Pett’s story
24 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Pett’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
9% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PettEast Sussex
Population 485: a village in East Sussex, South East. Over-65s are 38% of the population.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Janet Richardson · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
485
Census 2021 · Rother council
Median home
£580K
16 sales in 3 years
Median age
59.1
38% are 65+ · East Sussex 22%
Degree level
32%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Pett a good place to live?
There are no grades for Pett: with fewer than 1,000 residents, they wouldn’t be fair. The figures on this page are still real. 24 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I. On the way to work, 12% walk, cycle or take a bus or train.
What makes Pett stand out
The 3 things Pett does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 20.3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
38% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Nearby attractions
All attractions →the old bunker and 11 more in and around Pett
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Pett. Best known first.
FortFortthe old bunkerin town
Art galleryHastings Contemporary4.7 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumWinchelsea Corporation Museum3.7 km outside town, to the northeast
AquariumBlue Reef Aquarium4.5 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumHastings Fishermen's Museum4.6 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumShipwreck Museum4.6 km outside town, to the southwest
Art galleryHastings Contemporary4.7 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumWinchelsea Corporation Museum3.7 km outside town, to the northeastAquariumBlue Reef Aquarium4.5 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumHastings Fishermen's Museum4.6 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumShipwreck Museum4.6 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Hastings Contemporary: yellow book, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Winchelsea Corporation Museum: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Blue Reef Aquarium: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hastings Fishermen's Museum: The Voice of Hassocks, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Pett.
Who lives here
An older town: 38% of people in Pett are 65 or over, more than in East Sussex’s towns and across England’s towns
Children under 15 make up nearly one in ten residents. People aged 15 to 24 make up 7.7% of the town, below East Sussex’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Line up the people of Pett by age and the one in the middle is 59.1.
59.1median age
PettEast SussexEngland
Ages · share of residents
38%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications18%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar20%
Degree level32%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 91 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.
| Pett | East Sussex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 8.8% | 15% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.7% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 14% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 38% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.9% | 4.9% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 32% | 36% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · East Sussex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commute
The car carries 85% of commuters in Pett, more than in East Sussex’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 37% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
1.9% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, lower than both East Sussex’s towns (2.7%) and England’s towns (2.3%). For 4% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. Walking ranked second among ways to work, at 7%.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
On foot7%
Train3%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
4%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
37%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£54K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
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
Buying in Pett costs more than in East Sussex’s towns and across England’s towns: the median sale is £580K
Social housing holds 11% of households. 14% rent privately, below both East Sussex’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (21%). Home ownership covers just over three quarters of households.
£580Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Pett£580K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £725,000 | 9 |
| Semi-detached | £440,000 | 5 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
14%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,165
average private rent a month, Rother council area
£2,705
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
Violence is recorded more often in Pett than in East Sussex’s towns or across England’s towns: 26.8 per 1,000 residents a year
33 crimes and 8 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Pett’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Of all the crimes, 61% were violence and sexual offences. There were 11 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above East Sussex’s towns (9.5) and England’s towns (7.8) alike.
26.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual20
Burglary5
Public order4
Other theft3
Theft from person1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Drugs0
Anti-social8
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.
26.8
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
11
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
33
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
Only 78% of people in Pett say their health is good or very good, fewer than in East Sussex’s towns and across England’s towns
There is no GP practice in Pett: the nearest is 2.5 miles off. Just over a fifth of residents have a disability, about level with East Sussex’s towns (20%) and above England’s towns (17%). The nearest A&E to Pett is Conquest Hospital, 3.9 miles away.
78%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 78%Fair 17%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Pett | East Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 78% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
80.6
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.6
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them, do allow for age.
History
Pett is rich in listed buildings: 495 per 10,000 residents, more than in East Sussex’s towns and across England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes from before 1919 make up nearly a tenth of the total, lower than both East Sussex’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (16%). One scheduled monument lies in Pett.
24listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II24
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
9%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
495
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 Pett
13pages on Pett
The big questions
Safety26.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £580K · rent £1,165 a monthHousing4 sold in 12 months · busiest street Pett RoadSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 80.6 (men), 85.6 (women)Work & commute55% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards5.9% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Pett’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
FairlightWinchelsea BeachWestfieldHastingsRyeCamberNorthiamPett
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pett | 485 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fairlight | 1,561 | 1.3 | — | D− | A+ | B+ |
| Winchelsea Beach | 1,027 | 3.5 | — | D− | C+ | B− |
| Westfield | 1,271 | 3.7 | — | D− | D | B |
| Hastings | 91,497 | 4.1 | D | D− | D | D |
| Rye | 4,888 | 5.1 | D− | D− | D | B− |
| Camber | 1,132 | 6.6 | — | D− | D− | C+ |
| Northiam | 1,910 | 7.6 | — | D− | A− | B− |
Fairlight, Winchelsea Beach, Westfield, Camber and Northiam have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Pett
How many listed buildings are there in Pett?
That is 20.3 times the typical UK town for its size. It also has 1 scheduled monument.
Is Pett expensive to live in?
By type: semi-detached houses £440,000 and detached houses £725,000. Private rents in the Rother council area averaged £1,165 a month in August 2026.
How much is council tax in Pett?
Band D council tax in Pett is £2,705 for 2026–27, more than in 96% 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 Pett
Village in East Sussex, England
Pett is a built-up area of 485 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
- Population
- 485 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Rother
- County
- East Sussex
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006389
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.