One of the most celebrated things about Derbyshire is its vast cultural diversity. Now, new figures have revealed the true extent of the county’s multiculturalism.
The most multicultural area – Derby facts and figures
The most multicultural area in the county was shown to be Derby city centre, in which 19.6 per cent of residents were born overseas. This means around a fifth of people living in the city, which has a population of more than 260,000, were not born in the UK. This places Derby at 64th within the UK for the proportion of foreign-born residents. These Derby facts and figures have been taken from the 2021 National Census [1]. They have also been compared with figures from the previous census, held in 2011.
The second most multicultural area in the county was revealed to be South Derbyshire. Where six per cent of residents were born outside of the UK. Bolsover was third, with a rate of 5.7 per cent, followed by Erewash with 5.3 per cent and Chesterfield with 4.9 per cent. In sixth place was High Peak, where 4.2 per cent of residents were born outside the UK, followed by the Derbyshire Dales with 3.8 per cent and Amber Valley with a rate of 3.7 per cent.
The least multicultural area of the county was shown to be North East Derbyshire. Here, a total of 3.1 per cent of residents were born outside of the UK. However, the figures show that in all areas, the proportion of residents born overseas has increased since the 2011 National Census. The 2011 figures show that 13.9 per cent of Derby residents were born outside the UK, compared to 19.6 per cent 10 years later.
Figures also show the breadth of countries from which county residents who were born overseas have hailed. A total of 77,137 residents in the county were born outside the UK. Almost half of these (49.4 per cent) came from EU nations, while 38.5 per cent were born in the Middle East and Asia.
How does the county compare to the rest of the UK?
Within the UK, Derby was the 64th most multicultural area, trailing behind some of the London boroughs, including Brent and Westminster. Nationally, the census showed that around one in six residents in England and Wales were not born in this country.
Derby has proved popular for people moving to the UK thanks to its central location and the fact that it is home to several major employers and manufacturers. It has great transport links, while also offering a bustling and increasingly vibrant city centre in Derby and plenty of natural beauty in the form of the Peak District National Park.
Derby gained city status in 1977 and its population has seen an increase in the past 10 years. It stood at around 248,800 in 2011, growing by 5.1 per cent to 261,400 in 2021. Overall, the population of England and Wales has increased by more than 3.5 million in the 10 years leading to the 2021 census.
