North Chailey’s story
7 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside North Chailey’s built-up area.
33% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
North ChaileyEast Sussex
It is a village of 1,008 residents in East Sussex, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Nigel Freeman · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,008
Census 2021 · Lewes council
Median home
£445K
39 sales in 3 years
Median age
45
18% are 65+ · East Sussex 22%
Degree level
42%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is North Chailey a good place to live?
Health is a strength (A): life expectancy is 82.8 for men and 86.5 for women. Jobs & income is another plus: the mean household earns £68,114 a year. Prices are high against local incomes: a typical home costs £445,000 and rent runs £1,333 a month. The rest of its grades are middling: C+ for schools and B− for hazard risk.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. North Chailey has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes North Chailey stand out
The 3 things North Chailey does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 2.8 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.6 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
How North Chailey grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far North Chailey is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
North Chailey has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Cost of livingMedian sale £445,000, 8 years of area incomeD−Open →HealthIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Jobs & income1.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsAOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentA−Open →WalkabilityMost errands need a carCOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 44% of towns in EnglandC+Open →Hazard risk0.2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History33% of homes built before 1919BOpen →Outdoors48% live within 400 m of a park; 18% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB+Open →Civic life6 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 North Chailey.
HousingCost of living grade D−
Private renting is less common in North Chailey than in East Sussex’s towns or across England’s towns: 9%
7% live in social housing, below both East Sussex’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (18%). Owners make up 80% of households. The £445,000 median rests on 39 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£445Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
North Chailey£445K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £545,000 | 17 |
| Semi-detached | £440,000 | 5 |
| Terraced | £360,000 | 9 |
| Flat or maisonette | £243,750 | 8 |
80%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,333
average private rent a month, Lewes council area
£2,665
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
People in North Chailey live longer lives than in 90% of UK towns
Disability touches 15% of North Chailey’s population; what’s more, at the census, 3.4% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, below both East Sussex’s towns (5.6%) and England’s towns (5.2%). 87% of people in North Chailey rate their own health good or very good. Seeing a GP means leaving North Chailey: the nearest practice is 1.5 miles away.
87%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | North Chailey | East Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.4% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 20% | 17% |
82.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Census health answers are raw, so younger towns score better on them; for the Health Grade we use age-adjusted figures like life expectancy and early deaths.
Safety
North Chailey records less crime per resident than 76% of UK towns
Police figures for North Chailey’s built-up area: 17 crimes and 5 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence came to 13.9 per 1,000 residents a year, below both East Sussex’s towns (18.1) and England’s towns (22).
13.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 58% 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 & sexual10
Damage & arson4
Public order1
Vehicle crime1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Other theft0
Burglary0
Anti-social5
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.
13.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
17
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Only 11% of commuters in North Chailey go to work without a car, fewer than in both East Sussex’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 46% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For every resident in work, North Chailey has 2.3 jobs. Short trips to work, under 5 km: 16%, below both East Sussex’s towns (53%) and England’s towns (45%). The car carried 86% of commuters at the census. About 6% of its commuters stay in North Chailey for work.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
Train6%
On foot3%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
46%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£68K
mean household income, before tax
1.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 33% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
North Chailey keeps more of its old housing than East Sussex’s towns or England’s towns: 33% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II covers all 7 listed buildings that Historic England records here. Per 10,000 residents, North Chailey counts 69 listed buildings, near East Sussex’s towns (70) and higher than England’s towns (39).
7listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II7
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
33%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
69
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
More people in North Chailey hold a degree than in East Sussex’s towns or England’s towns: 42%
The middle age in North Chailey is 45. Children under 15 make up 17% of residents. 18% of residents have reached 65.
45median age
North ChaileyEast SussexEngland
Ages · share of residents
13%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level42%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| North Chailey | East Sussex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 18% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.8% | 4.9% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 42% | 36% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · East Sussex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Sheffield Park and 2 more in and around North Chailey
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near North Chailey. Best known first.
Garden · National TrustSheffield Park2.4 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumSteamWorks!1.5 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionClinton Lodge Gardens3 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)
- Sheffield Park: Zeimusu, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about North Chailey
14pages on North Chailey
The big questions
SafetyA−13.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingD−Median home £445K · rent £1,333 a monthHousing9 sold in 12 months · busiest street Haywards Heath RoadSchoolsC+HealthALife expectancy 82.8 (men), 86.5 (women)Work & commuteA61% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
North Chailey’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
NewickWivelsfield GreenHorsted KeynesHaywards HeathPlumpton GreenMaresfieldNutleyNorth Chailey
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Chailey | 1,008 | — | — | D− | A− | A |
| Newick | 2,689 | 1.3 | B+ | D− | A+ | A+ |
| Wivelsfield Green | 1,012 | 2.8 | — | D− | A+ | A+ |
| Horsted Keynes | 1,121 | 3.7 | — | C | A | A+ |
| Haywards Heath | 40,186 | 3.7 | A+ | B | B | A− |
| Plumpton Green | 1,060 | 3.9 | — | D− | A+ | A+ |
| Maresfield | 1,369 | 4.4 | — | D | A− | A+ |
| Nutley | 1,218 | 4.6 | — | D | A | A |
Wivelsfield Green, Horsted Keynes, Plumpton Green, Maresfield and Nutley have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about North Chailey
How many listed buildings are there in North Chailey?
That is 2.8 times the typical UK town for its size.
How much is council tax in North Chailey?
Band D council tax in North Chailey is £2,665 for 2026–27, more than in 93% 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.
Is North Chailey expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £445,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £243,750, terraced houses £360,000, semi-detached houses £440,000 and detached houses £545,000.
Is North Chailey safe?
Against all UK towns, it grades A−. Police recorded 17 crimes inside North Chailey’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 59% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
About North Chailey
Village in East Sussex, England
North Chailey is a built-up area of 1,008 people, in the Lewes 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
- 1,008 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Lewes
- County
- East Sussex
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006227
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.