E63009014 /West Midlands evidence profile
West Midlands evidence profile
Stoke-on-Trent digital planning profile
Stoke-on-Trent is a major, non-coastal built-up area in West Midlands. ONS records show a 2021 population of 260,001; the population grew steadily between 2001 and 2021, while the 2015 to 2024 employment series shows modest employment growth. 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
- E63009014
- ITL1 region
- West Midlands
- Coastal
- Non-coastal
- Income-deprivation flag
- Higher deprivation
02 / Context
Three comparisons, with the benchmark stated
4.2% below the 11.2% median across complete England records in this ONS file.
9.7% above the 0% dataset median.
39.5% 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
Highest decile · percentile position 98.3 of 100.
Lowest decile · percentile position 6.9 of 100.
Upper quartile · percentile position 87.7 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: sha256:6ce08a6b6fa…c7be097ec550
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 Stoke-on-Trent minus the named peer; a plus sign means the value recorded for Stoke-on-Trent is higher.
Regional peer
Wolverhampton · E63009805
West Midlands. Nearest complete record in West Midlands. ONS classification: Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working.
- 2021 population
- +26,358 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -2.4 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +0.8 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- -3.8 pp
- 2023 median house price
- -£60,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- +27.5 pp
- Population aged under 25
- +0.2 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- +0.5 pp
Classification peer
Kingston upon Hull · E63007930
Yorkshire and The Humber. Nearest complete record outside West Midlands with the same ONS combined classification. ONS classification: Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working.
- 2021 population
- -10,815 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -2.8 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +1.8 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- +3 pp
- 2023 median house price
- +£10,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- +21.5 pp
- Population aged under 25
- -0.3 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- +1.9 pp
National peer
Huddersfield · E63008114
Yorkshire and The Humber. Nearest remaining complete England record. ONS classification: Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working.
- 2021 population
- +119,071 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -5.9 pp
- Economic inactivity
- -0.9 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- +4.9 pp
- 2023 median house price
- -£25,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- +12.5 pp
- Population aged under 25
- -1.1 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- +1.3 pp
05 / Evidence synthesis
Stoke-on-Trent evidence synthesis: 2021 population, 2023 median house price, Population aged under 25
Stoke-on-Trent is recorded as a major, 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 → Population aged under 25 → House-price growth, 2001 to 2023 → Economic inactivity → Employment change, 2015 to 2024 → Population change, 2001 to 2021 → Population aged 65 or over → 2023 median house price.
Furthest-to-nearest distance from the middle percentile: 2021 population → 2023 median house price → Population aged under 25 → House-price growth, 2001 to 2023 → Population aged 65 or over → Economic inactivity → Population change, 2001 to 2021 → Employment change, 2015 to 2024.
Regional peer
2021 population: 260,001 · Wolverhampton delta +26,358 people
The reviewed record positions Stoke-on-Trent at percentile 98.3 for 2021 population; its published value is 260,001 and its band is highest decile. Using Wolverhampton as the regional peer, the profile-minus-peer delta is +26,358 people; the peer was selected because nearest complete record in west midlands. A defensible brief can turn the pair into a verification task for content hierarchy and service-capacity assumptions, using task-frequency interviews and observed completion data before changing the information architecture. It must not be over-read, because population size does not establish addressable demand.
Classification peer
2023 median house price: £140,000 · Kingston upon Hull delta +£10,000
Stoke-on-Trent's 2023 median house price is £140,000, a lowest decile result at percentile 6.9 among 936 complete England records. Against Kingston upon Hull's reviewed classification record, the displayed delta is +£10,000. That comparator comes from the documented rule: nearest complete record outside west midlands with the same ons combined classification. Use the contrast to prioritise research into pricing clarity, qualification steps and expectation setting. A decision should wait for comprehension tests using the organisation's real offer and fees. The boundary is important: a median house price is not a household affordability measure.
National peer
Population aged under 25: 31.5% · Huddersfield delta -1.1 pp
Among the eight reviewed measures, population aged under 25 stands out for Stoke-on-Trent at 31.5%; its percentile position is 87.7 and its band is upper quartile. The same-source national check uses Huddersfield, classified as Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working. The Stoke-on-Trent-minus-Huddersfield delta on this metric is -1.1 pp. A defensible brief can turn the pair into a verification task for mobile task speed, privacy explanation and channel continuity, using cross-device usability sessions without age-based assumptions before changing the information architecture. The boundary is important: an age-group share does not determine channel preference.
Together, 2021 population, 2023 median house price, population aged under 25 and the constrained comparisons with Wolverhampton, Kingston upon Hull, Huddersfield create three separate research tracks for Stoke-on-Trent. 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: 260,001 people in 2021
Stoke-on-Trent's recorded population changed from 242,970 in 2001 to 260,001 in 2021 (+7%). 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: 17.3% aged 65 or over
The 2021 age-group series records 52,604 people aged 0 to 15, 29,188 aged 16 to 24, 133,279 aged 25 to 64 and 44,872 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: 41.8% economically inactive
ONS records economic inactivity at 41.8%. The published composition includes 20.6% retired, 6.4% long-term sick or disabled, 5.5% students and 5.8% looking after home or family. These categories support inclusive task design; they do not identify individual users or purchasing intent.
Economic context: £140,000 median house price in 2023
The median house-price series moved from £38,500 in 2001 to £135,000 in 2021 and £140,000 in 2023, a published change of +263.6%. 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
How should a prototype test content hierarchy and service-capacity assumptions without assuming that Stoke-on-Trent's percentile 98.3 position predicts an individual user's needs?
Evidence basis: 260,001, highest decile, with Stoke-on-Trent minus the regional peer equal to +26,358 people. Validation route: task-frequency interviews and observed completion data.
- 02
How should a prototype test pricing clarity, qualification steps and expectation setting without assuming that Stoke-on-Trent's percentile 6.9 position predicts an individual user's needs?
Kingston upon Hull is the constrained classification reference and is classified as Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working; the question keeps a median house price is not a household affordability measure as an explicit limit.
- 03
Where should the team record uncertainty when using Stoke-on-Trent's population aged under 25 value and the Huddersfield comparison to discuss mobile task speed, privacy explanation and channel continuity?
Huddersfield is the constrained national reference and is classified as Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working; the question keeps an age-group share does not determine channel preference as an explicit limit.
- 04
For Stoke-on-Trent's major, non-coastal, working built-up area, nearer to a major town or city classification, how should 2021 population, 2023 median house price, population aged under 25 be tested as separate website hypotheses without turning the combined pattern into a claim about local demand?
Cross-check all three named comparisons—Wolverhampton, Kingston upon Hull, Huddersfield—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
Stoke-on-Trent 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
Stoke-on-Trent 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
Support quick comparison without hiding detail
31.5% of the recorded 2021 age-group total is under 25. Lead with concise task summaries and responsive performance, while keeping fees, eligibility, privacy and next steps available in the same journey rather than behind a social-only channel.
- 04
Prioritise clarity before catalogue expansion
Stoke-on-Trent recorded +7% population change from 2001 to 2021 and +9.7% employment change from 2015 to 2024. Start with the few journeys that can be maintained well, instrument meaningful outcomes and expand only when verified questions or search data show a separate need.
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 E63009014. 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 Stoke-on-Trent.
Mosalio does not claim an office, staff member, customer, or physical-delivery presence in Stoke-on-Trent.
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.