West Hill’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside West Hill’s built-up area.
18% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
West HillDevon
A village of 2,109 in Devon, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Roger Cornfoot · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,109
Census 2021 · East Devon council
Median home
£755K
82 sales in 3 years
Median age
53.5
34% are 65+ · Devon 24%
Degree level
51%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is West Hill a good place to live?
West Hill has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is health (A+): life expectancy 83.3 for men, 87.5 for women. Its weakest is cost of living (C−): median sale £755,000, 14.2 years of area income; rent £968 a month.
Devon And Cornwall Police published 33 of the 36 months; rates are per year over the months published.
What makes West Hill stand out
The 3 things West Hill does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
10% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.7 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
34% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How West Hill grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far West Hill is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthA+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 57% of towns in England; secondary results beat 75% of towns in EnglandB+Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £58,020; 1.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildingsC−Open →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 27% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeDOpen →Civic life2.8 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 West Hill.
Who lives here
More people in West Hill hold a degree than in Devon’s towns or England’s towns: 51%
For West Hill, that is above both Devon’s towns (30%) and England’s towns (34%). Over-65s are 34% of the population. West Hill has a median age of 53.5.
53.5median age
West HillDevonEngland
Ages · share of residents
34%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications9%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level51%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 93 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.
| West Hill | Devon | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.2% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 12% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 34% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 8.9% | 17% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4% | 6.6% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 51% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Devon and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsB+
Results at West Hill’s schools beat 70% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
B+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Hill Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 216 | A+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Life expectancy in West Hill is longer than in 95% of UK towns
West Hill sits above both Devon’s towns (80%) and England’s towns (82%) on this measure. Women here live to 87.5 on average and men to 83.3 (2019–23). West Hill has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2 miles away.
87%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 9%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | West Hill | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.5% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 21% | 17% |
83.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Safety
Burglary and damage are rarer in West Hill than in Devon’s towns or across England’s towns: 4.5 per 1,000 residents a year
That puts West Hill below both Devon’s towns (7.6) and England’s towns (9.4). Violence comes to 14.3 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 42 crimes inside West Hill’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 1 reports of anti-social behaviour.
14.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 73% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual23
Damage & arson10
Other theft3
Vehicle crime3
Drugs1
Theft from person1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social1
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.
14.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
42
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C−
West Hill is a town of owners: 91% of households own their home, above Devon’s towns and England’s towns
On this, West Hill is above both Devon’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). 5% of households rent privately.
£755Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
West Hill£755K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £765,000 | 77 |
91%
of households own their home · England 61%
5%
rent privately · England 21%
£968
average private rent a month, East Devon council area
£2,530
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
2 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
West Hill has 2 listed buildings inside its built-up area on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*. 18% of its homes were built before 1919.
2listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
18%
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
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Commuters in West Hill travel far: only 16% go under 5 km, fewer than in Devon’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 47% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
In the comparison, West Hill comes below both Devon’s towns (51%) and England’s towns (45%). At the census, 10% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot5%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
Underground, tram1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
47%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£58K
mean household income, before tax
1.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 23% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Cadhay Gardens and 3 more in and around West Hill
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near West Hill. Best known first.
GardenCadhay Gardens2.1 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumWhimple Heritage Centre3.5 km outside town, to the northwestAttractionAttractionAuthentic Saxon Village3.3 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionTumbling Weir2.1 km 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 (1)
- Cadhay Gardens: Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Hill
14pages on West Hill
The big questions
SafetyA14.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £755K · rent £968 a monthHousing20 sold in 12 months · busiest street West Hill RoadSchoolsB+1 state schoolHealthA+Life expectancy 83.3 (men), 87.5 (women)Work & commuteB+59% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
West Hill’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Ottery St MaryNewton PopplefordWhimpleCranbrookFenitonSidmouthWoodburyWest Hill
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Hill | 2,109 | — | — | C− | A | A+ |
| Ottery St Mary | 6,043 | 2.2 | A− | C+ | B | A+ |
| Newton Poppleford | 1,918 | 2.7 | — | C+ | B− | A− |
| Whimple | 1,120 | 2.7 | — | C | A | A |
| Cranbrook | 4,936 | 4 | C | B− | C− | C+ |
| Feniton | 1,725 | 4 | — | B | A+ | A |
| Sidmouth | 13,258 | 4.6 | B | C− | B | A |
| Woodbury | 1,749 | 5.4 | — | C | B | A |
Newton Poppleford, Whimple, Feniton and Woodbury have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about West Hill
Is West Hill expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £755,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town.
Who lives in West Hill?
An older village. At the 2021 Census, 34% of residents were 65 or over and 29% were 45 to 64, against 18% and 25% across England’s towns; 17% were under 15.
About West Hill
Village in Devon, England
West Hill is a built-up area of 2,109 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
- 2,109 (Census 2021)
- Council
- East Devon
- County
- Devon
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006706
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.