E63008717 /East Midlands evidence profile
East Midlands evidence profile
Chesterfield digital planning profile
Chesterfield is a large, non-coastal built-up area in East Midlands. ONS records show a 2021 population of 76,394; the population remained comparatively stable between 2001 and 2021, while the 2015 to 2024 employment series shows strong employment expansion. This profile turns those public observations into a reviewable website-planning brief without claiming that the figures measure searches, leads or Mosalio's physical presence.
01 / Data snapshot
What the reviewed source records
- BUA24 code
- E63008717
- ITL1 region
- East Midlands
- Coastal
- Non-coastal
- Income-deprivation flag
- Higher deprivation
02 / Context
Three comparisons, with the benchmark stated
7.8% below the 11.2% median across complete England records in this ONS file.
11.9% above the 0% dataset median.
14.1% above the 224.1% dataset median.
These medians use every complete England record accepted from the same ONS file. They are descriptive context, not targets, forecasts or a national demand model.
03 / Distinctive pattern
Where this record sits within 936 complete England profiles
Upper quartile · percentile position 89.2 of 100.
Lower quartile · percentile position 18.1 of 100.
Lower quartile · percentile position 22.3 of 100.
These are the three values furthest from the middle percentile position for this record. A higher position means a higher published value, not a better outcome or evidence of search demand.
Evidence fingerprint: sha256:cb07f4e7b77…a11cd5d36fad
04 / Constrained peers
Three named comparisons from the same reviewed source
Each peer is selected from all 936complete England records using the documented eight-metric distance. Deltas are Chesterfield minus the named peer; a plus sign means the value recorded for Chesterfield is higher.
Regional peer
Arnold · E63009030
East Midlands. Nearest complete record in East Midlands. ONS classification: Nearer - Medium deprivation - Residential.
- 2021 population
- +36,378 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -3 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +2.4 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- +0.8 pp
- 2023 median house price
- -£42,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- -2 pp
- Population aged under 25
- -2 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- +0.8 pp
Classification peer
Tynemouth · E63007165
North East. Nearest complete record outside East Midlands with the same ONS combined classification. ONS classification: Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working.
- 2021 population
- +16,123 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -1.7 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +0.4 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- +6.3 pp
- 2023 median house price
- -£15,950
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- -47.5 pp
- Population aged under 25
- -0.8 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- +1.1 pp
National peer
Bebington · E63008589
North West. Nearest remaining complete England record. ONS classification: Nearer - Medium deprivation - Mixed.
- 2021 population
- +18,787 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- +1.9 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +0.3 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- +1.4 pp
- 2023 median house price
- -£19,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- +31.1 pp
- Population aged under 25
- -1.2 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- -0.5 pp
05 / Evidence synthesis
Chesterfield evidence synthesis: 2021 population, Population aged under 25, Population change, 2001 to 2021
Chesterfield is recorded as a large, non-coastal, working built-up area, nearer to a major town or city. This classification sets a transparent frame for the three observations below; it is not a persona, a service-area promise or proof of local search demand. Each finding pairs one distinctive percentile measure with one independently selected peer and one explicit validation route.
Eight-metric evidence matrix
The matrix shows every measure used by the peer-distance method, not only the three most distinctive values. Direction describes the published value relative to the middle percentile position; it is not a positive or negative judgement.
Highest-to-lowest percentile order: 2021 population → Economic inactivity → Employment change, 2015 to 2024 → Population aged 65 or over → House-price growth, 2001 to 2023 → 2023 median house price → Population change, 2001 to 2021 → Population aged under 25.
Furthest-to-nearest distance from the middle percentile: 2021 population → Population aged under 25 → Population change, 2001 to 2021 → 2023 median house price → Economic inactivity → Employment change, 2015 to 2024 → Population aged 65 or over → House-price growth, 2001 to 2023.
Regional peer
2021 population: 76,394 · Arnold delta +36,378 people
At 76,394, 2021 population places Chesterfield in the upper quartile and at percentile 89.2 of the reviewed distribution. Arnold, the named regional peer from East Midlands, differs by +36,378 people when the calculation is Chesterfield minus peer. Nearest complete record in East Midlands. Treat this combination as a hypothesis about content hierarchy and service-capacity assumptions, and test it through task-frequency interviews and observed completion data. Keep the inference narrow: population size does not establish addressable demand.
Classification peer
Population aged under 25: 24.9% · Tynemouth delta -0.8 pp
Population aged under 25 is one of Chesterfield's three furthest-from-middle observations: 24.9%, percentile 18.1, lower quartile. The same-source classification check uses Tynemouth, classified as Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working. The Chesterfield-minus-Tynemouth delta on this metric is -0.8 pp. Treat this combination as a hypothesis about mobile task speed, privacy explanation and channel continuity, and test it through cross-device usability sessions without age-based assumptions. The responsible interpretation stops short of intent: an age-group share does not determine channel preference.
National peer
Population change, 2001 to 2021: 3.4% · Bebington delta +1.9 pp
For population change, 2001 to 2021, the source reports 3.4% for Chesterfield. That sits in the lower quartile, 27.7 percentile points from the middle position. Using Bebington as the national peer, the profile-minus-peer delta is +1.9 pp; the peer was selected because nearest remaining complete england record. This evidence can narrow a discovery question around update cadence, ownership and change-ready content models, while dated user research and a documented content-review cycle supplies the user-level check the aggregate data cannot provide. It must not be over-read, because historic population change is neither a forecast nor a lead estimate.
