Birchanger’s story
9 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Birchanger’s built-up area.
13% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BirchangerEssex
957 people live in this village in Essex, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Peter Stack · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
957
Census 2021 · Uttlesford council
Median home
£428K
37 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.2
29% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
30%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Birchanger a good place to live?
Grades need 1,000 residents, so Birchanger has none; the figures on this page are still real. Walking, cycling and public transport carry just over one in ten commuters. 9 buildings are listed here, 0 at Grade I. 29% of residents are 65 or over.
What makes Birchanger stand out
The 3 things Birchanger 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
1 Grade II*, including Church of St Mary; 3.9 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
29% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Birchanger.
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Birchanger than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 14% are under 15
30% of adults hold a degree, higher than Essex’s towns (27%) yet lower than England’s towns (34%). Over-65s are 29% of the population. Typical age in Birchanger: 50.2, the median. The share aged 15 to 24 is 9.1%.
50.2median age
BirchangerEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
29%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar20%
Degree level30%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Birchanger | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.1% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 29% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 20% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 30% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Birchanger
Attainment 8 at the 5 secondary schools within 3 km averages 54, and 59% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths. There is one school here; it is shown below. At the 11 primary schools within 3 km, two thirds of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birchanger Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 93 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Birchanger than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 11%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 33% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Household income came to £71K a year before tax, higher than both Essex’s towns (£63K) and England’s towns (£55K). 87% of commuters drove to work at the census. Of the commuters living in Birchanger, 5% work in the town itself. For 32% of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot5%
Train2%
Bus2%
Bicycle2%
32%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
33%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£71K
mean household income, before tax
2.7%
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
More households own their home in Birchanger than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns: 78%
10% rent privately, below Essex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. Social housing holds 12% of households. Private rents average £1,289 a month across the Uttlesford council area.
£428Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Birchanger£428K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £550,000 | 17 |
| Semi-detached | £435,000 | 7 |
| Terraced | £355,000 | 11 |
78%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,289
average private rent a month, Uttlesford council area
£2,284
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
Violent crime runs low in Birchanger: 11.8 per 1,000 residents a year, under Essex’s towns and England’s towns
Over the year to August 2026, 38 offences were reported in Birchanger, along with 6 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 42% of the crimes. Burglary and damage came to 11.5 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Essex’s towns (10.6) and England’s towns (9.4).
11.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual16
Damage & arson6
Vehicle crime6
Other theft4
Burglary3
Public order2
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social6
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.
11.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
11.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
38
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
82% of residents say their health is good or very good
The nearest A&E to Birchanger is The Princess Alexandra Hospital, 8.9 miles away. There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 1.4 miles off. At the census, 5.4% of people here described their health as bad or very bad.
82%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Birchanger | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 17% | 17% |
82.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Birchanger is rich in listed buildings: 94 per 10,000 residents, more than in both Essex’s towns and England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Before 1919: that is when 13% of homes were built.
9listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II8
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Mary Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
13%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
94
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Stansted Mountfitchet Castle and 6 more in and around Birchanger
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Birchanger. Best known first.
CastleStansted Mountfitchet Castle2 km outside town, to the north
CastleWaytemore Castle (remains)2.1 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumSouth Mill Arts2.7 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumBishop's Stortford Museum2.7 km outside town, to the southwestPark or estatePark or estate · National TrustHatfield Forest3 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumHouse on the Hill Museum2 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Stansted Mountfitchet Castle: Thomas Nugent, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Waytemore Castle (remains): PAUL FARMER, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- South Mill Arts: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Birchanger
13pages on Birchanger
The big questions
Safety11.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £428K · rent £1,289 a monthHousing6 sold in 12 months · busiest street Birchanger LaneSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 82.9 (men), 85.1 (women)Work & commute55% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Birchanger’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Stansted MountfitchetBishop's StortfordElsenhamLittle HallingburyTakeley and Little CanfieldHenhamHatfield HeathBirchanger
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birchanger | 957 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stansted Mountfitchet | 8,629 | 1.3 | A+ | B+ | B+ | A |
| Bishop's Stortford | 40,916 | 1.8 | A | C+ | C | A |
| Elsenham | 3,414 | 2.8 | A | B+ | B | A |
| Little Hallingbury | 1,434 | 3.1 | — | B− | A− | A |
| Takeley and Little Canfield | 5,553 | 3.8 | A− | B+ | C− | B+ |
| Henham | 1,046 | 4 | — | B− | A | A+ |
| Hatfield Heath | 1,789 | 4.7 | — | B− | B+ | A |
Little Hallingbury, Henham and Hatfield Heath have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Birchanger
How many listed buildings are there in Birchanger?
That is 3.9 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Birchanger expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £427,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £355,000, semi-detached houses £435,000 and detached houses £550,000.
About Birchanger
Village in Essex, England
Birchanger is a built-up area of 957 people, in the Uttlesford 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
- 957 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Uttlesford
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004150
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.