Needingworth’s story
17 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Needingworth’s built-up area.
10% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
NeedingworthCambridgeshire
A village of 2,059 in Cambridgeshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Marathon · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,059
Census 2021 · Huntingdonshire council
Median home
£370K
82 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.7
28% are 65+ · Cambridgeshire 17%
Degree level
38%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
14%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Needingworth a good place to live?
Health is where it shines: life expectancy 81.2 for men, 84.5 for women. The median home sold for £370,122, 5.9 times what households in the Huntingdonshire council area earn in a year. Pupils here do less well than most: primary results beat just over one in ten towns in England. Hazard risk is lower than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: life expectancy and incomes, ONS · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. Needingworth is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Needingworth stand out
The 3 things Needingworth does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including The Chestnuts; 3.4 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
14% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
28% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Needingworth grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Needingworth is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Needingworth is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 12% of towns in EnglandDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Jobs & income1.6% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsAOpen →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedAOpen →SafetyIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA−Open →Cost of livingRent £1,057 a monthA−Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryAbout average among the towns comparedC+Open →Outdoors85% live within 400 m of a park; 4.6 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB−Open →Civic life3.4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Needingworth.
Who lives here
Children make up only 13% of Needingworth, fewer than in Cambridgeshire’s towns and England’s towns
People aged 15 to 24 make up 8.2% of the town, below both Cambridgeshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%). 28% of residents have reached 65. Half of Needingworth is older than 51.7, half younger. Degrees are held by 38% of adults.
51.7median age
NeedingworthCambridgeshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level38%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Needingworth | Cambridgeshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.2% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 28% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7% | 5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 38% | 37% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Cambridgeshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsD
On exam results, Needingworth’s schools trail 93% of towns in England
The town has one school, shown below. 52% of pupils at the 3 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). 193 pupils attend Needingworth’s one primary school.
DSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holywell CofE Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 193 | B+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Just 3.3% of people in Needingworth say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in Cambridgeshire’s towns and England’s towns
The nearest A&E to Needingworth is Hinchingbrooke Hospital, 7.4 miles away. At the census, 15% of people here had a disability, lower than both Cambridgeshire’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (17%). Also worth knowing: the town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.8 miles away.
84%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Needingworth | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.3% | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
81.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Safety
Burglary and damage are rarer in Needingworth than in Cambridgeshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 5.3 per 1,000 residents a year
Violence accounts for 14.3 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year. Police figures for Needingworth’s built-up area: 49 crimes and 9 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Needingworth has less crime per resident than 69% of them.
14.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 69% 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 & sexual25
Other theft6
Damage & arson5
Vehicle crime5
Burglary4
Public order2
Drugs1
Other crime1
Anti-social9
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.
14.3
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
6.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
49
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
HousingCost of living grade A−
Needingworth is a town of owners: 87% of households own their home, above Cambridgeshire’s towns and England’s towns
Private renters make up 8% of households, below both Cambridgeshire’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (21%). The social rented sector houses 5% of households. 82 standard sales inside Needingworth’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £370,122.
£370Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Needingworth£370K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £453,737 | 46 |
| Semi-detached | £287,500 | 28 |
| Terraced | £280,000 | 7 |
87%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,057
average private rent a month, Huntingdonshire council area
£2,532
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
17 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II* covers 1 of them. Homes from before 1919 make up 10% of the total, below both Cambridgeshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (16%). Per 10,000 residents, Needingworth counts 83 listed buildings.
17listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II16
Among them · Grade II*
- The Chestnuts Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
10%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
83
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 A
Fewer commuters in Needingworth walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Cambridgeshire’s towns or England’s towns: 14%
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.
Two in five workers worked mainly from home, above both Cambridgeshire’s towns (34%) and England’s towns (31%). For 31% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. Of the commuters living in Needingworth, 3% work in the town itself. Average household income comes to £72K a year before tax.
14%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot7%
Bicycle5%
Bus1%
Train1%
31%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
40%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£72K
mean household income, before tax
1.6%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 50% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →The Manor and 2 more in and around Needingworth
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Needingworth. Best known first.
Historic houseThe Manor4.9 km outside town, to the west
MuseumNorris Museum2.6 km outside town, to the westZooZooThe Raptor Foundation3.1 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- The Manor: Graham Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Norris Museum: Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Needingworth
14pages on Needingworth
The big questions
SafetyA−14.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £370K · rent £1,057 a monthHousing23 sold in 12 months · busiest street Turnpike CloseSchoolsD1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 81.2 (men), 84.5 (women)Work & commuteA54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Needingworth’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
St IvesBluntisham and ColneOverSwaveseyFenstantonHemingford GreyEarithNeedingworth
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needingworth | 2,059 | — | — | A− | A− | A |
| St Ives | 16,818 | 2.1 | A− | A | C+ | B |
| Bluntisham and Colne | 2,790 | 2.4 | A | A− | A | A− |
| Over | 2,898 | 2.4 | A+ | B+ | A | A− |
| Swavesey | 2,739 | 2.6 | A | A− | C+ | A− |
| Fenstanton | 3,015 | 2.7 | B+ | A− | C+ | A |
| Hemingford Grey | 3,372 | 3.1 | A+ | A− | A | A |
| Earith | 1,656 | 3.1 | — | A | B+ | A− |
Earith has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Needingworth
How many listed buildings are there in Needingworth?
That is 3.4 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Needingworth good?
Primary results trail 88% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Cambridgeshire council.
Is Needingworth safe?
Police recorded 49 crimes inside Needingworth’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 51% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
About Needingworth
Village in Cambridgeshire, England
Needingworth is a built-up area of 2,059 people, in the Huntingdonshire 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
- 2,059 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Huntingdonshire
- County
- Cambridgeshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003153
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.