PropertyEngine Logo
City · Essex

Affluence in Colchester

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

Council
Colchester
Region
East of England
Population
137,828 (2024)
Deprivation

How well off Colchester is

On the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, Colchester scores 5.7 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
5.7/ 10
Most deprivedLeast deprived
Its 79 neighbourhoods, from 1 to 10
12345678910
Most deprivedLeast deprived
By category, lowest first
  • Crime4.3
  • Health and disability4.8
  • Children in low-income families5.3
  • Income5.4
  • Older people in low-income households5.5
  • Education and skills5.6
  • Employment5.7
  • Barriers to housing and services6.1
  • Living environment7.1
Income

Household income

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

Annual income
£61,356
Before tax, all sources
England
£55,856
Above the national average
Higher than
70%
Of neighbourhoods in England and Wales
Work

Who is in work

57.4% of adults in Colchester are in work, broadly in line with the England average of 55.7%. 17.3% are retired and 11.9% are full-time students.

ColchesterEngland
Employee, full-time36.1%34.3%
Employee, part-time12.6%11.9%
Self-employed8.7%9.5%
Unemployed2.7%2.9%
Full-time student11.9%7.9%
Retired17.3%21.5%
Looking after home or family4.4%4.8%
Long-term sick or disabled3.6%4.1%
Other2.7%3.1%
Occupations

Social grade

33.6% of adults in Colchester work in managerial or professional jobs, broadly in line with the England average of 33.2%.

ColchesterEngland
Higher managerial & professional12.3%13.2%
Lower managerial & professional21.2%19.9%
Intermediate11.4%11.4%
Small employers & self-employed9.3%10.6%
Lower supervisory & technical5.1%5.3%
Semi-routine12.3%11.3%
Routine10.1%12%
Never worked & long-term unemployed6.6%8.5%
Full-time students11.7%7.7%
Education

Highest qualification

32.8% of adults in Colchester hold a degree or equivalent, broadly in line with the England average of 33.9%. 14.9% have no qualifications.

ColchesterEngland
Degree level or above32.8%33.9%
A level or equivalent20.4%16.9%
GCSE grade 4/C or above14.5%13.3%
Below GCSE grade 4/C10.1%9.7%
Apprenticeship4.7%5.3%
Other qualifications2.6%2.8%
No qualifications14.9%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