Pensilva’s story
Pensilva is home to a World Heritage Site: Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape
31% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PensilvaCornwall
A village of 1,656 in Cornwall, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Derek Harper · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,656
Census 2021 · Cornwall council
Median home
£225K
70 sales in 3 years
Median age
52.5
29% are 65+ · Cornwall 24%
Degree level
25%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
7%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Pensilva a good place to live?
Pensilva has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A): 13.6 violent and sexual offences and 2.4 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is walkability (D): 7% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £225,000 in the last three years, 4.9 times what households in the Cornwall council area earn in a year.
Devon And Cornwall Police published 33 of the 36 months; rates are per year over the months published.
What makes Pensilva stand out
The 3 things Pensilva does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
7% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 listed buildings
0 Grade II*
Part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. Historic England’s list, October 2026.
83%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 83%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
How Pensilva grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Pensilva is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityDOpen →SafetyAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 15% of towns in EnglandDOpen →Cost of livingrent £1,000 a monthC−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £41,996; 2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC−Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.2 for men, 83.3 for womenCOpen →Hazard risk0.2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryC−Open →Outdoors60% live within 400 m of a park; 15% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeC−Open →Civic life4.8 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 Pensilva.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Fewer commuters in Pensilva work nearby than in Cornwall’s towns or England’s towns: 16% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 19% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
In the comparison, Pensilva comes below both Cornwall’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (45%). The car carried 92% of commuters at the census.
7%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot5%
Train1%
Bus1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
19%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£42K
mean household income, before tax
2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 5% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
SchoolsD
Results at Pensilva’s schools trail 90% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
DSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pensilva Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 101 | D |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Pensilva has less crime per resident than 92% of UK towns
Homes saw 2.4 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year, below both Cornwall’s towns (7.7) and England’s towns (9.4). Police recorded 42 crimes inside Pensilva’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 4 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 76% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
13.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 83% 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 & sexual32
Other theft5
Other crime2
Shoplifting1
Damage & arson1
Drugs1
Public order0
Burglary0
Anti-social4
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.
13.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
42
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 C−
More households own their home in Pensilva than in Cornwall’s towns or across England’s towns: 79%
For Pensilva, that is above both Cornwall’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Private renters make up 12% of households.
£225Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Pensilva£225K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £320,000 | 35 |
| Semi-detached | £205,000 | 22 |
| Terraced | £178,000 | 11 |
79%
of households own their home · England 61%
12%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,000
average private rent a month, Cornwall council area
£2,502
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
Old homes shape Pensilva: 31% were built before 1919, more than in Cornwall’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.
Pensilva sits above both Cornwall’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (16%) on this measure. It is part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.
0listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
31%
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
Health
Only 76% of people in Pensilva say their health is good or very good, fewer than in Cornwall’s towns and England’s towns
That puts Pensilva below both Cornwall’s towns (79%) and England’s towns (82%). Pensilva has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 3.4 miles away. These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
76%good or very good healthCHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 76%Fair 18%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Pensilva | Cornwall | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 76% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.1% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 22% | 22% | 17% |
80.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.3
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Who lives here
Children make up only 11% of Pensilva, fewer than in Cornwall’s towns and England’s towns
On this, Pensilva is below both Cornwall’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%). 29% of residents are 65 or over. Pensilva has a median age of 52.5.
52.5median age
PensilvaCornwallEngland
Ages · share of residents
29%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications18%
Apprenticeship9%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level25%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Pensilva | Cornwall | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.3% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 22% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 33% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 29% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 9% | 6.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 25% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Cornwall and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →King Doniert's Stone and 2 more in and around Pensilva
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Pensilva. Best known first.
Museum · English HeritageKing Doniert's Stone4.7 km outside town, to the westAttractionAttractionCheesewring3.5 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumMinions Heritage Centre2.6 km outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- King Doniert's Stone: TinWidget at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pensilva
14pages on Pensilva
The big questions
SafetyA13.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £225K · rent £1,000 a monthHousing28 sold in 12 months · busiest street Amanda WaySchoolsD1 state schoolHealthCLife expectancy 80.2 (men), 83.3 (women)Work & commuteC−48% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Pensilva’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
St CleerLiskeardCallingtonKelly BrayDobwallsLandrakeGunnislake and St Ann's ChapelPensilva
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pensilva | 1,656 | — | — | C− | A | C |
| St Cleer | 1,144 | 2.7 | — | C− | B− | B |
| Liskeard | 10,901 | 3.9 | D− | D | D | C− |
| Callington | 4,665 | 4.3 | D | D− | C− | C |
| Kelly Bray | 1,137 | 4.4 | — | D | A | C |
| Dobwalls | 1,683 | 5.6 | — | D | B | C |
| Landrake | 1,104 | 7.6 | — | D | A+ | B+ |
| Gunnislake and St Ann's Chapel | 3,506 | 8.4 | C | D | B | B− |
St Cleer, Kelly Bray, Dobwalls and Landrake have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Pensilva
Are schools in Pensilva good?
Primary results trail 86% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Cornwall council.
Is Pensilva expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £225,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £178,000, semi-detached houses £205,000 and detached houses £320,000. Private rents in the Cornwall council area averaged £1,000 a month in August 2026. Household incomes are lower than in 89% of UK towns, so cost of living grades C−.
About Pensilva
Village in Cornwall, England
Pensilva is a built-up area of 1,656 people, in the Cornwall 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
- 1,656 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Cornwall
- County
- Cornwall
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006869
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.