Little Waltham’s story
34 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Little Waltham’s built-up area.
11% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Little WalthamEssex
A village of 1,038 in Essex, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: PAUL FARMER · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,038
Census 2021 · Chelmsford council
Median home
£561K
46 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.4
27% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
31%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Little Waltham a good place to live?
School results are strong: primary results beat 67% of towns in England; secondary results beat 91% of towns in England. Health outcomes beat most towns: life expectancy 81.5 for men, 87.9 for women. Its weakest subject is cost of living (C): homes sell for a median £561,000, about 8.3 times local household income. Hazards are a real consideration: 1.8% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. The rest of its grades are middling: B− for safety and C+ for walkability.
Figures: life expectancy, ONS · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021. Little Waltham is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Little Waltham stand out
The 3 things Little Waltham does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 13.4 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
29% 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.
How Little Waltham grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Little Waltham is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Little Waltham is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 67% of towns in England; secondary results beat 91% of towns in EnglandA−Open →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areA−Open →Hazard riskMore exposed to natural hazards than mostC−Open →Jobs & income2.7% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →Cost of livingBelow the middle of the towns comparedCOpen →WalkabilityClose to the middle of the towns comparedC+Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryAbove the middle of the towns comparedB+Open →Outdoors63% live within 400 m of a park; 2.3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC+Open →Civic life6.7 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 Little Waltham.
SchoolsA−
Little Waltham’s schools outperform 84% of towns in England on results
Below is its only school. Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School’s results beat 85% of schools in England like it. GCSE results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: 63% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 53.4.
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Waltham Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 206 | A |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Lifespans in Little Waltham run longer than in 84% of UK towns
At the census, 15% of people here had a disability, lower than both Essex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (17%). Self-reported good health: 85% of Little Waltham’s residents. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 4.1% of the town.
85%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Little Waltham | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 17% | 17% |
81.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.9
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.
HousingCost of living grade C
Private renting is less common in Little Waltham than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns: 9%
Owners make up 73% of households, above both Essex’s towns (67%) and England’s towns (61%). Private rents average £1,439 a month across the Chelmsford council area. The median sale, £561,000, comes from 46 standard sales inside Little Waltham’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£561Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Little Waltham£561K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £815,000 | 26 |
| Semi-detached | £372,500 | 10 |
| Terraced | £340,500 | 10 |
73%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,439
average private rent a month, Chelmsford council area
£2,356
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
More buildings in Little Waltham are listed than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 328 per 10,000 residents
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
11% of its homes were built before 1919, about level with Essex’s towns (11%) and below England’s towns (16%). Every one of Little Waltham’s 34 listed buildings sits at Grade II, the most common listing.
34listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II34
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
11%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
328
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Only 13% of commuters in Little Waltham go to work without a car, fewer than in Essex’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 40% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
A household here earns £70K a year before tax, on average. The car took 84% of commuters, higher than both Essex’s towns (74%) and England’s towns (70%). The census counted 40% of workers working mainly from home. About 4% of its commuters stay in Little Waltham for work.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot5%
Train3%
Bus2%
Bicycle2%
29%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
40%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£70K
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
Safety
Crime per resident in Little Waltham is higher than in 51% of UK towns
Property crime (burglary and damage) runs at 11.9 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 51 crimes inside Little Waltham’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 3 reports of anti-social behaviour. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 2.3 reports per 1,000, lower than both Essex’s towns (4.6) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences accounted for 45% of recorded crime.
21.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 28% 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 & sexual23
Other theft7
Vehicle crime5
Shoplifting4
Public order3
Burglary2
Drugs2
Other crime2
Anti-social3
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.
21.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
11.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
51
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.
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Little Waltham than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 13% are under 15
Little Waltham has a median age of 50.4. Retirement age and beyond: 27% of residents are 65 or older. 31% of adults hold a degree, higher than Essex’s towns (27%) yet lower than England’s towns (34%).
50.4median age
Little WalthamEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications19%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level31%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Little Waltham | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 19% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.4% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 31% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Little Waltham
14pages on Little Waltham
The big questions
SafetyB−21.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £561K · rent £1,439 a monthHousing17 sold in 12 months · busiest street The StreetSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthA−Life expectancy 81.5 (men), 87.9 (women)Work & commuteB+59% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC−1.8% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Little Waltham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BroomfieldGreat LeighsBorehamChelmsfordWrittleFelstedHatfield PeverelLittle Waltham
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Waltham | 1,038 | — | — | C | B− | A− |
| Broomfield | 3,491 | 1.2 | A− | B− | D− | B+ |
| Great Leighs | 2,968 | 3.1 | A | C+ | B+ | A− |
| Boreham | 3,561 | 3.5 | A− | B− | C+ | A− |
| Chelmsford | 110,612 | 3.7 | B+ | B | D | B− |
| Writtle | 4,703 | 4.6 | A | C+ | B | A− |
| Felsted | 1,233 | 5.1 | — | B− | B+ | A− |
| Hatfield Peverel | 3,622 | 5.4 | C+ | C− | C | B− |
Felsted has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Little Waltham
How many listed buildings are there in Little Waltham?
That is 13.4 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Little Waltham expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £561,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £340,500, semi-detached houses £372,500 and detached houses £815,000.
Are schools in Little Waltham good?
Secondary schools stand out: GCSE results beat 91% of towns in England. Primary results beat 67%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Essex council.
Does Little Waltham flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Little Waltham
Village in Essex, England
Little Waltham is a built-up area of 1,038 people, in the Chelmsford 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
- 1,038 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Chelmsford
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004357
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.