Editing Oldham (section)

== Demography ==
{{further|Demographics of Greater Manchester}}

{| style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 0; font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid #aaa;"
|+ '''Oldham compared'''
|-
| '''[[United Kingdom Census 2011|UK Census 2011]]''' || '''Oldham'''<ref group=lower-alpha>Percentages are taken from 2001 ward boundaries that together most closely match the territory of the former [[County Borough of Oldham]].</ref> || '''[[Metropolitan Borough of Oldham|Oldham (Met. District)]]''' || '''England'''
|-
| Total population || [[List of urban areas in England by population|96,555]]<ref group=lower-alpha>The total population of Oldham is given as those within an urban area divorced from the [[Metropolitan Borough of Oldham]].</ref> || 217,273 || 53,012,456
|-
| Foreign born || 15% || 8.2% || 17.57%
|-
| White British || 55.4% || 77.5% || 85.4%
|-
| Asian || 37.6% || 18.1% || 7.8%
|-
| Black || 2% || 1.2% || 3.5%
|-
| Christian || 58% || 73% || 59.4%
|-
| Muslim || 25% || 11% || 5%
|-
| Hindu || 1.1% || 0.1% || 1.5%
|-
| No religion || 8.3% || 8.9% || 24.7%
|-
| Over 65 years old || 12% || 14% || 16.33%
|-
| Unemployed || 5.5% || 3.7% || (7.6–8.4%)
|}

According to data from the [[United Kingdom Census 2001]], Oldham had a total resident population of 103,544, making it the [[List of urban areas in England by population|55th most populous settlement]] in England, and the 5th most populous settlement of the [[Greater Manchester Urban Area]].<ref name="Oldham Population" /> This figure in conjunction with its area provides Oldham with a [[population density]] of {{convert|3,998|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. The local population has been described as broadly "[[working class]]"; the [[middle class]]es tending to live in outlying settlements.<ref name="Oldham Beyond" />

Oldham, considered as a combination of the 2001 [[ward (politics)|electoral wards]] of Alexandra,<ref name="Alexandra ward">{{citation |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192662693546&a=7&b=5941626&c=Alexandra&d=14&e=15&g=352196&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192662693546&enc=1 |title=Alexandra (Ward) |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=18 October 2007 |archive-date=22 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922215356/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192662693546&a=7&b=5941626&c=Alexandra&d=14&e=15&g=352196&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192662693546&enc=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Coldhurst]],<ref name="Coldhurst ward">{{citation |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663037109&a=7&b=5941622&c=coldhurst&d=14&e=16&g=352331&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663037109&enc=1 |title=Coldhurst (Ward) |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=18 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114225656/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663037109&a=7&b=5941622&c=coldhurst&d=14&e=16&g=352331&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663037109&enc=1 |archive-date=14 November 2007 }}</ref> [[Hollinwood, Greater Manchester|Hollinwood]],<ref name="Hollinwood ward">{{citation |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663112296&a=7&b=5941618&c=hollinwood&d=14&e=16&g=352470&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1192663112296&enc=1 |title=Hollinwood (Ward) |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=18 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114225709/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663112296&a=7&b=5941618&c=hollinwood&d=14&e=16&g=352470&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1192663112296&enc=1 |archive-date=14 November 2007 }}</ref> St. James,<ref name="James ward">{{citation |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663188125&a=7&b=5941612&c=st.+james&d=14&e=15&g=352697&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663188125&enc=1 |title=St. James (Ward) |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=18 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114225718/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663188125&a=7&b=5941612&c=st.+james&d=14&e=15&g=352697&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663188125&enc=1 |archive-date=14 November 2007 }}</ref> St. Marys,<ref name="Mary ward">{{citation |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663247234&a=7&b=5941611&c=St.+Marys&d=14&e=15&g=352729&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663247234&enc=1 |title=St. Marys (Ward) |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=18 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114225720/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663247234&a=7&b=5941611&c=St.+Marys&d=14&e=15&g=352729&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663247234&enc=1 |archive-date=14 November 2007 }}</ref> St. Pauls,<ref name="Paul ward">{{citation |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663302171&a=7&b=5941610&c=st.+pauls&d=14&e=15&g=352761&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663302171&enc=1 |title=St. Pauls (Ward) |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=18 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114225728/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663302171&a=7&b=5941610&c=st.+pauls&d=14&e=15&g=352761&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663302171&enc=1 |archive-date=14 November 2007 }}</ref> [[Waterhead, Greater Manchester|Waterhead]]<ref name="Waterhead ward">{{citation |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663365703&a=7&b=5941608&c=waterhead&d=14&e=16&g=352832&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663365703&enc=1 |title=Waterhead (Ward) |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=18 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114225740/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663365703&a=7&b=5941608&c=waterhead&d=14&e=16&g=352832&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663365703&enc=1 |archive-date=14 November 2007 }}</ref> and [[Werneth, Greater Manchester|Werneth]],<ref name="Werneth ward">{{citation |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663404140&a=7&b=5941607&c=werneth&d=14&e=15&g=352876&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663404140&enc=1 |title=Werneth (Ward) |author=United Kingdom Census 2001 |publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |access-date=18 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114225749/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadPage.do?pageId=1003&tc=1192663404140&a=7&b=5941607&c=werneth&d=14&e=15&g=352876&i=1001x1003x1004x1011&m=0&r=1&s=1192663404140&enc=1 |archive-date=14 November 2007 }}</ref> has an average age of 33.5, and compared against the average [[demographics of the United Kingdom]], has a high level of people of [[South Asian]] heritage, particularly those with roots in [[Pakistan]] and [[Bangladesh]]. Due to the town's prevalence as an industrial centre and thus a hub for employment, Oldham attracted migrant workers throughout its history, including those from wider-England, Scotland, Ireland and Poland.<ref name="Oldham People">{{citation|title=Oldham & its People|last=Millett|first=Freda|year=1994|publisher=Oldham Leisure Services|isbn=0-902809-31-8}}</ref>

