Balsham’s story
31 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Balsham’s built-up area.
21% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BalshamCambridgeshire
With 1,625 residents, it is a village in Cambridgeshire, East of England. Over-65s are 28% of the population.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,625
Census 2021 · South Cambridgeshire council
Median home
£410K
49 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.7
28% are 65+ · Cambridgeshire 17%
Degree level
42%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Balsham a good place to live?
Balsham’s strongest subject is health (A+) — life expectancy is 83.5 for men and 86.1 for women. It is strong on safety as well — police record 13.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 5.3 home and vehicle crimes. Most journeys need a car: just over one in ten commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. A median £410,000 buys a home here, 5.7 times what households in the South Cambridgeshire council area earn in a year. Its other grades sit near the middle: B for schools and B− for hazard risk.
Figures: life expectancy and incomes, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Balsham has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Balsham stand out
The 3 things Balsham does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of Holy Trinity; 7.8 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
28% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Balsham grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Balsham is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Balsham has subject grades but no overall one.
HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedA+Open →SafetyAmong the best of the towns comparedAOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carCOpen →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsB+Open →Jobs & income2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 59% of towns in EnglandBOpen →Hazard risk0.3% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History21% of homes built before 1919A−Open →Outdoors57% live within 400 m of a park; 1.7 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsDOpen →Civic life4.3 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Balsham.
Health
Lifespans in Balsham run longer than in 91% of UK towns
The nearest A&E to Balsham is Addenbrooke's and the Rosie Hospitals, 8.1 miles away. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 2.6% of the town. Seeing a GP means leaving Balsham: the nearest practice is 6 miles away. Self-reported good health: 86% of the town’s residents.
86%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Balsham | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.6% | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
83.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
SchoolsB
Exam results at Balsham’s schools top 61% of towns in England
The one school in town appears below. 63% of pupils at the one primary school within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its one primary school teaches 211 pupils.
BSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 211 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Who lives here
Older residents shape Balsham: 28% are 65 or over, above Cambridgeshire’s towns and England’s towns
Young adults of 15 to 24 are 9% of residents, below Cambridgeshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. The median resident of Balsham is 50.7 years old. Just over two in five adults hold a degree.
50.7median age
BalshamCambridgeshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level42%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 89 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Balsham | Cambridgeshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 28% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.6% | 5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 42% | 37% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Cambridgeshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Safety
Balsham records less crime per resident than 86% of UK towns
Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 4.3 reports per 1,000, lower than both Cambridgeshire’s towns (9.3) and England’s towns (7.8). Over the year to August 2026, 46 offences were reported in Balsham, along with 5 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 59% of recorded crime.
13.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 73% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual27
Drugs6
Other theft5
Public order2
Vehicle crime2
Other crime2
Damage & arson1
Burglary1
Anti-social5
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.
13.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
46
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.
History
Balsham is rich in listed buildings: 191 per 10,000 residents, more than Cambridgeshire’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them. Balsham’s listed buildings include the Church of Holy Trinity, Grade I. It has 31 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade I. Of the town’s land, 38% lies in conservation areas, above both Cambridgeshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (7%).
31listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II30
Among them · Grade I
- Church of Holy Trinity Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
21%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
191
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Fewer commuters in Balsham work nearby than in Cambridgeshire’s towns or England’s towns: 13% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 37% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Household income averages £72K a year before tax. Balsham counts 0.3 jobs per working resident.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot6%
Bicycle3%
Bus1%
Train1%
13%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
37%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£72K
mean household income, before tax
2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 30% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B+
Few households rent privately in Balsham: 6%, fewer than in Cambridgeshire’s towns and England’s towns
The owner-occupied share of households is 71%. Half of the 49 standard sales inside Balsham’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £410,000. Private rents average £1,408 a month across the South Cambridgeshire council area.
£410Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Balsham£410K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £505,000 | 20 |
| Semi-detached | £385,000 | 26 |
71%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,408
average private rent a month, South Cambridgeshire council area
£2,511
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Balsham
14pages on Balsham
The big questions
SafetyA13.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £410K · rent £1,408 a monthHousing19 sold in 12 months · busiest street High StreetSchoolsB1 state schoolHealthA+Life expectancy 83.5 (men), 86.1 (women)Work & commuteB+52% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.3% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Balsham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
LintonFulbournHaverhillSawstonGreat ChesterfordBottishamDuxfordBalsham
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balsham | 1,625 | — | — | B+ | A | A+ |
| Linton | 4,452 | 2.6 | A+ | B+ | B | A |
| Fulbourn | 3,737 | 5.6 | A | B− | B | B |
| Haverhill | 26,704 | 5.9 | C− | B− | C− | C+ |
| Sawston | 7,270 | 6.2 | A− | B+ | B | B− |
| Great Chesterford | 1,775 | 6.8 | — | B | A− | A+ |
| Bottisham | 1,990 | 6.8 | — | B− | A− | B |
| Duxford | 2,216 | 7.3 | — | B− | A | A+ |
Great Chesterford, Bottisham and Duxford have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Balsham
How many listed buildings are there in Balsham?
That is 7.8 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of Holy Trinity.
Is Balsham expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £410,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £385,000 and detached houses £505,000. Household incomes are higher than in 92% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades B+.
About Balsham
Village in Cambridgeshire, England
Balsham is a built-up area of 1,625 people, in the South Cambridgeshire 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
- 1,625 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Cambridgeshire
- County
- Cambridgeshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003585
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.