2.1. Diversity

Bradford is a highly diverse district, reflecting the unique ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds of its residents.

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Diversity

Bradford is one of the most diverse places in the UK. It is a city district with a mix of different ethnicities, cultures and nationalities. It has a significant Muslim population and is home to a number of mosques, temples and other religious institutions. Additionally, Bradford has a diverse age structure, with a mix of young and older residents, and a relatively high proportion of people aged under 25.

Key bullet points

Overall, Bradford is a highly diverse district, reflecting the unique ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds of its residents. It has a balanced gender ratio, a diverse age structure, a slightly higher than average proportion of residents who identify as disabled, and a young population.

Ethnicity: The largest proportion of the district’s population currently identifies as White (67.4%). 26.8% identify as Asian/Asian British.
Since 2011, the population has increased by 4.5%. The estimated population is expected to grow to approximately 552,300 by 2041 with an average annual growth of 800 people. However, the demographics of the district are expected to change, with the population of people aged 65 and over driving the population change. Over the next 25 years, the population of people aged 65 and over is expected to increase by nearly 40,000 people to 116,800 by 2041.
Religion: The largest religious group in Bradford is Christian (33.4%) followed by Muslim (30.5%). 28.2% of the district’s population stated that they have no religion.
Gender: The gender balance in Bradford is roughly equal, with 50.5% of the population identifying as female and 49.5% identifying as male according to the 2011 Census.
Age structure: The age structure in Bradford is diverse, with a relatively high proportion of young people and a mix of older residents. According to the 2021 Census, 22.4% of the population was aged under 16, while 15.2% was aged 65 and over.
Disability: 19% of residents identify as disabled according to the 2021 Census, slightly higher than the average for both Yorkshire and The Humber and England.

Next: Ethnicity

Bradford Data Review » The people of Bradford

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2.2. Ethnicity

The district also has a high percentage of Asian/Asian British, with 26.8% of the population identifying as such.

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2.3. Religion

In Bradford, Christians form the largest religious group at 33.4%, followed closely by Muslims at 30.5%. Additionally, 28.2% identify as having no religion.

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2.4. Disability

Overall, 19.0% of Bradford residents identify as disabled. This is slightly higher than Yorkshire and The Humber at 18.9% and 17.7% in England.

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2.5. Age profile and gender

Bradford has a balanced gender ratio, with 50.5% female and 49.5% male residents and is among the youngest metropolitan districts in the UK, with a median age of 36.7.

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2.6. Skills, education and employment

This section provides data on skill levels and educational outcomes in Bradford. This draws on data from the 2021 Census, and other sources highlighted, such as comparators with Yorkshire and The Humber.

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2.7. Health

This section provides an overview of health data, addressing issues such as life expectancy, health outcomes, illness and wellbeing.

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2.8. Socio-economic deprivation

This section provides an overview of socio-economic data in Bradford, addressing issues such as poverty, unemployment and deprivation. Data in this section comes from the 2021 Census.

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2.9. Gaps in the data

Although extensive research exists on the demographics and diversity of Bradford district, there are notable data gaps crucial for arts organizations.

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2.10. Opportunities

The district arts organisations can harness data to tackle entrenched issues, leveraging Bradford’s diversity and deprivation for impactful social change.