Cowdray Avenue is in Colchester and in Colchester district. CO1 1YA is located in the Castle electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Colchester. This postcode has been in use since 1980-01-01.
StreetScan combines information about Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, CO1 1YA and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: CO4 0AP, CO4 0AS, CO1 1QG, CO4 0AR, CO4 0AZ, CO1 1XZ, CO1 1QJ, CO4 0AT, CO4 4AT.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. However, the area surrounding CO1 1YA, has a female population slightly higher than UK average, with 53.7% of residents being female. Several factors can contribute to this. Women generally live longer than men, resulting in a higher proportion of women in neighborhoods with significant elderly populations. Typically, as people grow older, they tend to relocate from city center addresses to suburban areas, smaller towns, and rural locations. Consequently, these areas often have a higher number of females. A higher female population can also be found in areas with industries that employ more women, such as healthcare, education, and retail.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 48.7% | 53.7% | 5.0% | 51.0% | 2.7% |
| Male | 51.3% | 46.3% | -5.0% | 49.0% | -2.7% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 30.1% | 34.3% | 4.2% | 37.9% | -3.6% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 54.3% | 50.5% | -3.8% | 44.2% | 6.3% |
| Married: Same sex | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| Separated | 1.2% | 1.8% | 0.6% | 2.2% | -0.4% |
| Divorced | 8.1% | 6.7% | -1.4% | 9.1% | -2.4% |
| Widowed | 5.9% | 6.7% | 0.8% | 6.1% | 0.6% |
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 | 52.8% | 46.3% | -6.5% | 48.4% | -2.1% |
| Good health | 34.1% | 38.1% | 4.0% | 33.6% | 4.5% |
| Fair health | 9.8% | 11.8% | 2.0% | 12.7% | -0.9% |
| Bad health | 2.8% | 3.3% | 0.5% | 4.0% | -0.7% |
| Very bad health | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 1.2% | -0.7% |
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 | 20.2% | 14.1% | -6.1% | 18.2% | -4.1% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 14.6% | 12.2% | -2.4% | 9.6% | 2.6% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 16.8% | 18% | 1.2% | 13.4% | 4.6% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.4% | 4.3% | 0.9% | 5.3% | -1.0% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 15.5% | 17.7% | 2.2% | 16.9% | 0.8% |
| Degree or Similar | 27% | 31.5% | 4.5% | 33.8% | -2.3% |
| Other | 2.5% | 2.1% | -0.4% | 2.8% | -0.7% |
This area closely mirrors the overall ethnic composition of the UK, with 77.6% of the population identifying as white, with UK average of 81.4%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 1.3% | 8.1% | 6.8% | 1.1% | 7.0% |
| Chinese | 0% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 0.7% | 1.6% |
| Indian | 0.8% | 2.8% | 2.0% | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| Pakistani | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 2.7% | -1.9% |
| Other Asian | 3.5% | 2% | -1.5% | 1.6% | 0.4% |
| Black African | 0% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 2.5% | -1.7% |
| Black Caribbean | 0% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Other Black | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.5% | -0.2% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.8% | 1.3% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Mixed White and African | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 0.3% | 1% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.1% |
| Mixed Other | 1.5% | 0.5% | -1.0% | 0.8% | -0.3% |
| White | 87.1% | 77.6% | -9.5% | 81.4% | -3.8% |
| Arab | 1% | 0% | -1.0% | 0.6% | -0.6% |
| Other | 2.5% | 1.3% | -1.2% | 1.6% | -0.3% |
In this area, 82.7% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is similar to the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 85.6% | 82.7% | -2.9% | 83.2% | -0.5% |
| European Union | 4% | 3.8% | -0.2% | 6.1% | -2.3% |
| Rest of Europe | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Africa | 3.3% | 2% | -1.3% | 2.7% | -0.7% |
| Middle East and Asia | 5.3% | 9.9% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 4.3% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1.3% | -0.8% |
| Oceania | 1% | 0.3% | -0.7% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| British Overseas | 0.3% | 0% | -0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 85.1% | 82.7% | -2.4% | 83.2% | -0.5% |
| 10+ Years | 0.3% | 11.4% | 11.1% | 9.8% | 1.6% |
| 5-10 Years | 4% | 1.8% | -2.2% | 2.9% | -1.1% |
| 2-5 Years | 3.3% | 2.3% | -1.0% | 2.2% | 0.1% |
| Less than 2 years | 7.3% | 1.8% | -5.5% | 1.9% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 82.7% | 76.7% | 6.0% |
| Ireland | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.3% |
| France | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Germany | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Italy | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.1% |
| Romania | 0.8% | 0.9% | -0.1% |
| Other EU countries | 0.5% | 1.5% | -1.0% |
| Turkey | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Eastern Asia | 1% | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Southern Asia | 2.5% | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| No passport held | 10.4% | 13.5% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 36.6% | 37.2% | -0.6% |
| Christian | 43.3% | 46.2% | -2.9% |
| Buddhist | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2% |
| Hindu | 1.5% | 1.7% | -0.2% |
| Muslim | 9.9% | 6.5% | 3.4% |
| Other religion | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Not answered | 7.1% | 6.0% | 1.1% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Cowdray Avenue was 81.8 per 1,000 residents, which is 73.8% lower than the Castle average. The most reported crime type was Shoplifting.
