Age
In the 2011 Census, Christians had the oldest age profile of the main religious groups. Over one in five Christians (22%) were aged 65 and over. This is higher than the overall population in 2011, where 16% of the population were aged 65 and over. Christians had a similar age profile in 2001.
The Hindu profile was highest in the range of 25 – 49 years. Muslims had the youngest age profile of the main religious groups. Nearly half of Muslims (48%) were aged under 25 (1.3 million) and nine in ten people (88 per cent) were aged under 50 (2.4 million). Muslims also had the youngest age profile in 2001. People with no religion had a younger age profile than the population as a whole in 2011. Four in ten people with no religion (39%) were aged under 25 and over four in five (82%) were aged under 50. This compares to 31% and 65% for the population of England and Wales respectively.
Religion by Age – 2011
Age | All | Others | Sikhs | Muslims | Jewish | Hindu | Buddhist | Christians | None |
0-24 | 30.7 | 18.7 | 4 | 48.4 | 30.2 | 31.5 | 25.2 | 25.2 | 39.4 |
25–49 | 34.7 | 47.7 | 6 | 39.5 | 30.2 | 45.2 | 50.3 | 31 | 42.2 |
50–64 | 18.1 | 24.3 | 6 | 18.1 | 18.7 | 15.2 | 18.3 | 21.1 | 12.8 |
65+ | 16.4 | 9.2 | 8.3 | 3.9 | 21 | 8.1 | 6.2 | 22.3 | 5.6 |
Source: Census 2011, Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics has produced an interactive Infographic for England & Wales on age and Sex.