Cramped Cornwall

The first of the UK Census 2011 results are out!

According to the official tally 532,300 people normally lived in the Duchy on census day in March 2011 – an increase of 6.5% since 2001.

This is of course also boosted on any one day at different times of the year – by a larger or smaller number of visitors (tourists, second-home owners, commercial travellers, developers, TV lifestyle shows, highly-paid consultants to Konsel Kernow, etc.) – this fuller figure has not yet been released.

This is an extra 32,400 or 3,240 every year – or going on for an ‘extra Padstow’ every year!

Back in 2001, there were 499,900 people living in Cornwall.

Now there are 150 people per square km so the empty spaces are filling – as observers of the encroaching buildings around towns, and creeping villages will attest. See http://www.cornwall24.net/economy/concreting-cornwall-last-chance-to-say-no/

Of the tally, 258K or 48% were male, and 275K or 52% female.

Age distribution:
0 to 4 yrs        27,400     (5% of the population)
5 to 14              56,100     (11%)
15 to 64         333,700  (63%)
65 to 89         115,200  (22%)
90+                      5,500     (1.0%)     (Male 25%,  Female 75%)

In-migration, Out-migration, Identity, Language and Building  information, are  all  not yet released from the census body.

When available later in the year they will be of great interest in terms of other indicators, eg. see http://www.cornwall24.net/economy/to-the-three-rs-add-i-for-identity/

They are also expected to confirm analysis of the age distribution that suggests that baby creation is far outweighed by immigration, mostly from England. Without net-migration (there is much smaller but significant out-migration and younger ex-pat Cornish temporarily outside the border) Cornwall’s population could still be in decline.

Year     Population of Cornwall     Change
1961     342,300
1971     381,700     +39,400
1981     418,600     +36,900
1991     461,800     +43,200
2001     499,990     +38,190
2011     532,300     +32,310

For the Isles of Scilly, 2,200 people live there, a change of 5% since 2001. In 2001, there were 2,100 people living in Isles of Scilly
Comparatively England and Wales had growth of 7.1%, driven by massive 12%  growth of London and nearby areas, whilst Cornwall was a still high by European standards 6.5%
The population of England was 52.5m, Wales 3.07m, and Northern Ireland 1.81m. Scotland wil become available later in the year.

Census link: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/index.html

Cornwall24.net e-magazine reporter  18 July, 2012 (updated 27 July)

Update:

Cornwall Council has updated its web site with more detailed information to hand:

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=22137