Hill Farm Cottages is in Shalford, Braintree and in Braintree district. CM7 5HQ is located in the Three Fields electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Braintree. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about Hill Farm Cottages, Shalford, Braintree, CM7 5HQ and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around CM7 5HQ is generally consistent with those figures, having a male population of 48.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 49.4% | 51.8% | 2.4% | 51.0% | 0.8% |
| Male | 50.6% | 48.2% | -2.4% | 49.0% | -0.8% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
In the immediate vicinity of CM7 5HQ there is a very large concentration of residents that are married - 58.9% of the resident population. In contrast, the average marriage rate across the census is about 44%.
Areas with a high percentage of married residents are typically suburban neighborhoods, towns with good schools and family-friendly amenities, and regions with affordable, spacious housing options. Additionally, such areas can be popular among retirees.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 23.3% | 23.8% | 0.5% | 37.9% | -14.1% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 56.8% | 58.9% | 2.1% | 44.2% | 14.7% |
| Married: Same sex | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Separated | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.0% | 2.2% | -0.9% |
| Divorced | 8.6% | 5.6% | -3.0% | 9.1% | -3.5% |
| Widowed | 10% | 10% | 0.0% | 6.1% | 3.9% |
Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.
Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 41.2% | 41.9% | 0.7% | 48.4% | -6.5% |
| Good health | 33.5% | 38.5% | 5.0% | 33.6% | 4.9% |
| Fair health | 20.1% | 13.9% | -6.2% | 12.7% | 1.2% |
| Bad health | 4% | 4.2% | 0.2% | 4.0% | 0.2% |
| Very bad health | 1.2% | 1.4% | 0.2% | 1.2% | 0.2% |
During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 24.3% | 17.4% | -6.9% | 18.2% | -0.8% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 16.3% | 12.8% | -3.5% | 9.6% | 3.2% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 15% | 14.3% | -0.7% | 13.4% | 0.9% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.3% | 7.8% | 2.5% | 5.3% | 2.5% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 12.6% | 15.6% | 3.0% | 16.9% | -1.3% |
| Degree or Similar | 24.6% | 27.7% | 3.1% | 33.8% | -6.1% |
| Other | 2% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 2.8% | 1.6% |
In this area, the population is predominantly white, with 98.6% identifying as such, significantly higher than the UK average of 81.4%. This indicates a lower level of ethnic diversity compared to the broader UK population.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed White and African | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| Mixed Other | 0% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| White | 100% | 98.6% | -1.4% | 81.4% | 17.2% |
| Other | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1.6% | -1.3% |
In this area, 96.6% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is higher than the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 97% | 96.6% | -0.4% | 83.2% | 13.4% |
| European Union | 1.5% | 1.7% | 0.2% | 6.1% | -4.4% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.8% | -0.2% |
| Middle East and Asia | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 5.6% | -5.6% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 1.3% | -0.7% |
| Oceania | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 96.6% | 96.3% | -0.3% | 83.2% | 13.1% |
| 10+ Years | 0.3% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 9.8% | -6.4% |
| 5-10 Years | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 2.9% | -2.6% |
| 2-5 Years | 0.6% | 0% | -0.6% | 2.2% | -2.2% |
| Less than 2 years | 2.1% | 0% | -2.1% | 1.9% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 85.3% | 76.7% | 8.6% |
| France | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| North America and the Caribbean | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Oceania | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| No passport held | 13.8% | 13.5% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 32.6% | 37.2% | -4.6% |
| Christian | 57.3% | 46.2% | 11.1% |
| Buddhist | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Muslim | 1.4% | 6.5% | -5.1% |
| Other religion | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| Not answered | 7% | 6.0% | 1.0% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Hill Farm Cottages was 49.0 per 1,000 residents, which is 35.6% higher than the Rayne average. The most reported crime type was Violence and sexual offences.
Hill Farm Cottages has the 7th highest crime rate of 20 local areas in Rayne and the 210th highest crime rate of 481 local areas in Braintree .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 28.8 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has risen by about 8.5%.

Households in this area have a slightly higher level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 66% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Hill Farm Cottages, Braintree, Essex Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £60,000 | 1998-04-03 | £316,875 |
CM7 5HQ area has a high level of entrepreneurship. Only 21% of streets have higher percent of entrepreneur residents. 12% of population in this area is self-employed, while the average in the UK is 9.7%. High number of entrepreneurs usually leads to relatively high economic growth, higher paid jobs and better quality of life in the area.
CM7 5HQ area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 1% residents of this area were unemployed, while the average in the UK was 4.83%. A low level of unemployment in an area indicates a strong job market, where most people who are seeking work can find employment. This generally reflects a healthy economy in the area.
The percentage of retired residents living in CM7 5HQ area is much higher than the country's average. According to Census 2011, 37% residents of this area were retired, while the average in the UK was 14%.
| Retired | 116 |
| Full-Time Employee | 90 |
| Part-Time Employee | 39 |
| Self-Employed | 39 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 11 |
| Looking after home or family | 7 |
| Other | 5 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 5 |
| Unemployed | 3 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 0 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 29 |
| Construction | 17 |
| Manufacturing | 16 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 15 |
| Education | 14 |
| Human health and social work activities | 12 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 10 |
| Other | 9 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 9 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 8 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 7 |
| Real estate activities | 6 |
| Transport and storage | 6 |
| Information and communication | 4 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 3 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shalford Primary School Church End , Shalford CM7 5EZ | 1out of 4 | 501 yd | Academy sponsor led | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Wethersfield CofE VC Primary School Silver St , Wethersfield CM7 4BP | 3out of 4 | 3,288 yd | Voluntary controlled school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Bocking Primary School Church Street , Bocking CM7 5LA | - not rated | 4,878 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Great Bardfield Primary School Braintree Road , Great Bardfield CM7 4RN | 3out of 4 | 5,371 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meet & Greet | Shalford Village Hall, Church End | 344 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| The George Inn Shalford Ltd | The Street, Shalford | 712 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Shalford Village Hall Playing Field 2 SUNNYSIDE 2 SUNNYSIDE CHURCH END | grass pitches, tennis courts | 441 yd |
| Shalford Primary School SHALFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL SHALFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL CHURCH END | grass pitches | 544 yd |
This statistics are based on Active Places Data - Contains Data © Sport England
| Percentage of premises that have Superfast Broadband (30Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (100Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 5Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 10Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 30Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Median download speed | 77.4 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 70 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 80 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 80 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 19.8 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 19 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 50 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.