Cowdray Avenue has the 11th lowest crime rate of 41 local areas in Castle and the 214th highest crime rate of 615 local areas in Colchester .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 7.7 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been falling year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has risen by about 14.5%.

Households in this area have a similar level level of wealth to the average household in England and Wales. 56% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 350 Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, Essex Terraced, an established residential building | £270,000 | 2023-09-01 | £273,675 |
| 320 Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, Essex Terraced, an established residential building | £305,000 | 2023-08-31 | £311,435 |
| 348 Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, Essex Terraced, an established residential building | £280,000 | 2023-08-25 | £285,907 |
| 302 Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, Essex Terraced, an established residential building | £310,000 | 2023-06-02 | £315,542 |
| 312 Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, Essex Terraced, an established residential building | £322,000 | 2022-09-23 | £317,409 |
| Full-Time Employee | 112 |
| Retired | 82 |
| Part-Time Employee | 40 |
| Self-Employed | 34 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 14 |
| Looking after home or family | 14 |
| Unemployed | 12 |
| Other | 7 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 7 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 7 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 32 |
| Human health and social work activities | 27 |
| Education | 27 |
| Construction | 24 |
| Information and communication | 13 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 13 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 12 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 11 |
| Manufacturing | 9 |
| Transport and storage | 9 |
| Other | 8 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 8 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 6 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 1 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St James' Church of England Primary School Guildford Road , CO1 2RA | 1out of 4 | 580 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery Barnardiston Road , CO4 0DT | 3out of 4 | 836 yd | Academy sponsor led | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester Priory Street , CO1 2QB | 4out of 4 | 973 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Friars Grove Primary School Upland Drive , CO4 0PZ | 3out of 4 | 1,242 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| North Primary School and Nursery John Harper Street , CO1 1RP | 3out of 4 | 1,391 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Helena School Sheepen Road , CO3 3LE | 3out of 4 | 1,850 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Colchester Academy Hawthorn Avenue , CO4 3JL | 3out of 4 | 1,960 yd | Academy sponsor led | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Colchester Royal Grammar School Lexden Road , CO3 3ND | 4out of 4 | 2,302 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Boys | More About School |
| The Gilberd School Brinkley Lane , CO4 9PU | 4out of 4 | 2,324 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| The Trinity School Brinkley Lane , CO4 9PU | - not rated | 2,360 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Sixth Form College Colchester North Hill , CO1 1SN | - not rated | 1,541 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Colchester Institute Sheepen Road , CO3 3LL | - not rated | 1,875 yd | Further education | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colchester High School Wellesley Road , CO3 3HD | - not rated | 2,099 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Oxford House School 2 Lexden Road , CO3 3NE | - not rated | 2,216 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| North East Essex Co-operative Academy Turner Road , Mile End CO4 5LB | 3out of 4 | 2,271 yd | Academy alternative provision converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Kingswode Hoe School Sussex Road , CO3 3QJ | 3out of 4 | 2,527 yd | Academy special converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St Mary's School for Girls 91 Lexden Road , CO3 3RB | - not rated | 2,782 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Girls | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colchester Leisure World | Cowdray Avenue, Colchester | 186 yd | |
| Tenpin | Cowdray Avenue, Colchester | 186 yd | |
| The Old Siege House Bar & Brasserie | The Old Siege House, 75 East Street | 729 yd | |
| Charlie's Bar | 24 East Street, Colchester | 755 yd | |
| Colchester Climbing Project | Unit B, 4 Moorside | 819 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goat & Boot | The Goat And Boot, 70 East Hill | 789 yd | |
| The Foresters Arms | Forresters Arms, 1-2 Castle Road | 887 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frydays Fish & Chips | 116 Ipswich Road, Colchester | 266 yd | |
| Rice 'n' Spice | 59 East Street, Colchester | 738 yd | |
| Feel Local Food and Wine ltd | 57 East Street, Colchester | 739 yd | |
| Happy Wok | 25 East Street, Colchester | 756 yd | |
| Beijing Cantonese Take Away | 1 Greenstead Road, Colchester | 837 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Crossfit Colchester (Closed) Unit D8 Unit D8 Cowdray Avenue | health and fitness suite | 678 yd |
| St James C Of E Primary School GUILDFORD ROAD | grass pitches | 690 yd |
| Willow Brook Primary School BARNARDISTON ROAD | grass pitches | 715 yd |
| Colchester Leisure World COWDRAY AVENUE | artificial grass pitch, health and fitness suite, squash courts, swimming pool | 721 yd |
| Colchester And East Essex Cricket Club Catchpool Road | grass pitches | 982 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 | 100 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 171 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 10 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 14.6 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 50 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.