Bakewell, #1 on this list · Photo: Peter Barr · CC BY-SA 2.0

Derbyshire rankings · Walkability

Most walkable towns in Derbyshire

Bakewell ranks first on walkability among Derbyshire’s 59 towns of 2,500+; 11 of the 59 grade A− or better against UK towns.

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sits beside each letter. How grades work

Bakewell

3,275 people

Better than 93% of UK towns·#226 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Gamesley

3,124 people

Better than 89% of UK towns·#355 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

#T3

Buxton

20,048 people

Better than 87% of UK towns·#432 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

All 59 towns, ranked

Walkability grade, best first; ranks are the county ranks on each town’s page (T = tied). Military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked. Each rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland links to the national list.

Every town in Derbyshire →

Find a town

59 towns.

#TownGrade · UK rankCompared with UK towns

1Bakewell3,275 peopleA#226 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 93% of UK towns

2Gamesley3,124 peopleA#355 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 89% of UK towns

T3Buxton20,048 peopleA#432 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 87% of UK towns

T3New Mills9,195 peopleA#432 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 87% of UK towns

5Long Eaton37,815 peopleA⁻#534 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 84% of UK towns

6Shirebrook11,571 peopleA⁻#539 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 84% of UK towns

7Derby275,561 peopleA⁻#543 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 84% of UK towns

8Glossop17,820 peopleA⁻#589 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 83% of UK towns

9Ashbourne8,854 peopleA⁻#705 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 79% of UK towns

10Alfreton8,790 peopleA⁻#732 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 78% of UK towns

11Matlock11,990 peopleA⁻#803 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 76% of UK towns

12Chesterfield76,394 peopleB⁺#889 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 73% of UK towns

13Ilkeston38,723 peopleB⁺#903 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 73% of UK towns

14Chapel-en-le-Frith7,235 peopleB⁺#950 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 72% of UK towns

15Whaley Bridge4,618 peopleB⁺#1,012 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 70% of UK towns

16Clay Cross8,915 peopleB⁺#1,061 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 68% of UK towns

17Sandiacre9,373 peopleB⁺#1,133 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 66% of UK towns

18Wirksworth4,904 peopleB⁺#1,145 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 66% of UK towns

19Heanor24,264 peopleB⁺#1,149 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 66% of UK towns

20Hadfield16,271 peopleB#1,180 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 65% of UK towns

21Hatton2,560 peopleB#1,236 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 63% of UK towns

22Belper19,076 peopleB#1,323 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 60% of UK towns

23Melbourne4,860 peopleB#1,335 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 60% of UK towns

24Brimington11,068 peopleB#1,390 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 58% of UK towns

25Breaston and Draycott7,393 peopleB#1,464 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 55% of UK towns

26Repton2,766 peopleB#1,473 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 55% of UK towns

27Staveley15,151 peopleB⁻#1,480 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 55% of UK towns

28Ripley20,191 peopleB⁻#1,490 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 54% of UK towns

29Somercotes and Swanwick15,105 peopleB⁻#1,520 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 53% of UK towns

30Borrowash7,171 peopleB⁻#1,561 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 52% of UK towns

31Darley Dale3,985 peopleB⁻#1,616 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 50% of UK towns

32North Wingfield and Holmewood9,545 peopleB⁻#1,679 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 48% of UK towns

33Makeney4,691 peopleB⁻#1,692 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 47% of UK towns

34Eckington7,435 peopleB⁻#1,728 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 46% of UK towns

35Creswell5,792 peopleC⁺#1,770 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 44% of UK towns

36Grassmoor3,528 peopleC⁺#1,775 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 44% of UK towns

37Bolsover11,228 peopleC⁺#1,802 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 43% of UK towns

38South Normanton and Pinxton16,028 peopleC⁺#1,833 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 42% of UK towns

39Langwith3,009 peopleC⁺#1,854 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 41% of UK towns

40Dronfield21,161 peopleC⁺#1,904 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 39% of UK towns

41Swadlincote34,569 peopleC⁺#1,997 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 35% of UK towns

42Clowne7,759 peopleC#2,077 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 32% of UK towns

43Killamarsh9,082 peopleC#2,087 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 31% of UK towns

44Willington2,717 peopleC#2,090 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 31% of UK towns

45Newton and Blackwell3,053 peopleC#2,145 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 28% of UK towns

46Shirland and Stonebroom3,988 peopleC⁻#2,238 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 23% of UK towns

47Kilburn and Horsley Woodhouse4,447 peopleC⁻#2,254 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 22% of UK towns

48Whitwell3,722 peopleC⁻#2,260 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 22% of UK towns

49Etwall3,080 peopleC⁻#2,283 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 20% of UK towns

50Old Tupton4,190 peopleC⁻#2,303 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 18% of UK towns

51West Hallam5,912 peopleC⁻#2,308 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 18% of UK towns

52Barlborough2,859 peopleC⁻#2,329 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 17% of UK towns

53Pilsley and Lower Pilsley3,470 peopleD#2,386 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 13% of UK towns

54Wingerworth6,404 peopleD#2,408 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 12% of UK towns

55Hilton8,269 peopleD#2,413 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 11% of UK towns

56Tibshelf4,352 peopleD#2,419 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 11% of UK towns

57Woodville7,255 peopleD#2,428 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 10% of UK towns

58Heage2,584 peopleD#2,481 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 6% of UK towns

59Overseal and Castle Gresley5,055 peopleD⁻#2,509 of 2,515 nationallybehind almost every UK town

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most walkable town in Derbyshire?

Bakewell ranks first on walkability among 59 towns, with an A: better than 93% of UK towns. Gamesley and Buxton follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

Garrison towns and university campuses aren’t ranked, and towns without the figures this grade needs are counted above. The list covers Derbyshire’s towns of 2,500+ with the figure. Smaller places show it on their own pages; every town in Derbyshire is on the county page.

Go deeper

More Derbyshire lists

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

All Derbyshire rankings →

Best places to live59 towns · #1 Repton Best small towns40 towns · #1 Repton Most affordable towns59 towns · #1 Swadlincote Safest towns59 towns · #1 Repton Towns with the best schools59 towns · #1 Makeney Healthiest towns59 towns · #1 Makeney Best towns for jobs & income59 towns · #1 Makeney Towns with the lowest flood risk59 towns · #1 Alfreton and 12 more Best towns for the outdoors59 towns · #1 Darley Dale Most historic towns59 towns · #1 Bakewell Towns with the most civic life59 towns · #1 Bakewell Towns with the highest household incomes59 towns · #1 MakeneyDescribed, no letters Towns with the lowest council tax59 towns · #1 DerbyDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters59 towns · #1 Long EatonDescribed, no letters Towns with the warmest summers59 towns · #1 Breaston and Draycott and Long EatonDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers59 towns · #1 BuxtonDescribed, no letters Towns with the fewest frosts59 towns · #1 DerbyDescribed, no letters Driest towns59 towns · #1 Long EatonDescribed, no letters Wettest towns59 towns · #1 BuxtonDescribed, no letters

Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · 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.