Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Population 395: a village in East Sussex, South East.
Bodiam has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real. On the way to work, 11% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. 5 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I. People aged 65 and over make up 23% of residents.
The 3 things Bodiam does most differently from other towns.
Historic England lists them inside Bodiam’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
41% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Bodiam.
People 65 and over make up nearly a quarter of the town. 7.6% of residents are 15 to 24, below East Sussex’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Residents of Bodiam have a median age of 45.6.
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Bodiam | East Sussex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.6% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 23% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.1% | 4.9% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 35% | 36% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · East Sussex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
The one school in town appears below. Key Stage 2 results at the 3 primary schools within 3 km: 56% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its one primary school teaches 85 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodiam Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 85 | D |
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 39% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Unemployment benefit claims reached 3.3% of 16 to 64s in 2026. 88% of commuters drove, higher than both East Sussex’s towns (66%) and England’s towns (70%). Average household income is £62K a year before tax.
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
58% of households own their home, below both East Sussex’s towns (62%) and England’s towns (61%). Renting privately is how 20% of households live. Private rents average £1,165 a month across the Rother council area.
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Nearly a fifth of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Violence accounts for 15.2 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year. Reported offences in Bodiam came to 16 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 3.
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.
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.
At the census, 4.6% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, lower than both East Sussex’s towns (5.6%) and England’s towns (5.2%). Self-reported good health: 85% of Bodiam’s residents. There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 2.8 miles off.
| Census 2021 | Bodiam | East Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.6% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 20% | 17% |
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Listed buildings per head: 127 for every 10,000 residents of Bodiam. Conservation areas cover 100% of the town’s land, above East Sussex’s towns (4%) and England’s towns (7%) alike. Also worth knowing: the town has one scheduled monument.
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Bodiam. Best known first.
Castle · National TrustBodiam Castle200 m outside town, to the southeast
GardenGreat Dixter3.5 km outside town, to the east
Historic houseBrickwall4.8 km outside town, to the southeastHeritage railwayHeritage railwayRother Valley Railway4.6 km outside town, to the southwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Village in East Sussex, England
Bodiam is a built-up area of 395 people, in the Rother 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
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodiam | 395 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hawkhurst | 3,683 | 2.9 | B+ | C+ | C | B+ |
| Hurst Green | 1,181 | 3.1 | — | D− | B | A |
| Northiam | 1,910 | 3.1 | — | D− | A− | B− |
| Robertsbridge | 1,439 | 3.3 | — | D− | D | A |
| Benenden | 1,409 | 4.7 | — | C− | A | B+ |
| Ticehurst | 1,464 | 6 | — | D− | C− | A− |
| Cranbrook | 3,962 | 6.3 | B | C+ | C− | B |
Hurst Green, Northiam, Robertsbridge, Benenden and Ticehurst have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
That is 5.2 times the typical UK town for its size. It also has 1 scheduled monument.
Band D council tax in Bodiam is £2,690 for 2026–27, more than in 95% 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.
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.