#1Repton
2,766 peopleScore 79.7·#5 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Strongest: jobs & income A, health A·lowest: hazard risk C+
Repton, #1 on this list · Photo: Alan Murray-Rust · CC BY-SA 2.0Derbyshire rankings · Small towns
Best small towns in Derbyshire
Repton ranks first of 40 small towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents in Derbyshire, with an A+. 11 of the 40 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
#1A+
#2Melbourne
4,860 peopleScore 78.4·#9 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Strongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A−·lowest: walkability B
#3Hilton
8,269 peopleScore 74.3·#35 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Strongest: cost of living A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: walkability D
All 40 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.
40 towns.
#TownScoreGrade · UK rankWhat drives it
1Repton2,766 people79.7top 0.4%A+#5 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, health A·lowest: hazard risk C+
2Melbourne4,860 people78.4top 0.6%A+#9 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A−·lowest: walkability B
3Hilton8,269 people74.3top 2.4%A+#35 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: walkability D
4Willington2,717 people73.2top 3.1%A+#49 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, jobs & income A·lowest: hazard risk C−
5Makeney4,691 people71.3top 4.8%A+#73 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: hazard risk D−
6Etwall3,080 people69.6top 7.0%A#109 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A, jobs & income A·lowest: walkability C−
7Wingerworth6,404 people65.7top 12.1%A#177 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, jobs & income A−·lowest: walkability D
8Hatton2,560 people62.0top 17.7%A−#268 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, jobs & income B+·lowest: hazard risk D−
9Whaley Bridge4,618 people61.6top 18.8%A−#282 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health A−, jobs & income A−·lowest: hazard risk D
10Darley Dale3,985 people61.1top 20.6%A−#309 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A−, cost of living A−·lowest: hazard risk C
11Bakewell3,275 people59.0top 24.5%A−#364 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, schools A·lowest: hazard risk D−
12Borrowash7,171 people58.4top 25.5%B+#379 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools B+, jobs & income B+·lowest: health C+
13West Hallam5,912 people57.8top 27.0%B+#400 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, safety A−·lowest: schools C−
14Ashbourne8,854 people54.7top 33.7%B+#501 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability A−·lowest: safety C+
15Heage2,584 people54.4top 34.3%B+#512 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, safety A−·lowest: walkability D
16Breaston and Draycott7,393 people53.6top 35.7%B#531 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income B, cost of living B·lowest: health C+
17Kilburn and Horsley Woodhouse4,447 people53.1top 36.5%B#540 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk B·lowest: walkability C−
18Wirksworth4,904 people52.8top 37.1%B#548 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability B+·lowest: schools C
19Sandiacre9,373 people50.7top 41.4%B#614 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B+, schools B+·lowest: health C
20New Mills9,195 people50.4top 41.9%B#621 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, hazard risk B·lowest: schools C
21Chapel-en-le-Frith7,235 people49.8top 43.4%B#639 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, hazard risk B·lowest: schools C+
22Overseal and Castle Gresley5,055 people46.4bottom 48.5%B−#744 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, hazard risk B+·lowest: walkability D−
23Pilsley and Lower Pilsley3,470 people45.1bottom 45.8%B−#777 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, schools B·lowest: walkability D
24Barlborough2,859 people44.6bottom 44.1%C+#798 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, jobs & income B+·lowest: walkability C−
25Shirland and Stonebroom3,988 people42.0bottom 38.1%C+#871 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: jobs & income C−
26Newton and Blackwell3,053 people41.0bottom 35.8%C+#899 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B+·lowest: health C−
27Whitwell3,722 people40.2bottom 34.1%C#920 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools B+, cost of living B+·lowest: health D
28Old Tupton4,190 people39.1bottom 31.7%C#947 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk B+, cost of living B+·lowest: walkability C−
29Tibshelf4,352 people39.0bottom 31.4%C#949 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B+·lowest: walkability D
30Killamarsh9,082 people38.3bottom 29.7%C#971 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B+, safety B−·lowest: schools D
31Woodville7,255 people37.9bottom 28.7%C#982 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A+, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability D
32Clowne7,759 people37.3bottom 27.3%C#999 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B+·lowest: safety C−
33Gamesley3,124 people36.9bottom 26.2%C#1,014 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living A·lowest: jobs & income D
34Alfreton8,790 people36.2bottom 24.2%C−#1,036 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A·lowest: safety D
35Eckington7,435 people36.2bottom 23.8%C−#1,038 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, hazard risk B−·lowest: schools D
36Grassmoor3,528 people35.6bottom 22.3%C−#1,053 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: health D
37Creswell5,792 people33.2bottom 16.4%C−#1,116 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B+, schools B+·lowest: health D−
38North Wingfield and Holmewood9,545 people32.0bottom 13.7%D#1,147 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B+, hazard risk B+·lowest: health D
39Clay Cross8,915 people27.4bottom 6.6%D#1,222 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B+, walkability B+·lowest: health D−
40Langwith3,009 people25.7bottom 4.6%D−#1,243 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B+, walkability C+·lowest: health D−
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the best small town to live in Derbyshire?
Repton ranks first of 40 (A+): jobs & income (A) and health (A) are its strongest grades; hazard risk (C+) is its lowest. Melbourne and Hilton 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
All Derbyshire rankings →More Derbyshire lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live59 towns · #1 ReptonMost affordable towns59 towns · #1 SwadlincoteSafest towns59 towns · #1 ReptonTowns with the best schools59 towns · #1 MakeneyHealthiest towns59 towns · #1 MakeneyBest towns for jobs & income59 towns · #1 MakeneyMost walkable towns59 towns · #1 BakewellTowns with the lowest flood risk59 towns · #1 Alfreton and 12 moreBest towns for the outdoors59 towns · #1 Darley DaleMost historic towns59 towns · #1 BakewellTowns with the most civic life59 towns · #1 BakewellTowns with the highest household incomes59 towns · #1 MakeneyDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest council tax59 towns · #1 DerbyDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters59 towns · #1 Long EatonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the warmest summers59 towns · #1 Breaston and Draycott and Long EatonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers59 towns · #1 BuxtonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the fewest frosts59 towns · #1 DerbyDescribed, no lettersDriest towns59 towns · #1 Long EatonDescribed, no lettersWettest towns59 towns · #1 BuxtonDescribed, no letters
County by county
Best small towns, county by county
BedfordshireBerkshireBuckinghamshireCambridgeshireCheshireClwydCornwallCounty DurhamCumbriaDerbyshireDevonDorsetDyfedEast Riding of YorkshireEssexGloucestershireGwentHampshireHertfordshireKentLancashireLeicestershireLincolnshireMid GlamorganNorfolkNorth YorkshireNorthamptonshireNottinghamshireOxfordshireSomersetSouth YorkshireStaffordshireSuffolkSurreyTyne and WearWarwickshireWest SussexWest YorkshireWiltshire
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.