Levens’s story
3 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Levens’ built-up area.
28% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
LevensCumbria
A village of 1,020 in Cumbria, North West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Chris Heaton · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,020
Census 2021 · South Lakeland council
Median home
£330K
53 sales in 3 years
Median age
52.7
31% are 65+ · Cumbria 23%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Levens a good place to live?
Levens has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is health (A+): life expectancy 83.4 for men, 87.4 for women. Its weakest is cost of living (D−): median sale £330,000, 7.3 years of area income; rent £816 a month.
The state schools in and within 3 km of this town had fewer than 30 pupils in published KS2 or GCSE results, too few to grade, so it has no School Grade. ONS publishes one rent for all of Westmorland and Furness, so this town's Cost Grade uses house prices and council tax only.
What makes Levens stand out
The 3 things Levens does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
92%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 92%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Claimant rate, against UK towns
Work
0.5% claim jobless benefits
of 16 to 64s in 2026: fewer than in 100% of UK towns
DWP claimant count, January to August 2026.
How Levens grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Levens is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthA+Open →Cost of livingD−Open →SafetyA+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityC−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £54,372B+Open →
SchoolsNot graded yet–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History3 listed buildingsC+Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 53% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeBOpen →Civic life3.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Levens.
Health
Life expectancy in Levens is longer than in 95% of UK towns
Women here live to 87.4 on average and men to 83.4 (2019–23). 2.8% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, below both Cumbria’s towns (6.1%) and England’s towns (5.2%). Levens has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.9 miles away.
84%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Levens | Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.8% | 6.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 20% | 17% |
83.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Schools
The schools around Levens
Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levens CofE SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 98 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade D−
Most households in Levens own their home: 83%, more than in Cumbria’s towns or across England’s towns
Levens sits above both Cumbria’s towns (68%) and England’s towns (61%) on this measure. 5% of households live in social housing.
£330Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Levens£330K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £425,000 | 22 |
| Semi-detached | £315,000 | 13 |
| Terraced | £327,000 | 7 |
| Flat or maisonette | £170,000 | 11 |
83%
of households own their home · England 61%
12%
rent privately · England 21%
£816
average private rent a month, Westmorland and Furness council area
£2,483
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
Levens has less crime per resident than 96% of UK towns
Violent crime ran at 9.8 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Cumbria’s towns (27.2) and England’s towns (22). Homes see 2.9 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 15 crimes inside Levens’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 0 reports of anti-social behaviour.
9.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 92% 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 & sexual9
Burglary3
Other theft2
Public order1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Drugs0
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.
9.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
0.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
15
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Commuters in Levens travel far: only 12% go under 5 km, fewer than in Cumbria’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 33% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
That puts Levens below both Cumbria’s towns (53%) and England’s towns (45%). At the census, 9% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot5%
Bicycle2%
Bus1%
Train1%
12%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
33%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£54K
mean household income, before tax
0.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 16% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
3 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.
Levens has 3 listed buildings inside its built-up area on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*. 28% of its homes were built before 1919.
3listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II3
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
28%
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
Who lives here
Older residents shape Levens: 31% are 65 or over, above Cumbria’s towns and England’s towns
On this, Levens is above both Cumbria’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (18%). Those aged 15 to 24 account for 6.7% of residents. Levens has a median age of 52.7.
52.7median age
LevensCumbriaEngland
Ages · share of residents
31%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications10%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Levens | Cumbria | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.7% | 9.9% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 28% | 25% |
| 65+ | 31% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 9.8% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7% | 8% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 28% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Cumbria and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Sizergh Castle and 3 more in and around Levens
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Levens. Best known first.
Castle · National TrustSizergh Castle1.3 km outside town, to the northeast
Historic houseLevens Hall800 m outside town, to the southeastGardenGarden · National TrustSizergh Garden1.4 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionLakeland Maze Farm Park2.8 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 (2)
- Sizergh Castle: Ian Knox, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Levens Hall: Dave Green, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Levens
15pages on Levens
The big questions
SafetyA+9.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingD−Median home £330K · rent £816 a monthHousing15 sold in 12 months · busiest street GreengateSchools1 state schoolHealthA+Life expectancy 83.4 (men), 87.4 (women)Work & commuteB+52% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Levens’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
MilnthorpeKendalHolmeArnsideBurton-in-KendalSilverdaleStaveleyLevens
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Levens | 1,020 | — | — | D− | A+ | A+ |
| Milnthorpe | 1,871 | 2.9 | — | C− | B− | B |
| Kendal | 28,939 | 4.3 | C+ | D | C− | B− |
| Holme | 1,477 | 5 | — | C− | A− | A− |
| Arnside | 2,231 | 5.3 | — | D− | A+ | B+ |
| Burton-in-Kendal | 1,341 | 6.5 | — | D− | A+ | A+ |
| Silverdale | 1,056 | 7.2 | — | D− | A | B− |
| Staveley | 1,466 | 7.5 | — | D− | A− | A |
Milnthorpe, Holme, Arnside, Burton-in-Kendal, Silverdale and Staveley have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Levens
Is Levens safe?
Police recorded 15 crimes inside Levens’ built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 60% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
Does Levens flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Is Levens expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £330,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £170,000, terraced houses £327,000, semi-detached houses £315,000 and detached houses £425,000.
About Levens
Village in Cumbria, England
Levens is a built-up area of 1,020 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
- 1,020 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Lakeland
- County
- Cumbria
- Region
- North West
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000424
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.