During the 1950s and 1960s, in an attempt to fill the shortfall of workers and revitalise local industries, citizens of the wider [[Commonwealth of Nations]] were encouraged to [[Immigration to the United Kingdom (1922-present day)|migrate to Oldham and other British towns]].<ref name="Oldham People" /> Many came from the [[Caribbean]] and [[Indian subcontinent]] and settled throughout the Oldham borough.<ref name="Oldham People" />

Today, Oldham has large communities with heritage from [[Pakistan]], [[India]], [[Bangladesh]] and parts of the Caribbean.<ref name="Oldham People" /> At the time of the 2001 census, over one in four of its residents identified themselves as from a South Asian or [[British Asian]] ethnic group. Cultural divisions along ethnic backgrounds are strong within the town,<ref name="Oldham Beyond" /> with poor cross-community integration and cohesion along Asian and white backgrounds.<ref name="Oldham Beyond" />

With only a small local population during medieval times, as a result of the introduction of industry, mass migration of village workers into Oldham occurred,{{sfnp|Bateson|1949|p=|ps=}} resulting in a population change from under 2,000 in 1714{{sfnp|Butterworth|1981|p=|ps=}}<ref name="Parish Church1" /> to 12,000 in 1801 to 137,000 in 1901{{sfnp|McNeil|Nevell|2000|p=|ps=}} In 1851 its population of 52,820 made Oldham the 12th most populous town in England.<ref name="Oldham 1907" /> The following is a table outlining the population change of the town since 1801, which demonstrates a trend of rapid population growth in the 19th century and, after peaking at 147,483 people in 1911, a trend of general decline in population size during the 20th century.
{{clear}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Population of Oldham
|-
! Year
! 1801
! 1811
! 1821
! 1831
! 1841
! 1851
! 1861
! 1871
! 1881
! 1891
|- style="text-align: center;"
! Population
| 12,024
| 16,690
| 21,662
| 32,381
| 42,595
| 52,820
| 72,333
| 82,629
| 111,349
| 131,463
|-
! Year
! 1901
! 1911
! 1921
! 1931
! 1939
! 1951
! 1961
! 1971
! 1981
! 1991
|- style="text-align: center;"
! Population
| 137,246
| 147,483
| 144,983
| 140,314
| 120,511
| 121,266
| 115,346
| 105,922
| 107,830
| 103,931
|-
! Year
! 2001
! 2011
! 2021
| colspan=8 rowspan=2 | '''Sources:''' [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10186778&c_id=10001043&add=N A Vision of Britain through Time]{{sfnp|Bateson|1949|p=232|ps=}}
|- style="text-align: center;"
! Population
| 103,544
| 96,555
| 110,718
|}

In 2011, 77.5% of the Oldham metropolitan borough population were White British, 18.1% Asian and 1.2% Black. While in the town of Oldham, which had a 2011 population of 96,555, 55.4% of the population were White British, 37.6% Asian and 2% Black.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vaoldham.org.uk/sites/vaoldham.org.uk/files/Census%202011%20key%20stats%20briefing%2014%20Dec%2012.pdf |title=2011 Census: Key statistics for Oldham |access-date=19 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402092922/http://www.vaoldham.org.uk/sites/vaoldham.org.uk/files/Census%202011%20key%20stats%20briefing%2014%20Dec%2012.pdf |archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks201ew|title=KS201EW (Ethnic group) – Nomis – Official Labour Market Statistics|website=www.nomisweb.co.uk|access-date=4 April 2016|archive-date=22 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022095240/https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks201ew|url-status=live}}</ref>