Backbarrow’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Backbarrow’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
47% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BackbarrowCumbria
A village of 240 in Cumbria, North West. 11% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Russel Wills · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
240
Census 2021 · South Lakeland council
Median home
£304K
14 sales in 3 years
Median age
52.7
25% are 65+ · Cumbria 23%
Degree level
42%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Backbarrow a good place to live?
Backbarrow has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Backbarrow stand out
The 3 things Backbarrow does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Homes built before 1919
History
47% of homes built before 1919
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
25% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Backbarrow.
Who lives here
Children make up only 8.2% of Backbarrow, fewer than in Cumbria’s towns and across England’s towns
Those aged 15 to 24 account for 7.4% of residents. People 65 and over make up a quarter of the town, higher than both Cumbria’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (18%). Residents of Backbarrow have a median age of 52.7. Graduates make up 42% of adults.
52.7median age
BackbarrowCumbriaEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level42%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Backbarrow | Cumbria | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 8.2% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.4% | 9.9% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 37% | 28% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.9% | 8% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 42% | 28% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Cumbria and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Backbarrow
Its one school is below. Key Stage 2 results at the one primary school within 3 km: 63% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). 68 pupils attend Backbarrow’s one primary school.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leven Valley CofE Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 68 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Work tends to be further away for Backbarrow: 14% commute under 5 km, below Cumbria’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 34% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Before tax, the average household brings in £43K a year. The car took 87% of commuters, higher than both Cumbria’s towns (74%) and England’s towns (70%). Home was the main workplace for 34% of workers at the census.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot7%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
14%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
34%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£43K
mean household income, before tax
0.6%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Housing
More households own their home in Backbarrow than in Cumbria’s towns or across England’s towns: 75%
8% live in social housing, below both Cumbria’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%). 14 standard sales inside Backbarrow’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £304,000. Private rents average £816 a month across the Westmorland and Furness council area.
£304Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Backbarrow£304K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £321,500 | 8 |
75%
of households own their home · England 61%
17%
rent privately · England 21%
£816
average private rent a month, Westmorland and Furness council area
£2,488
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Backbarrow records more violent crime per resident than Cumbria’s towns or England’s towns, at 38.9 per 1,000 a year
Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 1.4 reports per 1,000, lower than both Cumbria’s towns (3.3) and England’s towns (7.8). Homes see 13.9 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year. Over the year to August 2026, 20 offences were reported in Backbarrow. Violence and sexual offences accounted for nearly two thirds of recorded crime.
38.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual13
Public order2
Drugs2
Damage & arson1
Other theft1
Burglary1
Shoplifting0
Vehicle crime0
Anti-social0
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.
38.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
13.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
20
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.
Health
Just 4.1% of people in Backbarrow say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in Cumbria’s towns and across England’s towns
At the census, 83% of people in Backbarrow called their health good or very good, higher than both Cumbria’s towns (79%) and England’s towns (82%). The nearest A&E to Backbarrow is Furness General Hospital, 12.1 miles away. One GP practice serves the town; 95% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.
83%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Backbarrow | Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.1% | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 20% | 17% |
84.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.7
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Backbarrow keeps more of its old housing than Cumbria or England’s towns: 47% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Relative to its size, Backbarrow keeps 83 listed buildings per 10,000 residents. Every one of the town’s 2 listed buildings sits at Grade II, the most common listing. One scheduled monument lies here.
2listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
47%
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
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Lakeland Motor Museum and 8 more in and around Backbarrow
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Backbarrow. Best known first.
MuseumLakeland Motor Museumin town
Museum · English HeritageStott Park Bobbin Mill3.1 km outside town, to the northeast
AquariumLakes Aquarium2.9 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionCliffhanger Roomsin townHeritage railwayHeritage railwayLakeside and Haverthwaite Railway200 m outside town, to the southwestPark or estatePark or estate · National TrustFell Foot2.8 km outside town, to the northeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Lakeland Motor Museum: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stott Park Bobbin Mill: Keith Wright, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lakes Aquarium: Darrin Antrobus, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Backbarrow
13pages on Backbarrow
The big questions
Safety38.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £304K · rent £816 a monthHousing4 sold in 12 monthsSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 84.2 (men), 84.7 (women)Work & commute52% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Backbarrow’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
AllithwaiteGrange-over-SandsUlverstonSwarthmoorArnsideBowness-on-WindermereLevensBackbarrow
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backbarrow | 240 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Allithwaite | 1,171 | 5.5 | — | D− | A+ | B |
| Grange-over-Sands | 4,047 | 5.6 | B− | D− | A− | B |
| Ulverston | 11,219 | 6 | C− | D | C− | C+ |
| Swarthmoor | 1,030 | 7.1 | — | C | A− | B |
| Arnside | 2,231 | 7.5 | — | D− | A+ | B+ |
| Bowness-on-Windermere | 2,290 | 8.1 | — | D− | D− | A |
| Levens | 1,020 | 8.2 | — | D− | A+ | A+ |
Allithwaite, Swarthmoor, Arnside, Bowness-on-Windermere and Levens have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Backbarrow
How many listed buildings are there in Backbarrow?
2 on Historic England’s list. That is 3.4 times the typical UK town for its size. It also has 1 scheduled monument.
Who lives in Backbarrow?
An older village. At the 2021 Census, 25% of residents were 65 or over and 37% were 45 to 64, against 18% and 25% across England’s towns; 8.2% were under 15.
How much is council tax in Backbarrow?
Band D council tax in Backbarrow is £2,488 for 2026–27, more than in 61% 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.
About Backbarrow
Village in Cumbria, England
Backbarrow is a built-up area of 240 people, in the South Lakeland 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
- 240 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Lakeland
- County
- Cumbria
- Region
- North West
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000432
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.