Downley’s story
15 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Downley’s built-up area.
16% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
DownleyBuckinghamshire
2,655 people live in this town in Buckinghamshire, South East. Secondary school results beat 100% of towns in England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,655
Census 2021 · Buckinghamshire council
Median home
£475K
81 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.7
20% are 65+ · Buckinghamshire 17%
Degree level
41%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
A
#15 of 39 in Buckinghamshire
Is Downley a good place to live?
Downley’s best grade is for jobs & income — the mean household earns £64,500 a year. The town’s overall grade of A puts it better than 85% of UK towns, #15 of 39 in Buckinghamshire. Crime is low (A−): police record 15.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 6.3 home and vehicle crimes. Housing is expensive (C+): a typical home costs £475,000 and rent runs £1,475 a month. The rest of its grades are middling: B− for health and B− for walkability.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021.
What makes Downley stand out
The 3 things Downley does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
43% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Secondary results, towns in England
Schools
Secondary results beat 100%
of towns in England, on GCSE results (Attainment 8, English and maths)
Primary results beat 39%. Department for Education.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 2.3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
How Downley grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Downley is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyAhead of most towns comparedA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 39% of towns in England; secondary results beat 100% of towns in EnglandB+Open →Cost of livingMedian sale £475,000, 6.8 years of area incomeC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.4 for men, 82.1 for womenB−Open →WalkabilityAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageB−Open →Outdoors76% live within 400 m of a park; 71% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA+Open →Civic life4.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →West Wycombe House and 13 more in and around Downley
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Downley. Best known first.
Historic house · National TrustWest Wycombe House1.1 km outside town, to the west
Historic house · National TrustHughenden Manor700 m outside town, to the east
MuseumWycombe Museum2.3 km outside town, to the southeast
AttractionThe Hellfire Caves1 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumChair Making Museum1 km outside town, to the southPark or estatePark or estate · National TrustHughenden Park900 m outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- West Wycombe House: Original author was Giano, converted to PNG format by PNG crusade bot at en.wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hughenden Manor: Francis Orpen Morris, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Wycombe Museum: Sebastian Ballard, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Hellfire Caves: Stefan Wolmarans, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Downley.
Safety
Downley has less crime per resident than 84% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people
Police recorded 111 crimes inside Downley’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 12 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 35% of the crimes. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 5.2 reports per 1,000, above Buckinghamshire’s towns (4) but below England’s towns (7.8).
15.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 84% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual39
Shoplifting28
Public order15
Damage & arson10
Other theft6
Robbery6
Burglary3
Drugs1
Anti-social12
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
15.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
111
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
SchoolsB+
Exam results at Downley’s schools top 74% of towns in England
Attainment 8 at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km averages 73, and 96% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths. The Downley School’s results beat 75% of schools in England like it. There is one school here; it is shown below. Nearly three in five pupils at the 13 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
B+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Downley SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 350 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade C+
More households own their home in Downley than in Buckinghamshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 83%
Council and housing-body homes hold 6% of households. 11% rent privately, below Buckinghamshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. Half of the 81 standard sales inside Downley’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £475,000.
£475Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Downley£475K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £637,500 | 28 |
| Semi-detached | £450,000 | 31 |
| Terraced | £418,000 | 17 |
| Flat or maisonette | £270,000 | 5 |
83%
of households own their home · England 61%
11%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,475
average private rent a month, Buckinghamshire council area
£2,481
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
Fewer people in Downley live with a disability than in Buckinghamshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 13%
Men in Downley can expect to live to 79.4, women to 82.1 (2019–23). Asked at the census, 87% of residents of Downley said they were in good or very good health. Also worth knowing: the nearest A&E to Downley is Stoke Mandeville Hospital, 10.5 miles away.
87%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Downley | Buckinghamshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 86% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.8% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
79.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Fewer commuters in Downley walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Buckinghamshire’s towns or England’s towns: 13%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 42% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
42% of workers worked mainly from home, above Buckinghamshire’s towns (39%) and England’s towns (31%) alike. For every resident in work, Downley has 0.5 jobs. In 2026, 2.1% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot7%
Train3%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
43%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
42%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£65K
mean household income, before tax
2.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 47% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Downley’s heritage list runs to 15 buildings
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Conservation areas cover a fifth of Downley’s land, above Buckinghamshire’s towns (8%) and England’s towns (7%) alike. 16% of homes date from before 1919. This Buckinghamshire town has 57 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents.
15listed buildingsB−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II15
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
16%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
56
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Few people in Downley are 15 to 24: 9.4%, fewer than in Buckinghamshire’s towns and England’s towns
Just over two in five adults hold a degree, above Buckinghamshire’s towns (39%) and England’s towns (34%) alike. Retirement age and beyond: a fifth of residents are 65 or older. Downley has a median age of 43.7.
43.7median age
DownleyBuckinghamshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
20%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level41%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 91 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Downley | Buckinghamshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.4% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 20% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 15% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.9% | 4.8% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 41% | 39% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Buckinghamshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Downley
14pages on Downley
The big questions
SafetyA−15.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £475K · rent £1,475 a monthHousing24 sold in 12 months · busiest street Littleworth RoadSchoolsB+1 state schoolHealthB−Life expectancy 79.4 (men), 82.1 (women)Work & commuteA56% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Downley’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
High WycombeWalter's Ash and NaphillHughenden ValleyGreat KingshillLane EndHazlemereLacey Green and Loosley RowDownley
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downley | 2,655 | — | A | C+ | A− | B− |
| High Wycombe | 83,541 | 1.6 | B− | B+ | D | C+ |
| Walter's Ash and Naphill | 3,893 | 1.7 | A+ | C | A+ | A+ |
| Hughenden Valley | 1,814 | 1.8 | — | C− | A+ | A+ |
| Great Kingshill | 1,669 | 2.8 | — | C− | A+ | A+ |
| Lane End | 3,446 | 2.9 | C+ | B− | B | C+ |
| Hazlemere | 20,006 | 2.9 | A | C | A− | A+ |
| Lacey Green and Loosley Row | 1,135 | 3.7 | — | C | A+ | A |
Hughenden Valley, Great Kingshill and Lacey Green and Loosley Row have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Downley
How many listed buildings are there in Downley?
That is 2.3 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Downley expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £475,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £270,000, terraced houses £418,000, semi-detached houses £450,000 and detached houses £637,500.
About Downley
Town in Buckinghamshire, England
Downley is a built-up area of 2,655 people, in the Buckinghamshire council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 2,655 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Buckinghamshire
- County
- Buckinghamshire
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004698
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.