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Census stories: bringing statistics to life in Milton Keynes
Census stories: bringing statistics to life in Milton Keynes

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2 Census data discussion

Figures 1 and 2 compare the reduction in the number of people across England and Wales identifying as Christian, with the same statistic specifically in Milton Keynes.

The census data shows that the number of people who identify as Christians dropped by 12.4% between 2001 and 2011, nationwide. Those identifying as not religious increased by 10.3%, while the Muslim population increased from 3% to 4.8%.

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Figure 1 Religion in England and Wales
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This bar chart compares the 2001 and 2011 census statistics for religion in England and Wales. The numbers, in percentages, are as follows: Christian – 71.7% in 2001, 59.3% in 2011. Buddhist – 0.3% in 2001, 0.4% in 2011. Hindu – 1.1% in 2001, 1.5% in 2011. Jewish – 0.5% in 2001, 0.5% in 2011. Muslim – 3.0% in 2001, 4.8% in 2011. Sikh – 0.6% in 2001, 0.8% in 2011. Other religion – 0.3% in 2001, 0.4% in 2011. No religion – 14.8% in 2001, 25.1% in 2011. Religion not stated – 7.7% in 2001, 7.2% in 2011.

Figure 1 Religion in England and Wales

Milton Keynes is the largest town in Buckinghamshire and according to the 2011 census, the town has an average population of 230,000. Later statistics place the total number of Milton Keynes residents around 245,000.

Figure 2 shows that Milton Keynes largely follows national trends across England and Wales, with a slightly larger increase in those identifying as not religious.

Today, Milton Keynes has 6.5% fewer identifying as Christian than the national average, and 6.2% more non-religious. Yet the Jewish and Sikh communities are also smaller than the average.

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Figure 2 Religion in Milton Keynes and England & Wales, 2011
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This bar chart compares the 2011 census statistics for religion in Milton Keynes, and England & Wales more broadly. The numbers, in percentages, are as follows: Christian – 52.8% in Milton Keynes, 59.3% in England & Wales. Buddhist – 0.5% in Milton Keynes, 0.4% in England & Wales. Hindu – 2.8% in Milton Keynes, 1.5% in England & Wales. Jewish – 0.2% in Milton Keynes, 0.5% in England & Wales. Muslim – 4.8% in Milton Keynes, 4.8% in England & Wales. Sikh – 0.6% in Milton Keynes, 0.8% in England & Wales. Other religion – 0.5% in Milton Keynes, 0.4% in England & Wales. No religion – 31.3% in Milton Keynes, 25.1% in England & Wales. Religion not stated – 6.6% in Milton Keynes, 7.2% in England & Wales.

Figure 2 Religion in Milton Keynes and England & Wales, 2011

Milton Keynes in 2011 is less white than the national average. However, it is also less black. Asian and mixed ethnicity groups make up the difference, being higher than the national average.

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Figure 3 Ethnicity in Milton Keynes and England & Wales, 2011
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This bar chart compares the 2011 census statistics for ethnicity in Milton Keynes, and England & Wales more broadly. The numbers, in percentages, are as follows: White – 80.0% in Milton Keynes, 86.0% in England & Wales. Mixed / Multiple Ethnic Groups – 3.3% in Milton Keynes, 2.2% in England & Wales. Asian / Asian British – 9.2% in Milton Keynes, 6.0% in England & Wales. Black / African / Caribbean / Black British – 1.6% in Milton Keynes, 3.4% in England & Wales. Other Ethnic Group – 0.6% in Milton Keynes, 0.6% in England & Wales.

Figure 3 Ethnicity in Milton Keynes and England & Wales, 2011

The percentage of the population marrying has dropped steadily since the early 1970s, but this has actually started to level out since the last census.

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Figure 4 Marriages in England & Wales, 1945-2019
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This line chart shows the percentage of the population marrying between 1945 and 2019. There are many slight rises and falls each year, but the numbers remain broadly around 6% in the 1950s and 1960s, and peak around 7% in the early 1970s. The percentage then drops gradually, by roughly 1% each decade. It reaches 2% in the 2010s, at which it appears to remain level.

Figure 4 Marriages in England & Wales, 1945-2019

Around the same time, nationwide, cremations overtook burials as the preferred form of final disposition. Today, the proportion is almost the reverse of what it was in 1950.

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Figure 5 Burial and cremation in England & Wales, 1950-2019
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This line chart plots two simultaneous lines, ‘percentage cremated’ and ‘percentage buried’ in England & Wales between 1950 and 2019. In 1950, burials were at around 80%, and cremations around 20%. This gap closed sharply over the following years, with both hitting 50% by approximately 1967. Cremation then overtook burial as the preferred form of final disposition. ‘Percentage cremated’ continued to rise over the following decades, though more slowly than the change seen in the 1950s/1960s. In the 2010s cremations reached approximately 80%, and burials around 20%.

Figure 5 Burial and cremation in England & Wales, 1950-2019

The population of Milton Keynes has grown steadily. The high proportion of working age people suggests that a higher-than-typical proportion of the population are ‘economic migrants’ to the city.

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Figure 6 Population in Milton Keynes (please note: the age breakdown was missing from the 2001 census data)
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This bar chart shows population figures and how they break down from the 1991, 2001 and 2011 censuses. The bars break down sex and age. The 1991 statistics show a population around 175,000. The female proportion is slightly higher than the male. By age, the lowest proportion is aged 0-4 (approximately 15,000), then 65+ (approximately 20,000), then 5-14 (approximately 25,000-30,000), and the largest group is aged 15-64 (approximately 115,000-120,000). The 2001 statistics show a population around 210,000. The male proportion is slightly higher than the female. The age statistics are not shown for this year. The 2011 statistics show a population just under 250,000. The female proportion is slightly higher than the male. By age, the lowest proportion is aged 90+ (a very small group not visibly listed for previous years, approximately 1,000), then 0-4 (approximately 20,000), then 65+ (approximately 25,000-30,000), then 5-14 (approximately 35,000), and the largest group is aged 15-64 (approximately 170,000).

Figure 6 Population in Milton Keynes (please note: the age breakdown was missing from the 2001 census data)

The South East of England has the second-highest proportion of the population born outside the UK, taking over from the West Midlands during the 1990s. However, it is still below the average for England and Wales.

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Figure 7 Resident population born outside the UK, 1971-2011
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This bar chart shows the resident population born outside the UK (shown as a percentage) across nine regions of England, as well as Wales, and England & Wales as a whole. Each area has the statistics listed for censuses in 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 (most areas don’t show any 1971 figures). In all areas, the percentage has risen with every census. In England and Wales as a whole, the figure is around 7% for 1981 and 1991, around 9% in 2001, and 13-14% in 2011. In all areas besides London, the numbers are lower than this average, but follow the same growth trajectory. The lowest numbers are seen in the North East, and Wales, which both reach around 5% in 2011. Then the South West, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber, which reach around 8-9% in 2011. Then the East Midlands, which reaches around 10% in 2011. Then the East of England, West Midlands, and South East, which reach around 11-12% in 2011. London has the highest numbers, around 18% in 1981, 21% in 1991, 27% in 2001, and 37% in 2011.

Figure 7 Resident population born outside the UK, 1971-2011