Blackburn with Darwen
North West · England 154,741 Population (2021 Census)
56.9% White British (2021)
36.3% White British (2041 projected)
26.7% White British (2051 projected)
Ethnic composition
Census 2021 observed data with Hamilton-Perry projections to 2061.
white british 56.9%
white other 3.5%
asian 35.6%
black 0.9%
mixed 1.7%
other 1.4%
Projected 2051
white british 26.7%
white other 8.7%
asian 58.2%
black 1.4%
mixed 3.2%
other 1.9%
Diversity index
diverse Shannon entropy: 0.54 · Dissimilarity: 26.5
Religion
Census 2021 religious composition with projections.
2021 [object Object]
2031 [object Object]
2041 [object Object]
2051 [object Object]
Muslim population projected: 45.5% by 2051
Country of birth
UK-born (2021) 81.9%
Foreign-born (2021) 18.1%
Foreign-born (2051 projected) 50.6%
English proficiency
mainLanguageEnglishPct 87.5%
notEnglishPct 25.0%
cannotSpeakEnglishPct 0.0%
Service demand pressure
Ethnic change20/20
Asylum20/20
School17/20
Language0/20
Housing16/20
Economic profile
Avg employment rate36.4%
Avg home ownership37.9%
Avg social rent12.1%
Degree or above17.1%
No qualifications15.4%
Housing demand projection
Census 2021 tenure patterns by ethnicity, projected to 2041 from demographic composition change.
Ownership (2021)37.9%
Social rent (2021)12.1%
Private rent (2021)13.4%
Ownership (2041)26.6%
Social rent (2041)9.7%
Social rent change-2.5pp
High foreign-born population growth will drive additional housing demand, particularly in the private rented sector.
School demographics
DfE School Census 2024/25. 27,931 pupils.
WBI pupils39.5%
Minority pupils60.5%
EAL growth (projected)+17.4pp
WBI gap (school vs population)17.4pp
Schools are 17pp more diverse than the general population — schools show the future.
English proficiency
mainLanguageEnglishPct 87.5%
notEnglishPct 25.0%
cannotSpeakEnglishPct 0.0%
Projected non-English growth+20.6pp
Interpreter demand is manageable at current levels.
Asylum and immigration data
Asylum seekers on support, hotel costs, grant rates, and the True Cost of Asylum for this area.
View Blackburn with Darwen on Asylum Stats →