.5% to 10.9%.

The increase in the percentage of people aged 16 years and over who had never been married or in a civil partnership in Denbighshire (3.9 percentage points) was similar to the increase in nearby Conwy (3.6 percentage points). In nearby Conwy, the percentage increased from 28.9% in 2011 to 32.5% in 2021, while across Wales, the percentage increased from 33.5% to 37.2%.

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 had never married or registered a civil partnership in Denbighshire increased by 3.9 percentage points

Ethnic groups in Denbighshire

In 2021, 1.1% of Denbighshire residents identified their ethnic group within the "Mixed or Multiple" category, up from 0.8% in 2011. The 0.3 percentage-point change was the largest increase among high-level ethnic groups in this area.

Across Wales, the percentage of people from "Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups" increased from 1.0% to 1.6%.

In 2021, 96.5% of people in Denbighshire identified their ethnic group within the "White" category (compared with 97.4% in 2011), while 1.7% identified their ethnic group within the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh" category (compared with 1.5% the previous decade).

The percentage of people who identified their ethnic group within the "Other" category ("Arab" or "Any other ethnic group") increased from 0.1% in 2011 to 0.4% 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, 1.1% of usual residents in Denbighshire identified their ethnic group within the "Mixed or Multiple" category

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.

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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.

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