Every 10 years the Census documents the way we live and who we live alongside in England and Wales. It makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in the housing market and Census 2021 is no exception.
For estate agents like us, we really do value this information. In the next 2-3 weeks we will have it broken down to the Lancaster and Morecambe areas so we can see what it truly means for our city and seaside town.
For now, though, we have had already gleaned some really key information.
- In the decade up to 2021, the population of 30-somethings grew by more than 700,000 in England and Wales. Given that the average age of a first-time buyer is 33.8 years, that’s a lot of people who might be ready to buy their first home!
- The number of people in their 40s has declined. Yet those in their 50’s have grown greatly. I’m in my 40’s. I was born in the 1970s. It was the decade many couples started to have smaller families and as my Mum pointed out, birth control became more commonplace. The NHS family planning act was only passed in 1967!
- Over the same period, the number of over-60s grew, by almost 2 million. This is a cohort who might be contemplating downsizing or a significant lifestyle change, hence our article about baby boomers last week!
As more data is released it will make very interesting reading. We will be breaking down and seeing what it means for Lancaster, Morecambe and our local housing market.
Until then,
Michelle x