St Agnes, #1 on this list · Photo: Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0

Cornwall rankings · Small towns

Best small towns in Cornwall

St Agnes ranks first of 23 small towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents in Cornwall, with a B+. 0 of the 23 grade A− or better.

The overall score, among towns of 2,500 to 9,999; the letter is the same UK grade every town gets. The rank across England, Wales and Northern Ireland sits beside each letter. How grades work

St Agnes

3,253 people

B⁺

Score 54.3·#514 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Strongest: schools A⁺, walkability B⁺·lowest: cost of living D⁻

Threemilestone

2,854 people

Score 52.2·#570 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Strongest: walkability A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D⁻

Probus

2,565 people

B⁻

Score 48.0·#699 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Strongest: safety A⁻, health B·lowest: cost of living D⁻

All 23 towns, ranked

By overall score; the letter is the same UK grade as on each town’s page. Each rank across England, Wales and Northern Ireland links to the national list. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among UK towns of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbours on the list often share a letter.

Every town in Cornwall →

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23 towns.

#TownScoreGrade · UK rankWhat drives it

1St Agnes3,253 people54.3top 34.5%B⁺#514 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A⁺, walkability B⁺·lowest: cost of living D⁻

2Threemilestone2,854 people52.2top 38.5%B#570 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D⁻

3Probus2,565 people48.0top 47.6%B⁻#699 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: safety A⁻, health B·lowest: cost of living D⁻

4Carbis Bay3,967 people42.0bottom 38.0%C⁺#872 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, safety A⁻·lowest: cost of living D⁻

5Lostwithiel3,067 people40.9bottom 35.5%C⁺#903 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A, walkability B⁺·lowest: cost of living D⁻

6Gunnislake and St Ann's Chapel3,506 people40.2bottom 34.4%C#916 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, safety B·lowest: cost of living D

7Tywardreath2,589 people36.1bottom 23.6%C⁻#1,040 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: safety B, health B⁻·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

8Torpoint7,163 people34.5bottom 19.4%C⁻#1,082 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁺, schools B⁻·lowest: cost of living C⁻

9Perranporth2,752 people33.7bottom 17.7%C⁻#1,103 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A⁻, walkability A⁻·lowest: cost of living D⁻

10Wadebridge5,626 people32.4bottom 14.8%D#1,135 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁻, health B·lowest: cost of living D⁻

11Porthleven3,118 people31.4bottom 13.0%D#1,158 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B, safety B·lowest: cost of living D⁻

12St Columb Major3,663 people31.4bottom 12.9%D#1,159 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools B, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income D

13Callington4,665 people29.2bottom 9.4%D#1,192 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁻, schools B·lowest: cost of living D⁻

14St Blazey6,569 people29.0bottom 9.0%D#1,198 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools B, walkability C·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

15Newlyn3,362 people28.6bottom 8.2%D#1,210 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, safety C⁺·lowest: cost of living D⁻

16Indian Queens, Fraddon and St Columb Road3,888 people28.0bottom 7.4%D#1,216 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: safety B, walkability B⁻·lowest: schools D⁻

17Camelford2,983 people26.5bottom 5.4%D#1,234 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B, health B⁻·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

18Launceston8,431 people26.0bottom 4.9%D⁻#1,241 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B⁺, schools B⁻·lowest: jobs & income D

19Looe5,314 people25.4bottom 4.2%D⁻#1,248 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, health C⁺·lowest: cost of living D

20Pool and Illogan8,588 people25.1bottom 4.0%D⁻#1,250 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools B, walkability B⁻·lowest: cost of living D

21Bude7,347 people23.5bottom 3.0%D⁻#1,259 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, health C⁺·lowest: cost of living D⁻

22St Ives5,413 people23.5bottom 2.9%D⁻#1,261 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁺, health C·lowest: cost of living D⁻

23Hayle9,040 people21.4bottom 1.3%D⁻#1,279 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁻, health C·lowest: cost of living D⁻

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the best small town to live in Cornwall?

St Agnes ranks first of 23 (B+): schools (A+) and walkability (B+) are its strongest grades; cost of living (D−) is its lowest. Threemilestone and Probus follow.

How are these towns ranked?

By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades (cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability, flood risk) from public data, each comparing a town with every UK town. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents with an overall grade. Towns without one are counted above with the reason.

Go deeper

More Cornwall lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Cornwall rankings →

Sources: 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.