Witchford’s story
7 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Witchford’s built-up area.
6% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
WitchfordCambridgeshire
Population 2,386: a village in Cambridgeshire, East of England. 45% of households own their home with no mortgage.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: John Sutton · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,386
Census 2021 · East Cambridgeshire council
Median home
£350K
147 sales in 3 years
Median age
45.7
23% are 65+ · Cambridgeshire 17%
Degree level
32%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Witchford a good place to live?
Witchford’s strongest is cost of living: homes sell for a median £350,000, about 5.8 times local household income. Add health to its strengths — men here can expect to live to 82.1, women to 85.5. Elsewhere it is close to typical: C+ for safety, B− for schools, B− for jobs & income, C+ for walkability and B− for hazard risk. 12% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · life expectancy and income, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · flood risk, Environment Agency. Witchford is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
StrongestA−Cost of living
What makes Witchford stand out
The 3 things Witchford does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Own outright
Housing
45% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
23% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Witchford grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Witchford is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Witchford is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Cost of livingRent £1,038 a monthA−Open →HealthResidents are healthier than in most townsB+Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carC+Open →Safety24.2 violent and sexual offences and 10.9 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026C+Open →Hazard risk0.2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 24% of towns in England; secondary results beat 75% of towns in EnglandB−Open →Jobs & income2.7% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageC−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 1.9 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC+Open →Civic life2.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryCOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →RAF Witchford and RAF Mepal Museum and 4 more in and around Witchford
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Witchford. Best known first.
MuseumMuseumRAF Witchford and RAF Mepal Museumin town
CathedralEly Cathedral2.4 km outside town, to the east
Historic houseOliver Cromwell's House2.2 km outside town, to the east
MuseumThe Stained Glass Museum2.4 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumEly Museum2.5 km outside town, to the east
CathedralEly Cathedral2.4 km outside town, to the eastHistoric houseOliver Cromwell's House2.2 km outside town, to the eastMuseumThe Stained Glass Museum2.4 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumEly Museum2.5 km 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 (3)
- Ely Cathedral: Bs0u10e01, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Oliver Cromwell's House: Oxyman, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- The Stained Glass Museum: Sumit Surai, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Witchford.
History
Among Witchford’s 7 listed buildings: the Church of St Andrew, Grade II*
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
6% of its homes were built before 1919, lower than both Cambridgeshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (16%). Relative to its size, Witchford keeps 29 listed buildings per 10,000 residents.
7listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II6
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Andrew Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
6%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
29
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsB−
On exam results, Witchford’s schools trail 50% of towns in England
Secondary results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 49.9, with 52% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. Its two schools are below. At the 4 primary schools within 3 km, 56% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
B−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Rackham Church of England Primary School and Pre-SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 307 | D |
| Witchford Village CollegeLargest secondary schoolSecondary | Secondary | 804 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
HousingCost of living grade A−
More households own their home in Witchford than in Cambridgeshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 82%
Social housing holds 7% of households, below Cambridgeshire’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Private tenants account for one in ten households. Half of the 147 standard sales inside Witchford’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £350,000.
£350Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Witchford£350K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £440,000 | 75 |
| Semi-detached | £310,000 | 51 |
| Terraced | £262,000 | 19 |
82%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,038
average private rent a month, East Cambridgeshire council area
£2,454
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
Older residents shape Witchford: 23% are 65 or over, above Cambridgeshire’s towns and England’s towns
Witchford has a median age of 45.7. Young adults of 15 to 24 are nearly one in ten residents, below Cambridgeshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Children are 17% of the town.
45.7median age
WitchfordCambridgeshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
23%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level32%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Witchford | Cambridgeshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.5% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 28% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 23% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.6% | 5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 32% | 37% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Cambridgeshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Health
Witchford’s life expectancy beats 77% of UK towns
4% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, below Cambridgeshire’s towns (4.4%) and England’s towns (5.2%) alike. The nearest A&E to Witchford is Addenbrooke's and the Rosie Hospitals, 14.9 miles away. Seeing a GP means leaving Witchford: the nearest practice is 2.4 miles away.
83%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Witchford | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 84% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4% | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 16% | 17% |
82.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Self-reported health favours young towns, since these answers ignore age; the Health Grade leans on age-adjusted measures such as life expectancy and early deaths.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
The car carries 87% of commuters in Witchford, more than in both Cambridgeshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 36% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The 2026 claimant rate among 16 to 64s was 2.7%. 37% of commuters travelled under 5 km, below Cambridgeshire’s towns (44%) and England’s towns (45%) alike. Household income averages £60K a year before tax. Work in town: 8% of resident commuters.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot6%
Bicycle4%
Train2%
Bus1%
37%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
36%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£60K
mean household income, before tax
2.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 41% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Witchford records more crime per resident than 56% of UK towns
Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 13.3 reports per 1,000, above both Cambridgeshire’s towns (8.7) and England’s towns (7.8). Over the year to August 2026, 181 offences were reported in Witchford, along with 45 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences made up 28% of the total.
24.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 25% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Other theft88
Violence & sexual51
Burglary11
Damage & arson8
Public order8
Other crime6
Vehicle crime5
Drugs2
Anti-social45
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.
24.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
13.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
181
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 Witchford
15pages on Witchford
The big questions
SafetyC+24.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £350K · rent £1,038 a monthHousing37 sold in 12 months · busiest street Woodlands ChaseSchoolsB−2 state schoolsHealthB+Life expectancy 82.1 (men), 85.5 (women)Work & commuteB−53% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Witchford’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ElyStrethamHaddenhamLittle DownhamSuttonLittleportSohamWitchford
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witchford | 2,386 | — | — | A− | C+ | B+ |
| Ely | 19,185 | 2.7 | A | B+ | C+ | A− |
| Stretham | 2,070 | 2.8 | — | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| Haddenham | 3,050 | 3.1 | B+ | A− | B+ | B+ |
| Little Downham | 1,234 | 3.5 | — | A | A | B+ |
| Sutton | 3,880 | 3.5 | B+ | A | B+ | B+ |
| Littleport | 9,170 | 6.3 | C | A | C | C |
| Soham | 10,609 | 6.5 | B+ | A | B− | C+ |
Stretham and Little Downham have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Witchford
Is Witchford safe?
It has more crime per resident than most places its size: 75% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people report less.
Is Witchford expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £350,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £262,000, semi-detached houses £310,000 and detached houses £440,000. Household incomes are higher than in 68% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades A−.
About Witchford
Village in Cambridgeshire, England
Witchford is a built-up area of 2,386 people, in the East 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
- 2,386 (Census 2021)
- Council
- East Cambridgeshire
- County
- Cambridgeshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003014
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.