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Postcode area · Bolton

Affluence in BL

How BL ranks on deprivation and income, and the work and qualifications behind it.

Council
Bolton
Region
North West
Population
442,473 (2024)
Deprivation

How well off BL is

On the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, BL scores 4.7 out of 10, placing it close to the middle of the range for England. Scores are ranked within England only, so they can’t be compared across UK nations.

Overall score
4.7/ 10
Most deprivedLeast deprived
Its 257 neighbourhoods, from 1 to 10
12345678910
Most deprivedLeast deprived
By category, lowest first
  • Crime4.1
  • Health and disability4.2
  • Employment4.5
  • Living environment4.5
  • Income4.9
  • Children in low-income families5.0
  • Education and skills5.2
  • Older people in low-income households5.3
  • Barriers to housing and services5.9
Income

Household income

Average yearly household income before tax (2022/23), estimated for local neighbourhoods.

Annual income
£44,764
Before tax, all sources
England
£55,856
Below the national average
Higher than
26%
Of neighbourhoods in England and Wales
Work

Who is in work

53.2% of adults in BL are in work, broadly in line with the England average of 55.7%. 22.1% are retired and 7.3% are full-time students.

BLEngland
Employee, full-time32.8%34.3%
Employee, part-time12.1%11.9%
Self-employed8.2%9.5%
Unemployed3.1%2.9%
Full-time student7.3%7.9%
Retired22.1%21.5%
Looking after home or family5.8%4.8%
Long-term sick or disabled5%4.1%
Other3.5%3.1%
Occupations

Social grade

29.2% of adults in BL work in managerial or professional jobs, below the England average of 33.2%.

BLEngland
Higher managerial & professional10.4%13.2%
Lower managerial & professional18.7%19.9%
Intermediate12.3%11.4%
Small employers & self-employed9.8%10.6%
Lower supervisory & technical5.2%5.3%
Semi-routine11.7%11.3%
Routine13.5%12%
Never worked & long-term unemployed11.5%8.5%
Full-time students7%7.7%
Education

Highest qualification

29% of adults in BL hold a degree or equivalent, below the England average of 33.9%. 21.1% have no qualifications.

BLEngland
Degree level or above29%33.9%
A level or equivalent16.6%16.9%
GCSE grade 4/C or above14.1%13.3%
Below GCSE grade 4/C10.3%9.7%
Apprenticeship6.1%5.3%
Other qualifications2.8%2.8%
No qualifications21.1%18.1%

Sources: English Indices of Deprivation 2025; ONS small area income estimates; Census 2021 (ONS). Open Government Licence v3.0.

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