Abridge’s story
11 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Abridge’s built-up area.
13% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
AbridgeEssex
This village in Essex, East of England has a population of 1,651.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David Howard · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,651
Census 2021 · Epping Forest council
Median home
£500K
61 sales in 3 years
Median age
45.8
24% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
22%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
20%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Abridge a good place to live?
Abridge’s strongest subject is schools: primary results beat just over three quarters of towns in England; secondary results beat 83% of towns in England. Walkability is a strength too (A−) — on the way to work, 20% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. Housing is expensive: the median home sold for £500,000, 7.8 years of area income. It also trails on hazard risk: 1% of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding.
Figures: commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Abridge has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Abridge stand out
The 3 things Abridge does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Abridge Motor Spares Robert Chappell, Butcher; 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.8 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Rent against income, UK towns
Renting
£1,844 a month
Average private rent, 34% of what households in the area earn: more than in 99% of UK towns
ONS private rents, Epping Forest council area.
How Abridge grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Abridge is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 76% of towns in England; secondary results beat 83% of towns in EnglandA−Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesC−Open →WalkabilityAhead of most towns comparedA−Open →HealthLife expectancy 81.1 for men, 83.5 for womenB+Open →Jobs & income2.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →Hazard riskGraded on exposure to natural hazardsCOpen →Safety22 violent and sexual offences and 10.5 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026B−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryClose to the middle of the towns comparedC+Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life1.8 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 Abridge.
SchoolsA−
Abridge’s schools outperform 84% of towns in England on results
Secondary results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 51.2, with 57% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. The town has one school, shown below. At the 6 primary schools within 3 km, two thirds of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lambourne Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 214 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade C−
Few households rent privately in Abridge: 9%, fewer than in both Essex’s towns and England’s towns
73% of households own their home, above Essex’s towns (67%) and England’s towns (61%) alike. 61 standard sales inside Abridge’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £500,000. Private rents average £1,844 a month across the Epping Forest council area.
£500Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Abridge£500K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £722,500 | 8 |
| Semi-detached | £530,000 | 30 |
| Terraced | £450,000 | 15 |
| Flat or maisonette | £327,500 | 8 |
73%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,844
average private rent a month, Epping Forest council area
£2,237
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Work tends to be further away for Abridge: 22% commute under 5 km, below Essex’s towns and 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.
The car carried 75% of commuters at the census. Households had £72K a year before tax, above Essex’s towns (£63K) and England’s towns (£55K) alike. Jobs per working resident: 0.6.
20%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving75%
Underground, tram10%
On foot5%
Train4%
Bus1%
22%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
37%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£72K
mean household income, before tax
2.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
A−
Walkability: more walkable than 77% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Abridge than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns: 4.1% of residents
One GP practice serves the town; nearly four in five patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey. The nearest A&E to Abridge is King George Hospital, 4.8 miles away. Asked at the census, 82% of residents of Abridge said they were in good or very good health.
82%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Abridge | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 17% | 17% |
81.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Self-reported health favours young towns, since these answers ignore age; the Health Grade leans on age-adjusted measures such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Listed buildings in Abridge: 11
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II* covers 1 of them. Before 1919: that is when 13% of homes were built. Relative to its size, Abridge keeps 67 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, above Essex’s towns (51) and England’s towns (39) alike.
11listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II10
Among them · Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
13%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
67
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
Fewer people in Abridge hold a degree than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 22%
People aged 15 to 24 make up 9.5% of the town, lower than both Essex’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). 24% of residents are 65 or over. Typical age in Abridge: 45.8, the median. Under 15: 17% of residents.
45.8median age
AbridgeEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications23%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level22%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Abridge | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 24% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 23% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.9% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 22% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Safety
Abridge has less crime per resident than 50% of UK towns
Violence and sexual offences were 53% of the crimes. Over the year to August 2026, 62 offences were reported in Abridge, along with 2 incidents of anti-social behaviour. For its size, Abridge records more crime per resident than 70% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people.
22violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 30% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual33
Drugs6
Vehicle crime6
Other crime5
Public order3
Burglary3
Damage & arson2
Other theft2
Anti-social2
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.
22
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
62
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.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Hill Hall and 2 more in and around Abridge
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Abridge. Best known first.
Historic houseHill Hall2.7 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumEpping Signalling Museum4.2 km outside town, to the northZooZooFoxburrows Children's Farm3.7 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Hill Hall: Stephen Richards, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Abridge
14pages on Abridge
The big questions
SafetyB−22 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £500K · rent £1,844 a monthHousing16 sold in 12 months · busiest street London RoadSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthB+Life expectancy 81.1 (men), 83.5 (women)Work & commuteB+58% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Abridge’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Theydon BoisChigwell RowLoughtonChigwellEppingBuckhurst HillCoopersaleAbridge
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abridge | 1,651 | — | — | C− | B− | B+ |
| Theydon Bois | 3,540 | 1.8 | A− | D | B− | A− |
| Chigwell Row | 2,115 | 2.1 | — | C− | C | B+ |
| Loughton | 33,338 | 2.2 | B | C− | C | B |
| Chigwell | 12,251 | 3.1 | B | D | C | B+ |
| Epping | 10,693 | 3.3 | B+ | D | C− | B |
| Buckhurst Hill | 11,749 | 3.8 | B+ | D | C | A− |
| Coopersale | 1,067 | 3.9 | — | C− | B+ | B+ |
Chigwell Row and Coopersale have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Abridge
How many listed buildings are there in Abridge?
That is 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Abridge expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £500,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £327,500, terraced houses £450,000, semi-detached houses £530,000 and detached houses £722,500.
Are schools in Abridge good?
GCSE results beat 83% of towns in England, and primary results beat 76% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Essex council.
Does Abridge flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Abridge
Village in Essex, England
Abridge is a built-up area of 1,651 people, in the Epping Forest 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
- 1,651 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Epping Forest
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004670
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.