Harpur Hill’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Harpur Hill’s built-up area.
9% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Harpur HillDerbyshire
Over-65s are only 13% of the population. Some 1,121 people live in this village, in Derbyshire, East Midlands.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Ian Capper · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,121
Census 2021 · High Peak council
Median home
£270K
160 sales in 3 years
Median age
38
13% are 65+ · Derbyshire 20%
Degree level
29%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Harpur Hill a good place to live?
Residents are healthier than most: men here can expect to live to 83.4, women to 87.3. Its lowest grade is for safety (D): police record 46.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 14 home and vehicle crimes. Against UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has more crime per resident than 95%. At a median £269,995, a home costs 5.3 times the yearly income of households in the High Peak council area.
Figures: life expectancy and incomes, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. Harpur Hill has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Harpur Hill stand out
The 3 things Harpur Hill does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Life expectancy, against UK towns
Health
87.3 and 83.4 years
Life expectancy at birth, women and men: longer than in 95% of UK towns
OHID Fingertips, 2019–23.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
Only 13% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Harpur Hill grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Harpur Hill is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyGraded on crime per residentDOpen →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 33% of towns in England; secondary results beat 18% of towns in EnglandC−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £56,092C+Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingDOpen →Outdoors31% live within 400 m of a park; 60% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB−Open →Civic life1.8 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Harpur Hill.
History
Harpur Hill’s listed buildings: 1, all Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Historic England’s list puts 1 listed building inside Harpur Hill’s built-up area. Homes from before 1919 make up 9% of the total.
1listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
9%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
9
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Crime per resident in Harpur Hill is higher than in 88% of UK towns
Reported offences in Harpur Hill came to 99 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 53. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 25 reports per 1,000, higher than both Derbyshire’s towns (8.5) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences made up 57% of the total.
46.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearDSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 5% 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
Violence & sexual56
Damage & arson12
Public order8
Burglary7
Other theft6
Drugs4
Other crime3
Vehicle crime2
Anti-social53
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.
46.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
14
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
25
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
99
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
Lifespans in Harpur Hill run longer than in 95% of UK towns
2.6% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, lower than both Derbyshire’s towns (6%) and England’s towns (5.2%). Disability touches 14% of Harpur Hill’s population. Seeing a GP means leaving Harpur Hill: the nearest practice is 1.4 miles away. Asked at the census, 85% of residents of Harpur Hill said they were in good or very good health.
85%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Harpur Hill | Derbyshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.6% | 6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 20% | 17% |
83.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.3
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Only 8% of commuters in Harpur Hill go to work without a car, fewer than in Derbyshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 17% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
17% of workers worked mainly from home, below Derbyshire’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (31%) alike. For 53% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. Unemployment benefit claims reached 2.9% of 16 to 64s in 2026.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot6%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
53%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
17%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£56K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 14% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B
Private renting is less common in Harpur Hill than in Derbyshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 11%
76% of households own their home. Private rents average £937 a month across the High Peak council area. The £269,995 median rests on 160 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£270Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Harpur Hill£270K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £332,000 | 67 |
| Semi-detached | £247,950 | 71 |
| Terraced | £220,000 | 22 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
11%
rent privately · England 21%
£937
average private rent a month, High Peak council area
£2,347
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
Few people in Harpur Hill are 65 or over: 13%, below Derbyshire’s towns and England’s towns
The median resident of Harpur Hill is 38 years old. 21% are under 15, above both Derbyshire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). Those aged 15 to 24 account for 9.6% of residents.
38median age
Harpur HillDerbyshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
10%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar23%
Degree level29%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Harpur Hill | Derbyshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.6% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 30% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 13% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 23% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 29% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Derbyshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Poole's Cavern and 2 more in and around Harpur Hill
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Harpur Hill. Best known first.
AttractionPoole's Cavern1.8 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumBuxton Museum and Art Gallery2 km outside town, to the northZooZooArchie’s Farm700 m 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 (2)
- Poole's Cavern: Dave Pape, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Buxton Museum and Art Gallery: Douglal, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Harpur Hill
15pages on Harpur Hill
The big questions
SafetyD46.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingBMedian home £270K · rent £937 a monthHousing30 sold in 12 months · busiest street Curlew AvenueSchoolsC−HealthALife expectancy 83.4 (men), 87.3 (women)Work & commuteC+33% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Harpur Hill’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BuxtonDove HolesChapel-en-le-FrithTideswellChinleyWhaley BridgeFurness ValeHarpur Hill
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harpur Hill | 1,121 | — | — | B | D | A |
| Buxton | 20,048 | 1.4 | C | B+ | D | C |
| Dove Holes | 1,156 | 4.5 | — | B | C− | B− |
| Chapel-en-le-Frith | 7,235 | 5.9 | B | B | B− | B− |
| Tideswell | 1,554 | 6.1 | — | A− | B+ | A |
| Chinley | 1,913 | 7.3 | — | C+ | A− | B |
| Whaley Bridge | 4,618 | 7.3 | A− | C+ | B− | A− |
| Furness Vale | 1,069 | 8.6 | — | B+ | A− | B+ |
Dove Holes, Tideswell, Chinley and Furness Vale have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Harpur Hill
Who lives in Harpur Hill?
A young village. At the 2021 Census, 21% of residents were under 15 and 30% were 25 to 44, against 18% and 27% across England’s towns; only 13% were 65 or over.
Are schools in Harpur Hill good?
GCSE results trail 82% of towns in England, and primary results trail 68% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Places are handled by Derbyshire council.
About Harpur Hill
Village in Derbyshire, England
Harpur Hill is a built-up area of 1,121 people, in the High Peak 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
- 1,121 (Census 2021)
- Council
- High Peak
- County
- Derbyshire
- Region
- East Midlands
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63001632
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.