E63011231 /East of England evidence profile
East of England evidence profile
Stevenage digital planning profile
Stevenage is a large, non-coastal built-up area in East of England. ONS records show a 2021 population of 94,462; the population expanded quickly 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
- E63011231
- ITL1 region
- East of England
- Coastal
- Non-coastal
- Income-deprivation flag
- Higher deprivation
02 / Context
Three comparisons, with the benchmark stated
5.8% above the 11.2% median across complete England records in this ONS file.
25% above the 0% dataset median.
18.8% 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
Lowest decile · percentile position 6.7 of 100.
Highest decile · percentile position 92.4 of 100.
Lower quartile · percentile position 10.3 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: sha256:8a0ddd5b30a…8249271f013f
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 Stevenage minus the named peer; a plus sign means the value recorded for Stevenage is higher.
Regional peer
Chelmsford · E63011563
East of England. Nearest complete record in East of England. ONS classification: Nearer - Lower deprivation - Working.
- 2021 population
- -16,150 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -4.1 pp
- Economic inactivity
- -1.8 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- +9.2 pp
- 2023 median house price
- -£40,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- +19.8 pp
- Population aged under 25
- +1.2 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- -2.1 pp
Classification peer
Crawley (Crawley) · E63013038
South East. Nearest complete record outside East of England with the same ONS combined classification. ONS classification: Nearer - Higher deprivation - Working.
- 2021 population
- -25,744 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- -3.7 pp
- Economic inactivity
- +0.5 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- +16.6 pp
- 2023 median house price
- -£15,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- +38.9 pp
- Population aged under 25
- -0.7 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- +1.5 pp
National peer
Gravesend · E63012186
South East. Nearest remaining complete England record. ONS classification: Nearer - Higher deprivation - Residential.
- 2021 population
- +36,909 people
- Population change, 2001 to 2021
- +4.2 pp
- Economic inactivity
- -4.1 pp
- Employment change, 2015 to 2024
- +5 pp
- 2023 median house price
- +£5,000
- House-price growth, 2001 to 2023
- -6.6 pp
- Population aged under 25
- -1.2 pp
- Population aged 65 or over
- -1 pp
05 / Evidence synthesis
Stevenage evidence synthesis: Economic inactivity, 2021 population, Population aged 65 or over
Stevenage 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 → Employment change, 2015 to 2024 → Population aged under 25 → 2023 median house price → Population change, 2001 to 2021 → House-price growth, 2001 to 2023 → Population aged 65 or over → Economic inactivity.
Furthest-to-nearest distance from the middle percentile: Economic inactivity → 2021 population → Population aged 65 or over → Employment change, 2015 to 2024 → Population aged under 25 → 2023 median house price → Population change, 2001 to 2021 → House-price growth, 2001 to 2023.
Regional peer
Economic inactivity: 32.2% · Chelmsford delta -1.8 pp
At 32.2%, economic inactivity places Stevenage in the lowest decile and at percentile 6.7 of the reviewed distribution. The constrained regional comparison is Chelmsford (E63011563). On this measure, Stevenage minus that record is -1.8 pp; the selection basis is nearest complete record in east of england. Use the contrast to prioritise research into assisted, accessible and non-digital completion routes. A decision should wait for accessibility testing across real tasks and support-channel evidence. No user or market conclusion follows automatically; an aggregate inactivity rate cannot describe an individual visitor.
Classification peer
2021 population: 94,462 · Crawley (Crawley) delta -25,744 people
Among the eight reviewed measures, 2021 population stands out for Stevenage at 94,462; its percentile position is 92.4 and its band is highest decile. For a bounded comparison rather than a national average, Crawley (Crawley) supplies the classification reference; Stevenage is -25,744 people from it on the displayed scale. Use the contrast to prioritise research into content hierarchy and service-capacity assumptions. A decision should wait for task-frequency interviews and observed completion data. This remains contextual evidence—population size does not establish addressable demand.
National peer
Population aged 65 or over: 14.6% · Gravesend delta -1 pp
At 14.6%, population aged 65 or over places Stevenage in the lower quartile and at percentile 10.3 of the reviewed distribution. Against Gravesend's reviewed national record, the displayed delta is -1 pp. That comparator comes from the documented rule: nearest remaining complete england record. For planning, document the observation beside readability, keyboard access and assisted alternatives and require inclusive usability sessions and accessibility conformance checks before treating the idea as an accepted requirement. This remains contextual evidence—an age-group share does not determine digital ability.
Together, economic inactivity, 2021 population, population aged 65 or over and the constrained comparisons with Chelmsford, Crawley (Crawley), Gravesend create three separate research tracks for Stevenage. 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: 94,462 people in 2021
Stevenage's recorded population changed from 80,711 in 2001 to 94,462 in 2021 (+17%). 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: 14.6% aged 65 or over
The 2021 age-group series records 19,486 people aged 0 to 15, 8,976 aged 16 to 24, 52,165 aged 25 to 64 and 13,819 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: 32.2% economically inactive
ONS records economic inactivity at 32.2%. The published composition includes 17.5% retired, 3.7% long-term sick or disabled, 3.6% students and 4.6% looking after home or family. These categories support inclusive task design; they do not identify individual users or purchasing intent.
Economic context: £330,000 median house price in 2023
The median house-price series moved from £96,250 in 2001 to £309,000 in 2021 and £330,000 in 2023, a published change of +242.9%. 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
Which real user task would justify changing assisted, accessible and non-digital completion routes after seeing Stevenage's economic inactivity position and its -1.8 pp difference from Chelmsford?
The prompt combines one distinctive metric with the named regional comparator selected by the eight-metric method. It does not treat either record as search, lead or customer evidence.
- 02
How should a prototype test content hierarchy and service-capacity assumptions without assuming that Stevenage's percentile 92.4 position predicts an individual user's needs?
The prompt combines one distinctive metric with the named classification comparator selected by the eight-metric method. It does not treat either record as search, lead or customer evidence.
- 03
Before prioritising readability, keyboard access and assisted alternatives, which part of inclusive usability sessions and accessibility conformance checks would verify whether this population aged 65 or over observation matters to users in Stevenage?
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 Stevenage's large, non-coastal, working built-up area, nearer to a major town or city classification, how should economic inactivity, 2021 population, population aged 65 or over be tested as separate website hypotheses without turning the combined pattern into a claim about local demand?
Cross-check all three named comparisons—Chelmsford, Crawley (Crawley), Gravesend—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
Stevenage 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
Stevenage 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
30.1% 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
Prepare the content model for change
Stevenage recorded +17% population change from 2001 to 2021 and +25% 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 E63011231. 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 Stevenage.
Mosalio does not claim an office, staff member, customer, or physical-delivery presence in Stevenage.
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.