PropertyEngine Logo
City

Affluence in Chester

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

Council
Cheshire West and Chester
Region
North West
Population
96,322 (2024)
Deprivation

How well off Chester is

On the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, Chester scores 6.6 out of 10, placing it more affluent than most of England. Scores are ranked within England only, so they can’t be compared across UK nations.

Overall score
6.6/ 10
Most deprivedLeast deprived
Its 58 neighbourhoods, from 1 to 10
12345678910
Most deprivedLeast deprived
By category, lowest first
  • Health and disability5.3
  • Crime5.6
  • Older people in low-income households5.8
  • Living environment6.1
  • Employment6.2
  • Income6.5
  • Children in low-income families6.6
  • Education and skills6.8
  • Barriers to housing and services8.0
Income

Household income

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

Annual income
£50,645
Before tax, all sources
England
£55,856
Below the national average
Higher than
44%
Of neighbourhoods in England and Wales
Work

Who is in work

54.4% of adults in Chester are in work, broadly in line with the England average of 55.7%. 21.9% are retired and 10.5% are full-time students.

ChesterEngland
Employee, full-time34.9%34.3%
Employee, part-time12%11.9%
Self-employed7.5%9.5%
Unemployed2.7%2.9%
Full-time student10.5%7.9%
Retired21.9%21.5%
Looking after home or family3.7%4.8%
Long-term sick or disabled4.2%4.1%
Other2.8%3.1%
Occupations

Social grade

36.2% of adults in Chester work in managerial or professional jobs, broadly in line with the England average of 33.2%.

ChesterEngland
Higher managerial & professional15.5%13.2%
Lower managerial & professional20.7%19.9%
Intermediate10.9%11.4%
Small employers & self-employed8%10.6%
Lower supervisory & technical5.3%5.3%
Semi-routine11.1%11.3%
Routine11.6%12%
Never worked & long-term unemployed6.7%8.5%
Full-time students10.2%7.7%
Education

Highest qualification

39.5% of adults in Chester hold a degree or equivalent, above the England average of 33.9%. 15% have no qualifications.

ChesterEngland
Degree level or above39.5%33.9%
A level or equivalent18%16.9%
GCSE grade 4/C or above12.3%13.3%
Below GCSE grade 4/C8.1%9.7%
Apprenticeship4.8%5.3%
Other qualifications2.3%2.8%
No qualifications15%18.1%

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

Explore

Look up another area

Postcode districts