Cambourne’s story
No listed buildings inside Cambourne’s built-up area
2% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CambourneCambridgeshire
This town in Cambridgeshire, East of England has a population of 11,071. Over-65s are only 5% of the population.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Hugh Venables · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
11,071
Census 2021 · South Cambridgeshire council
Median home
£388K
543 sales in 3 years
Median age
34.5
5% are 65+ · Cambridgeshire 17%
Degree level
53%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
17%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
A+
#11 of 50 in Cambridgeshire
Is Cambourne a good place to live?
School results are strong (A): primary results beat 85% of towns in England; secondary results beat 89% of towns in England. Buying the median home, at £387,500, takes 5.4 years of household income in the South Cambridgeshire council area. Residents are healthier than most (A): men here can expect to live to 80.4, women to 86. The overall grade comes out at A+, better than 95% of UK towns. In the ranking it comes #11 of 50 in Cambridgeshire. The rest of its grades are middling: B− for safety and B for hazard risk.
Figures: life expectancy and incomes, ONS · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · flood risk, Environment Agency.
What makes Cambourne stand out
The 3 things Cambourne does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
Only 5% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Household income, against UK towns
Work
Mean, before tax: higher than in 100% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (England’s towns 34%)
Cambridgeshire 37%.
How Cambourne grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Cambourne is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 85% of towns in England; secondary results beat 89% of towns in EnglandAOpen →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedAOpen →Jobs & income2.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →Cost of livingBetter than most of the towns comparedB+Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carB+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaBOpen →SafetyNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors91% live within 400 m of a park; 0.7 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB−Open →Civic life1.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 74% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cambourne.
History
Cambourne has fewer old homes than Cambridgeshire’s towns or England’s towns: 2% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Historic England’s list has no building inside Cambourne’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
2%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsA
On exam results, Cambourne’s schools beat 91% of towns in England
Some 1,992 pupils attend Cambourne’s one primary and one secondary. Its two schools are below. Secondary results at the one secondary school within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 53.7, with 59% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
ASchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Vine Inter-Church Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 366 | B− |
| Cambourne Village CollegeLargest secondary schoolSecondary | Secondary | 1,626 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
Who lives here
A town of families: 28% of people in Cambourne are under 15, more than in Cambridgeshire’s towns or England’s towns
People aged 15 to 24 are 11% of the population, and on top of that 5.4% of residents are 65 or over, below both Cambridgeshire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). The age that splits Cambourne in two is 34.5. Degrees are held by 53% of adults.
34.5median age
CambourneCambridgeshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
11%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications7%
Apprenticeship3%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level53%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Cambourne | Cambridgeshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 28% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 33% | 28% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 23% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 5.4% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 6.9% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.1% | 5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 53% | 37% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Cambridgeshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Health
91% of people in Cambourne say their health is good or very good, more than in Cambridgeshire’s towns or across England’s towns
Men in Cambourne can expect to live to 80.4, women to 86 (2019–23). At the census, 2.3% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, below Cambridgeshire’s towns (4.4%) and England’s towns (5.2%) alike. The nearest A&E to Cambourne is Addenbrooke's and the Rosie Hospitals, 9.1 miles away. One GP practice serves the town; 58% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.
91%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 91%Fair 7%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Cambourne | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 91% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.3% | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 11% | 16% | 17% |
80.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them, do allow for age.
HousingCost of living grade B+
Few households rent privately in Cambourne: 17%, fewer than in Cambridgeshire’s towns and England’s towns
The median sale, £387,500, comes from 543 standard sales inside Cambourne’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026. Private rents average £1,408 a month across the South Cambridgeshire council area. Owners make up 58% of households.
£388Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Cambourne£388K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £522,500 | 215 |
| Semi-detached | £380,000 | 116 |
| Terraced | £340,000 | 139 |
| Flat or maisonette | £200,000 | 73 |
58%
of households own their home · England 61%
17%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,408
average private rent a month, South Cambridgeshire council area
£2,728
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Households in Cambourne earn more than in Cambridgeshire’s towns or across England’s towns: £88K a year
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 40% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
At the census, 17% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, lower than both Cambridgeshire’s towns (25%) and England’s towns (27%); what’s more, for 18% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. About just over a tenth of its commuters stay in Cambourne for work. The car carried just over four in five commuters at the census.
17%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving81%
On foot7%
Bus5%
Bicycle4%
Train1%
18%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
40%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£88K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B+
Walkability: more walkable than 66% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Crime per resident in Cambourne is higher than in 52% of UK towns
The violent crime rate is 24.7 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 583 crimes inside Cambourne’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 103 reports of anti-social behaviour. Among the 645 UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people, Cambourne has less crime per resident than 78% of them. Violence and sexual offences made up 53% of the total.
24.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 78% of the 645 UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual310
Damage & arson50
Other theft39
Other crime36
Public order34
Vehicle crime27
Burglary24
Shoplifting21
Anti-social103
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.
24.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
583
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.
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cambourne
13pages on Cambourne
The big questions
SafetyB−24.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £388K · rent £1,408 a monthHousing113 sold in 12 months · busiest street Cavell AvenueSchoolsA2 state schoolsHealthALife expectancy 80.4 (men), 86 (women)Work & commuteB+54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Cambourne’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Highfields CaldecoteHardwickPapworth EverardCombertonBar HillHiltonFenstantonCambourne
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambourne | 11,071 | — | A+ | B+ | B− | A |
| Highfields Caldecote | 2,049 | 1.8 | — | B− | A− | A+ |
| Hardwick | 2,658 | 3 | A+ | B− | B+ | A+ |
| Papworth Everard | 3,821 | 3.2 | B+ | A | B | B+ |
| Comberton | 2,255 | 4.2 | — | B | B+ | A+ |
| Bar Hill | 3,899 | 4.4 | A+ | A | B+ | A+ |
| Hilton | 1,052 | 4.8 | — | B | A+ | A+ |
| Fenstanton | 3,015 | 5.7 | B+ | A− | C+ | A |
Highfields Caldecote, Comberton and Hilton have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Cambourne
Who lives in Cambourne?
A young town. At the 2021 Census, 28% of residents were under 15 and 33% were 25 to 44, against 18% and 27% across England’s towns; only 5.4% were 65 or over.
Are schools in Cambourne good?
GCSE results beat 89% of towns in England, and primary results beat 85% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Cambourne has 2 state schools; places are handled by Cambridgeshire council.
How much is council tax in Cambourne?
Band D council tax in Cambourne is £2,728 for 2026–27, more than in 97% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
Is Cambourne safe?
Against all UK towns, most of them smaller, it grades B−.
About Cambourne
Town in Cambridgeshire, England
Cambourne is a built-up area of 11,071 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
- 11,071 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Cambridgeshire
- County
- Cambridgeshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003414
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.