Gosfield’s story
34 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Gosfield’s built-up area.
17% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
GosfieldEssex
A village in Essex, East of England, home to 1,453 people.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Edwards · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,453
Census 2021 · Braintree council
Median home
£480K
79 sales in 3 years
Median age
55.5
34% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
24%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Gosfield a good place to live?
Gosfield is a safe place by the numbers: 9.9 violent and sexual offences and 4.4 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. Jobs & income is a strength too: the mean household earns £60,437 a year. The median home sold for £480,000, 8.1 times what households in the Braintree council area earn in a year. Its weakest subject is walkability (D) — 8% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Gosfield is graded subject by subject only.
What makes Gosfield stand out
The 3 things Gosfield does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of St Catherine; 9.6 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
34% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Gosfield grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Gosfield is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA+Open →WalkabilityIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →Cost of livingRent £1,213 a monthC−Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentB+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 16% of towns in England; secondary results beat 65% of towns in EnglandC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.1 for men, 82.9 for womenBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryMore history than most townsA−Open →Outdoors85% live within 400 m of a park; 3.7 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC+Open →Civic life7.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryA−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Gosfield.
Who lives here
Older residents shape Gosfield: 34% are 65 or over, above Essex’s towns and England’s towns
People aged 15 to 24 make up 7.8% of the town, below both Essex’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Under 15: 14% of residents. Gosfield has a median age of 55.5.
55.5median age
GosfieldEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
34%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications21%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level24%
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.
| Gosfield | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.8% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 15% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 34% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 21% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.5% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 24% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsC+
Gosfield’s schools fall behind 62% of towns in England on results
Below is its only school. Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 46.5, and 52% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths. Key Stage 2 results at the 4 primary schools within 3 km: 54% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
C+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gosfield Community Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 134 | D |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Crime per resident in Gosfield is lower than in 95% of UK towns
32 crimes and 1 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Gosfield’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Gosfield has less crime per resident than 89% of them. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 1.2 reports per 1,000, below both Essex’s towns (4.6) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences made up half of the total.
9.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 89% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual16
Damage & arson4
Other theft4
Other crime4
Vehicle crime2
Public order1
Burglary1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social1
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.
9.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
32
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+
Only 22% of Gosfield’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in both Essex’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 31% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
1.8% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, lower than both Essex’s towns (2.5%) and England’s towns (2.3%). At the census, 88% of commuters went by car. There are 1 jobs in Gosfield for each resident in work.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot5%
Train2%
Bus1%
22%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
£60K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 13% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Gosfield is rich in listed buildings: 234 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.
Of Gosfield’s land, 20% lies in conservation areas, higher than both Essex’s towns (3%) and England’s towns (7%). The town’s listed buildings include the Church of St Catherine, Grade I. It has 34 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade I, 1 Grade II*. Before 1919: that is when 17% of homes were built.
34listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*1
Grade II32
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St Catherine Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
1
registered park and garden
17%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
234
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C−
Most households in Gosfield own their home: 85%, more than in both Essex’s towns and England’s towns
Social housing holds 8% of households, below Essex’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Private renters make up 5% of households. The £480,000 median rests on 79 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£480Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Gosfield£480K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £560,000 | 63 |
| Semi-detached | £369,500 | 12 |
85%
of households own their home · England 61%
5%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,213
average private rent a month, Braintree council area
£2,296
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
Good or very good health: 80% of Gosfield’s residents
There is no GP practice in Gosfield: the nearest is 1.9 miles off. The nearest A&E to Gosfield is Broomfield Hospital, 12.4 miles away. Women here live to 82.9 on average and men to 80.1 (2019–23).
80%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Gosfield | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.6% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
80.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Hedingham Castle and 3 more in and around Gosfield
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Gosfield. Best known first.
CastleHedingham Castle4.9 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumAlderford Water Mill3 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionBocking Windmill3 km outside town, to the southwestCastleCastleStisted Hall3.6 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)
- Hedingham Castle: Agnete, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gosfield
15pages on Gosfield
The big questions
SafetyA+9.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £480K · rent £1,213 a monthHousing16 sold in 12 months · busiest street The LindensSchoolsC+1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 80.1 (men), 82.9 (women)Work & commuteB+55% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Gosfield’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HalsteadSible HedinghamCastle HedinghamBraintreeEarls ColneTye GreenRayneGosfield
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gosfield | 1,453 | — | — | C− | A+ | B |
| Halstead | 13,902 | 1.9 | C+ | B | C+ | C+ |
| Sible Hedingham | 4,261 | 3 | B− | B | B− | B+ |
| Castle Hedingham | 1,045 | 3.8 | — | B− | A− | B+ |
| Braintree | 43,179 | 4.1 | C+ | B | C− | C |
| Earls Colne | 3,360 | 4.3 | C+ | B | C+ | B− |
| Tye Green | 1,415 | 5.5 | — | C+ | B− | C |
| Rayne | 2,169 | 5.6 | — | B− | B | A |
Castle Hedingham, Tye Green and Rayne have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Gosfield
How many listed buildings are there in Gosfield?
That is 9.6 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of St Catherine.
Is Gosfield expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £480,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £369,500 and detached houses £560,000.
About Gosfield
Village in Essex, England
Gosfield is a built-up area of 1,453 people, in the Braintree 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
- 1,453 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Braintree
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004028
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.