Musbury’s story
23 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Musbury’s built-up area.
33% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
MusburyDevon
A village of 561 in Devon, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Michael Garlick · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
561
Census 2021 · East Devon council
Median home
£340K
14 sales in 3 years
Median age
59.1
39% are 65+ · Devon 24%
Degree level
32%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Musbury a good place to live?
Musbury has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Musbury stand out
The 3 things Musbury 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%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of St Michael; 16.8 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
39% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Colcombe Castle and 9 more in and around Musbury
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Musbury. Best known first.
CastleColcombe Castle2 km outside town, to the west
Historic house · National TrustShute Barton3 km outside town, to the northwest
FortMusbury Castle700 m outside town, to the southeast
MuseumAxminster Museum4.1 km outside town, to the northeastZooZooAxe Valley Wildlife Park3.3 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumColyton Heritage Centre2.5 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Colcombe Castle: Rev. John Swete, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Shute Barton: own photo, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Musbury Castle: Martin Bodman, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Axminster Museum: Chris Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Musbury.
Who lives here
Children make up only 9.1% of Musbury, fewer than in Devon’s towns and England’s towns
People 65 and over make up nearly two fifths of the town. 6.3% of the population is aged 15 to 24, lower than both Devon’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%). Residents of Musbury have a median age of 59.1.
59.1median age
MusburyDevonEngland
Ages · share of residents
39%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications21%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level32%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Musbury | Devon | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 9.1% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.3% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 39% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 21% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.4% | 6.6% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 32% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Devon and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Musbury
The one school in town appears below. At the 3 primary schools within 3 km, 53% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musbury Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 53 | D− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Musbury walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Devon’s towns or England’s towns: 9%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 28% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For 29% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. 91% of commuters drove, above both Devon’s towns (73%) and England’s towns (70%). Among 16 to 64s, 3.1% claimed unemployment benefits in 2026. Work in town: 8% of resident commuters.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving91%
On foot5%
Bicycle2%
Bus1%
Train1%
29%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
28%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£52K
mean household income, before tax
3.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Housing
Few households rent privately in Musbury: 10%, fewer than in Devon’s towns and England’s towns
71% of households own their home, above both Devon’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Social renters account for 20% of households. From September 2023 to August 2026, 14 homes sold inside Musbury’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £339,500.
£340Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Musbury£340K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £490,000 | 8 |
71%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£968
average private rent a month, East Devon council area
£2,527
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
Violent crime runs low in Musbury: 13.6 per 1,000 residents a year, under Devon’s towns and England’s towns
Violence and sexual offences accounted for 57% of recorded crime. Police recorded 21 crimes inside Musbury’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. There were 1.3 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Devon’s towns (5.7) and England’s towns (7.8).
13.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual12
Other theft5
Burglary2
Shoplifting1
Other crime1
Damage & arson0
Public order0
Drugs0
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.
13.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
21
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
Disability is more common in Musbury than in Devon’s towns or across England’s towns: 24% of residents
There is no GP practice in Musbury: the nearest is 2.6 miles off. At the census, 4.6% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, lower than both Devon’s towns (5.9%) and England’s towns (5.2%). The nearest A&E to Musbury is Musgrove Park Hospital, 18.6 miles away.
81%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 81%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Musbury | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 81% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.6% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 24% | 21% | 17% |
82.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.2
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
History
More buildings in Musbury are listed than in Devon’s towns or England’s towns: 410 per 10,000 residents
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them. Musbury’s listed buildings include the Church of St Michael, Grade I. It counts 23 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade I. Homes from before 1919 make up 33% of the total, higher than both Devon’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (16%).
23listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II22
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St Michael Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
33%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
410
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Musbury
13pages on Musbury
The big questions
Safety13.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £340K · rent £968 a monthHousing6 sold in 12 monthsSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 82.9 (men), 86.2 (women)Work & commute51% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards2.4% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Musbury’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ColytonAxminsterSeatonUplymeLyme RegisBeerCharmouthMusbury
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Musbury | 561 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Colyton | 1,938 | 1.8 | — | C | A− | A |
| Axminster | 6,094 | 3 | D | B | D | C+ |
| Seaton | 7,429 | 3.2 | B+ | C+ | B | B− |
| Uplyme | 1,053 | 3.4 | — | C− | A | A |
| Lyme Regis | 3,741 | 4.2 | C | D− | B− | B+ |
| Beer | 1,280 | 4.6 | — | C+ | A− | A |
| Charmouth | 1,337 | 5.6 | — | D− | A− | B+ |
Colyton, Uplyme, Beer and Charmouth have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Musbury
Who lives in Musbury?
An older village. At the 2021 Census, 39% of residents were 65 or over and 28% were 45 to 64, against 18% and 25% across England’s towns; 9.1% were under 15.
How many listed buildings are there in Musbury?
That is 16.8 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of St Michael.
How much is council tax in Musbury?
Band D council tax in Musbury is £2,527 for 2026–27, more than in 71% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Musbury
Village in Devon, England
Musbury is a built-up area of 561 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
- 561 (Census 2021)
- Council
- East Devon
- County
- Devon
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006684
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.