Crays Hill’s story
No listed buildings inside Crays Hill’s built-up area
8% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Crays HillEssex
Home to 1,218 people, this village lies in Essex, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Glyn Baker · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,218
Census 2021 · Basildon council
Median home
£555K
42 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.5
27% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
23%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Crays Hill a good place to live?
Health is its strong suit — men here can expect to live to 81.5, women to 85.4. Prices are high against local incomes: the median home sold for £555,000, 9.4 years of area income. It lags on schools as well (C) — primary results beat just over two in five towns in England; secondary results beat 24% of towns in England. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for jobs & income and C+ for walkability.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Crays Hill has subject grades but no overall one.
WeakestDCost of living
What makes Crays Hill stand out
The 3 things Crays Hill does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
45% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Rent against income, UK towns
Renting
£1,424 a month
Average private rent, 29% of what households in the area earn: more than in 95% of UK towns
ONS private rents, Basildon council area.
How Crays Hill grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Crays Hill is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Crays Hill has subject grades but no overall one.
Cost of livingRent £1,424 a monthDOpen →HealthBetter than most of the towns comparedB+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 42% of towns in England; secondary results beat 24% of towns in EnglandCOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentC+Open →Hazard risk0.6% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaC+Open →WalkabilityAbout average among the towns comparedC+Open →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 10.6 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC−Open →Civic life0 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Crays Hill.
History
Crays Hill has fewer old homes than Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 8% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Historic England’s list has no building inside Crays Hill’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
8%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsC
On exam results, Crays Hill’s schools trail 71% of towns in England
At the 24 primary schools within 3 km, 60% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). There is one school here; it is shown below. Secondary results at the 4 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 42.6, with 36% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crays Hill Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 82 | D− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade D
Crays Hill is a town of owners: 89% of households own their home, above Essex’s towns and England’s towns
Private renters make up 10% of households, below Essex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. 1% of households live in social housing. The £555,000 median rests on 42 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£555Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Crays Hill£555K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £640,000 | 31 |
| Semi-detached | £486,000 | 8 |
89%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,424
average private rent a month, Basildon council area
£2,341
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
83% of residents say their health is good or very good
There is no GP practice in Crays Hill: the nearest is 1.4 miles off. Disability touches 16% of the town’s population. The nearest A&E to Crays Hill is Basildon University Hospital, 3.1 miles away.
83%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Crays Hill | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 17% | 17% |
81.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.4
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.
Safety
Burglary and damage hit Crays Hill harder than Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 17 per 1,000 residents a year
Reported offences in Crays Hill came to 68 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 5. Violence and sexual offences made up 46% of the total. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 4.9 reports per 1,000, higher than Essex’s towns (4.6) yet lower than England’s towns (7.8).
23.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 17% 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 & sexual31
Other theft11
Damage & arson6
Burglary6
Other crime5
Public order3
Drugs3
Vehicle crime2
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.
23.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
17
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
68
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Fewer commuters in Crays Hill walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 13%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 38% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Unemployment benefit claims came to 2.7% of 16 to 64s in 2026, higher than both Essex’s towns (2.5%) and England’s towns (2.3%). At the census, 84% of commuters went by car. About 2% of its commuters stay in Crays Hill for work. Household income averages £68K a year before tax.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
Train6%
On foot4%
Bicycle2%
Bus1%
Underground, tram1%
45%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
38%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£68K
mean household income, before tax
2.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 43% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Crays Hill than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 11% are under 15
The share aged 15 to 24 is 12%. 27% of residents are 65 or over, higher than both Essex’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (18%). Residents of Crays Hill have a median age of 50.5. Degrees are held by nearly a quarter of adults.
50.5median age
Crays HillEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications22%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level23%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Crays Hill | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 22% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.2% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 23% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Barleylands Farm Museum and 3 more in and around Crays Hill
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Crays Hill. Best known first.
MuseumBarleylands Farm Museum1.1 km outside town, to the west
MuseumThe Cater Museum4.2 km outside town, to the northwestWildlife parkWildlife parkBarleylands Farm Park1 km outside town, to the westZooZooImperial Birds of Prey Academy1 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Barleylands Farm Museum: John Winfield, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Cater Museum: Piecesofuk, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Crays Hill
14pages on Crays Hill
The big questions
SafetyC+23.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £555K · rent £1,424 a monthHousing11 sold in 12 months · busiest street Crays HillSchoolsC1 state schoolHealthB+Life expectancy 81.5 (men), 85.4 (women)Work & commuteB−60% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC+0.6% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Crays Hill’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BasildonRamsden HeathWickfordRunwellBillericayNorth BenfleetStockCrays Hill
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crays Hill | 1,218 | — | — | D | C+ | B+ |
| Basildon | 115,935 | 2 | D | C+ | D− | D |
| Ramsden Heath | 1,949 | 2.3 | — | C | A− | A− |
| Wickford | 27,533 | 2.5 | B | C− | B− | B |
| Runwell | 8,086 | 2.6 | C+ | B− | C− | C+ |
| Billericay | 34,068 | 2.8 | A | D | B+ | A |
| North Benfleet | 1,765 | 3.4 | — | D | C− | D |
| Stock | 1,573 | 4.5 | — | C | C+ | A− |
Ramsden Heath, North Benfleet and Stock have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Crays Hill
Is Crays Hill expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £555,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £486,000 and detached houses £640,000.
Are schools in Crays Hill good?
GCSE results trail 76% of towns in England, and primary results trail 58% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Essex council.
About Crays Hill
Village in Essex, England
Crays Hill is a built-up area of 1,218 people, in the Basildon 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
- 1,218 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Basildon
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004753
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.