Demography
The current population of the town stands at 40,472 as of the 2001 census. This represents just over a quarter of the total population of the borough of Knowsley and is down from its peak of 52,207 in the 1961 census, largely due to falling birth rates and the slow decline of the industrial estate, which forced workers to move elsewhere seeking employment. Housing demand has increased in recent years, however, with significant developments being built across the town. This demand can somewhat be attributed to the demolition of high-rise flats and maisonettes – built during the 1960s, but fallen into disrepair – on a town-wide basis, and the resultant need for replacement housing stock.
According to statistics of the British Government, the borough of Knowsley, including Kirkby, had a population of 150,459 at the 2001 census, with a balance of 53% female and 47% male.
The borough is overwhelmingly of a white ethnic background at 98.42%, against a national average of 90.9%. In order of population size, other ethnic groups are represented as multiracial at 0.83%, Chinese at 0.24%, other Asian at 0.23% and black at 0.22%.
The borough is mostly Christian at 85.63%, compared to the national average of 71.74%, with the next most significant grouping at 5.84% describing themselves as non-religious (much lower than the national average of 14.59%). Just 0.17%, 0.11%, 0.07% and 0.03% would describe themselves as Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish, respectively.
Read more about this topic: Kirkby