Wakefield is one of the largest metropolitan authorities in England. It has a high proportion of rural areas and former mining villages, together with a number of larger towns and the city of Wakefield itself.

The Wakefield District resident population, as measured in the mid-2005 population estimates, stood at 320,600. Approximately 3% of the population is from minority ethnic groups, the largest of which is Pakistani. According to the 2005 estimates, 22% of the resident population are aged under 18, 62% are of working age and 18% are over retirement age. The area has undergone major social and economic change over the last 25 years. The loss of traditional industries in mining and manufacturing, with associated areas of derelict land, has had a severe impact on local communities. Wakefield’s industrial heritage has also resulted in a legacy of poor health. Major regeneration schemes are in progress in the priority areas of Wakefield City, the Five Towns and the South East of the District.

Whilst overall levels of deprivation match the national average, there is wide variation across the wards of the authority; 62% of wards are in the 25% most deprived nationally.  Wakefield is the 11th most deprived area in the country in terms of employment and the 29th in terms of income; 6.6% of households consist of lone parents; 22.4% of people have a life-limiting condition compared to 17.9% nationally; 29% of 16-24 year olds are unemployed compared to 25.7 nationally.  The overall proportion of pupils in secondary schools entitled to free school meals is broadly in line with the national average.

Manufacturing, though on the decline, still accounts for 18% of employment; with 22% in wholesale and retail and 26% in public administration education and health (2001 Census).  The West Yorkshire Employer Survey of 2001 identified skills shortages in the construction trades, agriculture and manufacturing , computing, business and finance and, to a lesser extent, public administration and health,  The same survey noted ‘hard to fill ‘ vacancies, particularly in craft occupations and professional occupation, with a lack of technical and practical skills most commonly identified as the cause.

The percentage of students aged 16 in Wakefield achieving five or more A* to C grades at GCSE or the equivalent was well below the national average, at 45.6%, in 2002.  Although it has since shown significant improvement to be one of the better performers in the sub-region for GCSE/GNVQ level attainment, at (57.8%) (2006 figures). Achievement at A/AS Level (74.4 points) was the second best in West Yorkshire but stands below the national average point score per entry of 75.8 points. [DfES] Participation levels in post-16 education and training are low and have remained so for several years. 79% of Wakefield's Year 11 leavers stay on in learning compared with the 83.3% average for West Yorkshire.

The percentage of pupils with statements of special educational need (SEN) in secondary schools is in line with national averages. Ofsted inspection evidence shows that the proportion of secondary schools judged to be good or very good is well above average. Although, as a result of national funding methodology, the authority is one of the least well funded in respect of its Education functions.
Wakefield has the highest proportion of the population aged 16 to 74 in West Yorkshire that have no qualifications (39%) compared with the sub-regional figure of 33.5%. [2001 Census] 27% of the population have a basic skill need in literacy and a slightly higher figure (29%) have a need to improve their numeracy skills, both figures are higher than the national averages at 24%. [Basic Skills Agency] 70% of the employed workforce has participated in learning over the past 12 months; this is the same as West Yorkshire.

There are 18 maintained secondary schools in the district, five of which have sixth forms, and 5 independent schools of which 4 have sixth forms.  In addition, four specialist schools and a pupil referral unit serve the needs of pupils with special educational needs, with two making provision for pupils over the age of 16.  There are two colleges – Wakefield College, a general FE college with three main sites (one in Castleford and two in Wakefield); and NEW College, Pontefract, a sixth form college. The Castleford site of Wakefield College is to be replaced in 2009 by a new facility at Glasshoughton, to be called the Skills Xchange and specialising in the delivery of skills.  The two Wakefield sites will also be replaced by a new building in Wakefield in 2012.

In addition, there are about 30 providers of work-based learning delivering training to Wakefield residents, although many are based outside the district.