Area360 logo

Find postcode

Central

Interactive map displaying Central

About

Central ward encompasses Bristol's historic core, anchored by the Castle Park area on the east bank of the Floating Harbour. The district includes the ruins of St Peter's Church and the remains of Bristol Castle, with modern retail and office developments surrounding these green spaces. The ward's western boundary is defined by the harbour itself, creating a distinct edge.

A key feature is the extensive network of underground vaults and chambers from the medieval city, accessible in places like the Christmas Steps. The area contains the central shopping districts of Broadmead and The Horsefair, alongside the main bus station. It functions primarily as the city's commercial and transport hub, with a limited residential population concentrated in a few pockets.

Area overview

On average Central has average deprivation and high crime levels, with around 584 crimes per 1,000 residents per year, roughly 6.8× the South West average of 85 per 1,000. Approximately 13.2% of homes in this area are social housing provided by a local council or housing association. The average income per household in Central is £62,846 per year. There are 2 schools in Central: 1 primary (0 Outstanding and 0 Good) and 1 secondary (1 Outstanding and 0 Good). Central is home to around 18,390 people, with a population density of about 8,241.5 per km².

Crime rate
8/10
Crimes per 1k residents
584
Deprivation level
6/10
Income level
9/10
Social housing
13.2%
Connectivity
N/A

Area Profile

Central Population
18,390
Population density
8,241.5 per km²

Crime

Crime per 1,000 population

Violence and sexual offences
227.46(+581%)
Anti-social behaviour
153.78(+931%)
Public order
97.17(+1386%)
Other theft
82.38(+1363%)
Shoplifting
71.34(+979%)
South West average

Demographics

Ethnic groups

British
9,424
51.24%
Other White
2,407
13.09%
Chinese
1,395
7.59%
African
1,231
6.69%
Indian
713
3.88%
Total population: 18,391

Economics

Education (age 16+)

Level 4 qualifications or above
7,335
42.56%
Level 3 (A level)
6,906
40.07%
No qualifications
970
5.63%
Level 2 (GCSEs 9-4)
919
5.33%
Level 1 (GCSEs 3-1)
541
3.14%
Total 16+ residents: 17,233

Housing

Housing tenure

Private landlord or letting agency
3,546
54.65%
Social rents from council
914
14.09%
Owns with a mortgage
714
11%
Owns outright
552
8.51%
Other social rented
429
6.61%
Total households: 6,488

Property prices in Central

Median price£275,000
Price per sq ft£447
Sales (last 12 months)125
Typical range (middle 50%)£215K – £370K

Based on 125 recent sales, the median property price is £275,000 (about £447 per square foot) in Central area, with individual transactions ranging from £105,000 up to £850,000.

Prices by property typelast 12 months

Median sale price, median price per square foot, sales count, and percentile information for each property type in Central over the last year.
TypeSalesMedian£/sq ft
Detached1£665,000£547
Terraced4£585,000£515
Flats120£269,500£435

10-year price trendmedian sale price in Central

Sale price

Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in Central.
YearFlatsTerraced
2016£260,000£496,500
2017£252,000£560,000
2018£250,000£730,000
2019£280,000£610,000
2020£295,000
2021£295,000£610,000
2022£251,500£457,500
2023£272,500£805,555
2024£290,000£827,000
2025£275,000£475,000
2026£270,000£695,000
Ten year median sale price trend for each property type in Central.

Price per sq ft

Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in Central.
YearFlatsTerraced
2016£400£304
2017£437£430
2018£431£501
2019£449£457
2020£449
2021£471£373
2022£484£600
2023£455£417
2024£463£488
2025£456£329
2026£431£551
Ten year median sale price per square foot trend for each property type in Central.

Price distribution by property typelast 12 months

Price distribution by property type for Central in the last year.

Data Sources

All data is sourced from official UK government agencies and public datasets. Last updated: 16/07/2026. Read more about how our statistics are calculated.