NEW data has revealed that Appleton has fallen short of the national rate of employment.

The figures come from the Office for National Statistics, and have been taken from the most recent census, which took place in 2021.

According to the ONS, the national average rate of employment across England and Wales is 57 per cent of working-age adults - those being over-16s.

Warrington Guardian: The ONS recorded 10,600 residents across 4,300 households in AppletonThe ONS recorded 10,600 residents across 4,300 households in Appleton (Image: ONS)

However, Appleton falls short of this average, with an employment rate of 56 per cent - whereas areas such as Latchford, Stockton Heath, and Great Sankey all boast above-average rates of more than 60 per cent.

This is just part of the story, however, as Appleton has one of the lowest rates of unemployment in Warrington - with a rate of 1.8 per cent.

Furthermore, the ONS says that the percentage of over-16s in Appleton who are 'economically inactive' sits at 42.3 per cent, meaning that there is a significant portion of residents in the area who are either retired or unable to work.

Although Appleton has a lower rate of employment than some areas in Warrington, it boasts one of the highest rates of education in the town.

Almost half of the over-16s in Appleton have a Level 4 qualification or above, which includes qualifications such as a certificate of higher education, a higher apprenticeship, or a higher national certificate.

This means that 48.4 per cent of working-age residents in Appleton have a Level 4 degree or higher.

In a sign of changing times, almost the same amount of employed residents reported that they now spend the majority of their working lives working from home - with 46.8 per cent saying this is their current means of working.

That equates to around 2,345 working people across Appleton.

The ONS figures also measure deprivation rates, looking at employment status, health, education, and housing.

According to the most recently available data, 38.7 per cent of homes in Appleton are 'deprived' in one or more aspects.

Furthermore, almost one-tenth of homes in the area rely entirely on public transport networks in Warrington, with 8.5 per cent of households saying they do not have any vehicles associated.

All data has been taken from the census 2021 results, according to the Office for National Statistics.