Together, 2021 population, population aged under 25, population change, 2001 to 2021 and the constrained comparisons with Arnold, Tynemouth, Bebington create three separate research tracks for Chesterfield. They do not form a demand score. Keep each hypothesis independently testable, record contradictory findings and remove a planning assumption when user evidence does not support it.
06 / Evidence interpretation
Planning signals before design decisions
Population context: 76,394 people in 2021
Chesterfield's recorded population changed from 73,889 in 2001 to 76,394 in 2021 (+3.4%). This historical direction can inform content governance and capacity planning, but it is not a forecast and does not establish demand for a particular service.
Audience context: 22.2% aged 65 or over
The 2021 age-group series records 12,409 people aged 0 to 15, 6,593 aged 16 to 24, 40,447 aged 25 to 64 and 17,012 aged 65 or over. Small differences from the headline population reflect the published source series; percentages here use the age-group total and should guide testing questions, not stereotypes.
Activity context: 42% economically inactive
ONS records economic inactivity at 42%. The published composition includes 26.3% retired, 5.8% long-term sick or disabled, 3.2% students and 4% looking after home or family. These categories support inclusive task design; they do not identify individual users or purchasing intent.
Economic context: £196,000 median house price in 2023
The median house-price series moved from £57,950 in 2001 to £192,250 in 2021 and £196,000 in 2023, a published change of +238.2%. It is contextual evidence only—not a current affordability, revenue or customer-value estimate.
07 / Independent question set
Questions this evidence cannot answer on its own
These questions convert the profile-specific observations into falsifiable discovery work. They are not recommendations to create a service, location or page, and each needs direct user or behavioural evidence before it changes a website brief.
- 01
If the regional peer delta of +36,378 people is included in a brief, what decision about content hierarchy and service-capacity assumptions could it inform and what result would falsify that hypothesis?
Evidence basis: 76,394, upper quartile, with Chesterfield minus the regional peer equal to +36,378 people. Validation route: task-frequency interviews and observed completion data.
- 02
How should a prototype test mobile task speed, privacy explanation and channel continuity without assuming that Chesterfield's percentile 18.1 position predicts an individual user's needs?
This question is traceable to population aged under 25 at percentile 18.1 and a -0.8 pp profile-minus-peer difference, not to inferred local behaviour.
- 03
Which real user task would justify changing update cadence, ownership and change-ready content models after seeing Chesterfield's population change, 2001 to 2021 position and its +1.9 pp difference from Bebington?
The prompt combines one distinctive metric with the named national comparator selected by the eight-metric method. It does not treat either record as search, lead or customer evidence.
- 04
For Chesterfield's large, non-coastal, working built-up area, nearer to a major town or city classification, how should 2021 population, population aged under 25, population change, 2001 to 2021 be tested as separate website hypotheses without turning the combined pattern into a claim about local demand?
Cross-check all three named comparisons—Arnold, Tynemouth, Bebington—and define a user-research or behavioural measure for each question before changing navigation, page scope or conversion paths. The observations share one source but do not demonstrate causation.
08 / Practical brief
Website-planning recommendations for this evidence pattern
- 01
Separate employer and customer journeys
Chesterfield is classified as a working town. A useful website brief should separate recruitment, procurement and customer tasks, then give each journey its own proof, contact route and success measure instead of forcing every visitor through one generic enquiry page.
- 02
Differentiate from the nearby major centre
Chesterfield is nearer to a major town or city. Use specific offer boundaries, proof and response expectations to explain why the organisation is relevant; do not rely on a place-name heading or create a doorway that simply redirects users to a national service page.
- 03
Treat readability as a conversion requirement
22.2% of the recorded 2021 age-group total is aged 65 or over. Use plain language, strong focus states, generous type, keyboard-operable controls and a non-digital contact alternative; validate these choices with real users rather than assuming age determines ability.
- 04
Prepare the content model for change
Chesterfield recorded +3.4% population change from 2001 to 2021 and +11.9% employment change from 2015 to 2024. Use owned templates, update dates, accountable content roles and measurable conversion events so the site can evolve without publishing unreviewed route permutations.
09 / Method and limits
What this profile can—and cannot—support
This is a Mosalio editorial interpretation of the ONS May 2026 dataset for BUA24 code E63008717. The source periods differ by metric; values are historical, not live. The profile deliberately excludes ONS experimental visitor-to-resident fields and makes no claim about search volume, rankings, customers, a Mosalio office or physical delivery in Chesterfield.
Mosalio does not claim an office, staff member, customer, or physical-delivery presence in Chesterfield.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Understanding towns in England and Wales, investigating socioeconomic trends, released . This Mosalio interpretation was first published on and last reviewed on .
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
How this page was made: Mosalio applies one documented, deterministic transform to the validated ONS record, calculates the displayed comparisons, and renders the result from source-controlled data. It is an automated public-data resource, not individually commissioned local market research. A portfolio-level editorial-value review checks every profile's source identity, distinctive metrics, peer evidence, synthesis and planning questions before index eligibility can be enabled.
Analysis basis: Midrank percentile across all accepted England records; a higher percentile means a higher published value, not a better outcome. Root-mean-square Euclidean distance across eight clipped robust z-scores; population and 2023 house price are log-transformed before median/MAD scaling.