Lympstone’s story
67 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Lympstone’s built-up area.
31% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
LympstoneDevon
A village of 1,838 in Devon, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Ray Girvan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,838
Census 2021 · East Devon council
Median home
£560K
57 sales in 3 years
Median age
47.2
26% are 65+ · Devon 24%
Degree level
49%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
22%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Lympstone a good place to live?
Lympstone has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is health (A): life expectancy 82.7 for men, 87.6 for women. Its weakest is hazard risk (D−): 17% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. The median home sold for £560,000 in the last three years, 10.5 times what households in the East Devon council area earn in a year.
Devon And Cornwall Police published 33 of the 36 months; rates are per year over the months published.
What makes Lympstone stand out
The 3 things Lympstone does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Parish Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary; 15 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Flood risk, against UK towns
Flood risk
High or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea: more than in 98% of UK towns
Environment Agency flood maps, defences counted.
How Lympstone grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Lympstone is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard riskD−Open →HealthAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 18% of towns in England; secondary results beat 15% of towns in EnglandDOpen →Walkability22% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →Cost of livingrent £968 a monthC−Open →SafetyA−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryA+Open →Outdoors66% live within 400 m of a park; 16% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeCOpen →Civic life4.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Lympstone.
History
Lympstone is rich in listed buildings: 365 per 10,000 residents, more than Devon’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
For Lympstone, that is above both Devon’s towns (104) and England’s towns (39). Lympstone has 67 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 1 Grade II*. 31% of homes were built before 1919.
67listed buildingsA+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II66
Among them · Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
31%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
365
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsD
Results at Lympstone’s schools trail 89% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
DSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lympstone Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 160 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Life expectancy in Lympstone is longer than in 92% of UK towns
Women here live to 87.6 on average and men to 82.7 (2019–23). 3.6% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, below both Devon’s towns (5.9%) and England’s towns (5.2%). Lympstone has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.9 miles away.
84%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Lympstone | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.6% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 21% | 17% |
82.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.6
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Household income in Lympstone, £64K a year, runs above Devon’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 32% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Lympstone sits above both Devon’s towns (£52K) and England’s towns (£55K) on this measure. 1.3% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026.
22%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving76%
On foot9%
Bicycle8%
Train4%
Bus2%
38%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
32%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£64K
mean household income, before tax
1.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
A−
Walkability: more walkable than 84% 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 C−
Lympstone gets a C− for cost of living grade
Half the homes sold went for more than £560K, above both Devon’s towns (£305K) and England’s towns (£308K).
£560Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Lympstone£560K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £790,000 | 23 |
| Semi-detached | £420,000 | 11 |
| Terraced | £427,500 | 22 |
67%
of households own their home · England 61%
18%
rent privately · England 21%
£968
average private rent a month, East Devon council area
£2,543
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
Lympstone records less violent crime per resident than Devon’s towns or England’s towns, at 12.9 per 1,000 a year
That puts Lympstone below both Devon’s towns (21.5) and England’s towns (22). Police recorded 38 crimes inside Lympstone’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 3 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 61% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
12.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 65% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual23
Burglary5
Damage & arson3
Other theft3
Shoplifting1
Public order1
Drugs1
Other crime1
Anti-social3
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.
12.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
38
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Who lives here
More people in Lympstone hold a degree than in Devon’s towns or England’s towns: 49%
On this, Lympstone is above both Devon’s towns (30%) and England’s towns (34%). 6.5% of residents are aged 15 to 24. Lympstone has a median age of 47.2.
47.2median age
LympstoneDevonEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications8%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level49%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 94 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.
| Lympstone | Devon | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.5% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 7.9% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.5% | 6.6% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 49% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Devon and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Peter's Tower and 8 more in and around Lympstone
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Lympstone. Best known first.
AttractionAttractionPeter's Towerin town
CastlePowderham Castle2 km outside town, to the west
Historic house · National TrustA la Ronde500 m outside town, to the southeast
MuseumTopsham Museum3.7 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumExmouth Museum2.2 km outside town, to the south
MuseumWorld of Country Life4.5 km outside town, to the southeast
CastlePowderham Castle2 km outside town, to the westHistoric house · National TrustA la Ronde500 m outside town, to the southeastMuseumTopsham Museum3.7 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumExmouth Museum2.2 km outside town, to the southMuseumWorld of Country Life4.5 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Powderham Castle: raymond cocks, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- A la Ronde: Becks, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Topsham Museum: Simon Cobb, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Exmouth Museum: Jasskurn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- World of Country Life: Anthony Vosper, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lympstone
15pages on Lympstone
The big questions
SafetyA−12.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £560K · rent £968 a monthHousing22 sold in 12 months · busiest street Longmeadow RoadSchoolsD1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 82.7 (men), 87.6 (women)Work & commuteA−47% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD−16.9% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Lympstone’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ExtonExmouthWoodburyStarcrossTopshamExminsterDawlish WarrenLympstone
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lympstone | 1,838 | — | — | C− | A− | A |
| Exton | 1,287 | 1.1 | — | C− | A+ | A |
| Exmouth | 35,502 | 1.9 | C | C+ | C+ | B− |
| Woodbury | 1,749 | 2 | — | C | B | A |
| Starcross | 1,687 | 2 | — | B | B− | B− |
| Topsham | 4,193 | 3.1 | B | D− | B− | A− |
| Exminster | 4,388 | 3.7 | B+ | C− | A− | B |
| Dawlish Warren | 1,191 | 3.7 | — | C | D | B− |
Exton, Woodbury, Starcross and Dawlish Warren have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Lympstone
Does Lympstone flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
How many listed buildings are there in Lympstone?
That is 15 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Lympstone expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £560,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £427,500, semi-detached houses £420,000 and detached houses £790,000.
Are schools in Lympstone good?
GCSE results trail 85% of towns in England, and primary results trail 82% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Devon council.
About Lympstone
Village in Devon, England
Lympstone is a built-up area of 1,838 people, in the East Devon 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
- 1,838 (Census 2021)
- Council
- East Devon
- County
- Devon
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006787
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.