Colchester CO4
Colchester 023 · 6 sub-areas · 9,999 residents
Colchester 023 is a residential area within Colchester, home to around 10,000 people. A typical two-bedroom flat lets for about £1,080 a month, noticeably below the national average of around £1,200. The neighbourhood stands out for its unusually high share of families with children and an owner-occupation rate well above the regional norm.
Colchester CO4 is a mid-density neighbourhood of Colchester in the East of England region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. The demographic profile leans family-aged, with a clear share of households with school-age children; most homes are owner-occupied, so turnover is low and many residents have been here a long time.
Overview
What's it like to live in Colchester CO4?
Recorded crime is higher than the national norm — common for built-up urban areas, but worth weighing if you're looking for a quieter base; Transport links are limited — a car or e-bike is a practical assumption for most regular trips; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,216 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 6 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Colchester CO4 in Colchester
Living in Colchester CO4
Colchester 023 sits within one of Essex's fastest-growing cities, and this part of it has a distinctly settled, family-oriented feel. Just over a quarter of residents are under 18 — a notably high share — and nearly a third of households are couples with children. That shapes the character of the area: it's quieter and more residential than Colchester's urban core, with a population that's largely put down roots rather than passing through.
Rent is competitive for the county. A two-bedroom home runs around £1,080 a month, slightly below the national average, while a three-bedroom costs around £1,320. Owner-occupation here is high at 71%, so the private rental market is relatively small — just under 16% of households rent privately — which can mean less choice but also more neighbourhood stability. That said, rents did rise by around 6% in the past year, so the window of relative affordability is narrowing.
The people who live here skew younger than you might expect for a largely owner-occupied area: 18–34-year-olds make up just over a quarter of the population, almost matched by the 35–49 bracket. Degree holders account for around 44% of residents — above average for Colchester as a whole — and unemployment is low at 3.2%. The median resident salary sits at around £31,600 a year, broadly in line with what local employers pay, which suggests most people work fairly close to home rather than commuting long distances.
For practical matters, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 2.1 km away in a straight line, and the rail commute into London runs around 72 minutes by public transport. Nearly half of residents drive to work, and 39% work from home — an unusually high share that reflects the area's professional demographic. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on specific pockets.
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Frequently asked
- Is Colchester 023 a nice place to live?
- It's a settled, family-friendly part of Colchester with low deprivation and high owner-occupation. Rents are slightly below the national average, most residents own their homes, and nearly 40% work from home. The trade-off is that school ratings within catchment distance are well below the national average, so families with children should research individual schools carefully before committing.
- What is the rent in Colchester 023?
- A one-bedroom flat runs around £833 a month, a two-bedroom about £1,080, and a three-bedroom around £1,320. These figures are estimates scaled from city-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose roughly 6% in the past year, so the area is becoming less affordable over time, though it still sits below the UK two-bed average of around £1,200.
- Is Colchester 023 safe?
- The crime rate is around 112 per 1,000 residents a year — above the UK average of around 80 — so it's worth checking what's driving that figure locally. The area sits in deprivation decile 7.5 out of 10, meaning it's among the less deprived parts of England, which generally correlates with lower serious-crime risk. Check the crime category breakdown on this page for the full picture.
- What's the commute from Colchester 023 to central London?
- The rail journey to London takes around 72 minutes by public transport from Colchester. The nearest mainline station is roughly 2.1 km away in a straight line. It's feasible as a commute but demanding daily — and at nearly 45% car use among residents, most people in this area drive rather than rely on trains for everyday travel.
- Who lives in Colchester 023?
- Mostly families and younger professionals who've bought rather than rented. Over a quarter of residents are under 18, nearly a third of households are couples with children, and 71% of homes are owner-occupied. Around 44% of residents hold a degree, and the median salary is about £31,600 a year. It's a relatively young, settled, educated population.
- What schools are near Colchester 023?
- There are 49 schools within 2 km of most residents, but only around 2.3% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — significantly below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is about 3.4 km away in a straight line. Families should check individual school Ofsted reports and admissions criteria directly, as ratings can change.
- How good is broadband in Colchester 023?
- Excellent. Every property in the area can access gigabit-capable broadband, and no premises fall below the minimum usage standard. For the 39% of residents who work from home, connectivity isn't a concern here.