Population
According to ONS population estimates for mid-2016, the population of Trafford is 234,673. This is an increase of 8% (17,304 people) over the last 10 years. 51.1% (119,819) of the population are female and 48.9% (114,854) are male.
Age-gender distribution
Figure 1 is a population pyramid which shows the age-gender distribution of Trafford's population in 2006 (line) and 2016 (bar). The base of the distribution is much wider in 2016 than 2006 indicating an increase in the birth rate over the last ten years. The proportion of adults between the ages of 20 and 40 has remained significantly less than those in the 40-60 year old age groups. The bulge in the middle has shifted upwards as those in their thirties have grown into their forties. The number of older residents has also increased over the last ten years with the top of the distribution widening slightly.
Population pyramids for each of Trafford's wards using mid-2016 estimates has been visualised in this linked chart.
Median age
The median age in Trafford is 39 years old but varies between ward. Clifford residents have the youngest median age at 32 years and Bowdon the oldest at 46 years.
Old-age dependency ratios
The old-age dependency ratio (OADR) measures the number of people aged 65 years and over as a proportion of those of working age (15-64 years). Figure 3 indicates that the number of older people in Hale Barns is equivalent to 44% of the working age population. The ratio in Clifford is 14% suggesting that the dependency on the working age population is much lower.
Population projections
Table 1 presents population projections for broad age groups in Trafford until 2035. The number of residents aged under 15 is expected to remain fairly stable with the number aged 65 years and over likely to increase by 4.5%.
Table 1: Population estimates and projections for Trafford by broad age group
| 0 to 15 years (%) | 16 to 64 years (%) | Aged 65 and over (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 20.8 | 63.1 | 16.1 |
| 2000 | 20.4 | 63.4 | 16.1 |
| 2005 | 20.1 | 63.8 | 16.1 |
| 2010 | 20.1 | 63.9 | 16.0 |
| 2015 | 20.7 | 62.2 | 17.0 |
| 2016 | 21.0 | 61.9 | 17.2 |
| 2020 | 21.1 | 61.4 | 17.5 |
| 2025 | 20.8 | 60.6 | 18.6 |
| 2030 | 20.3 | 59.4 | 20.3 |
| 2035 | 19.9 | 58.4 | 21.7 |
Download: Data | R code
Notes
Ward abbreviations: Altrincham (ALT); Ashton upon Mersey (AOM); Bowdon (BOW); Broadheath (BRD); Brooklands (BRK); Bucklow-St Martins (BSM); Clifford (CLF); Davyhulme East (DVE); Davyhulme West (DVW); Flixton (FLX); Gorse Hill (GOH); Hale Barns (HBN); Hale Central (HCT); Longford (LFD); Priory (PRI); St Mary's (STM); Sale Moor (SLM); Stretford (STR); Timperley (TMP); Urmston (URM); Village (VLG)
Data sources
- Office for National Statistics: Mid-year population estimates, 2016
