Postcode district · Colchester

CO4 area guide

Who lives in CO4, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council: Colchester
Region: East of England
Population: 68,529 (2024)

CO4Postcode district · Colchester

At a glance

What CO4 is like

The CO4 postcode district in Colchester covers 1,188 live postcodes and is home to about 68,529 people in 25,700 households. 60% of households own their home, 23.1% rent privately and 16.1% are in social housing. The largest age group is 20–24, and 55.2% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is above the England and Wales average. Homes in CO4 sold for a median of £325,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How CO4 compares

Headline figures for CO4, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

5.8/ 10

Around the middle. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

7/ 10

Around the middle: 37.1 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£325,000

Median over 541 sales in CO4, +1.6% on the year before.

TransportMore

3.0/ 10

Limited: 0 stations within a mile, 40 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

92%

Rated good or better across 25 inspected schools in CO4.

Household incomeMore

£62,048

Average annual income before tax, higher than 71% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where CO4 differs most from the national average.

01
A student area
14.8% of adults are full-time students, against 7.9% across England. Expect HMO demand and term-time turnover.
02
A young populationPositive
24% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
03
A big private rental marketPositive
23.1% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
04
Well-rated schoolsPositive
92% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.

Questions

CO4 FAQs

Is CO4 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 5.8 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 37.1 per 1,000 people a year, band 7 of 10 nationally. 92% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10 (limited).

How much does a house cost in CO4?

The median sale price over the last year was £325,000.

Homes in CO4 sold for a median of £325,000 across 541 sales in the year to August 2026, +1.6% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is CO4 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 37.1 offences per 1,000 people a year around CO4, above the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 7 of 10.

Who lives in CO4?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 20–24, at 9.7% of residents. 60% of households own their home. The most common property type is detached (29.9%).

Which council covers CO4?

The local authority for CO4 is Colchester.

CO4 comes under Colchester in the East of England. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is CO4?

Connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10.

There are 40 bus stops within 800m and 0 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 3.0 out of 10 (limited). The nearest station is Colchester Rail Station, 1.3 miles away.

Sources: Census 2021 (ONS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.

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