Marks Tey’s story
11 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Marks Tey’s built-up area.
9% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Marks TeyEssex
It is a village of 1,817 residents in Essex, East of England. 49% of households own their home with no mortgage.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: PAUL FARMER · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,817
Census 2021 · Colchester council
Median home
£331K
66 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.3
24% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
26%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Marks Tey a good place to live?
Health outcomes beat most towns (A−): life expectancy 81.7 for men, 84.5 for women. The median home sold for £331,000, 5.4 times what households in the Colchester council area earn in a year. Jobs & income is a strength too (A−) — households earn a mean £69,047 a year, and 1.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Hazard risk is lower than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Marks Tey is graded subject by subject only.
What makes Marks Tey stand out
The 3 things Marks Tey 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%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of St James; 2.5 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Own outright
Housing
49% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Marks Tey grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Marks Tey is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Marks Tey is graded subject by subject only.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workA−Open →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 73% of towns in EnglandA−Open →SafetyAhead of most towns comparedB+Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnB+Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryWeaker than most of the towns comparedC+Open →Outdoors92% live within 400 m of a park; 5.5 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB+Open →Civic life1.7 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 Marks Tey.
Health
Just 3.4% of people in Marks Tey say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in both Essex’s towns and England’s towns
The nearest A&E to Marks Tey is Colchester General Hospital, 6.2 miles away. This Essex town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.9 miles away. At the census, 16% of people here had a disability, near Essex’s towns (17%) and lower than England’s towns (17%).
84%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Marks Tey | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 17% | 17% |
81.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.5
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.
SchoolsA−
Exam results at Marks Tey’s schools top 77% of towns in England
Key Stage 2 results at the 3 primary schools within 3 km: 66% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The town has one school, shown below.
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's Church of England Primary Academy, Marks TeyLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 131 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Burglary and damage are rarer in Marks Tey than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns: 7.7 per 1,000 residents a year
Violence accounts for 18 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year. 79 crimes and 4 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Marks Tey’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 1.5 reports per 1,000, lower than both Essex’s towns (4.6) and England’s towns (7.8).
18violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 48% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual37
Vehicle crime14
Other crime6
Public order5
Damage & arson4
Burglary4
Drugs4
Shoplifting3
Anti-social4
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.
18
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
79
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B+
More households own their home in Marks Tey than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns: 86%
Social housing holds 6% of households. 7% rent privately, lower than both Essex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (21%). Private rents average £1,197 a month across the Colchester council area.
£331Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Marks Tey£331K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £380,000 | 30 |
| Semi-detached | £315,500 | 31 |
| Terraced | £300,000 | 5 |
86%
of households own their home · England 61%
7%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,197
average private rent a month, Colchester council area
£2,327
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
A town of 11 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Marks Tey’s listed buildings include the Church of St James, Grade I. Homes from before 1919 make up nearly a tenth of the total, lower than both Essex’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (16%). Scaled to its population, that is 61 listed buildings for every 10,000 people in the town.
11listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II10
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St James Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
9%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
61
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 A−
Commuters in Marks Tey travel far: only 16% go under 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.
13% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, below both Essex’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (27%). There are 0.6 jobs in Marks Tey for each resident in work. Work in town: 2% of resident commuters.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot6%
Train4%
Bus3%
Bicycle1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
£69K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 45% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Marks Tey skews older, with 24% of residents 65 or over, more than in both Essex’s towns and England’s towns
A tenth of the population is aged 15 to 24, below both Essex’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Children under 15 make up 16% of residents. At 48.3, the median resident of Marks Tey sits in the middle of the age range. Degrees are held by 26% of adults.
48.3median age
Marks TeyEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level26%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Marks Tey | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 24% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.9% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 26% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Colchester Zoo and 3 more in and around Marks Tey
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Marks Tey. Best known first.
ZooColchester Zoo4.3 km outside town, to the eastHistoric siteHistoric site · National TrustCoggeshall Grange Barn3.8 km outside town, to the westAttractionAttraction · National TrustPaycocke's House and Garden3.8 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumCoggeshall Museum3.7 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 (1)
- Colchester Zoo: Angela Tuff, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Marks Tey
14pages on Marks Tey
The big questions
SafetyB+18 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £331K · rent £1,197 a monthHousing19 sold in 12 months · busiest street Godmans LaneSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthA−Life expectancy 81.7 (men), 84.5 (women)Work & commuteA−49% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Marks Tey’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CopfordEight Ash GreenCoggeshallKelvedon and FeeringTiptreeWest BergholtLayer-de-la-HayeMarks Tey
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marks Tey | 1,817 | — | — | B+ | B+ | A− |
| Copford | 1,794 | 1.4 | — | C+ | B | A− |
| Eight Ash Green | 1,769 | 2.6 | — | B− | C+ | A |
| Coggeshall | 3,767 | 3.3 | B | C+ | B− | B+ |
| Kelvedon and Feering | 4,771 | 3.6 | A− | C | C+ | B |
| Tiptree | 9,302 | 4.3 | B+ | B | B− | B+ |
| West Bergholt | 3,175 | 4.5 | A+ | B− | B+ | A |
| Layer-de-la-Haye | 1,338 | 4.5 | — | C+ | A− | A |
Copford, Eight Ash Green and Layer-de-la-Haye have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Marks Tey
How many listed buildings are there in Marks Tey?
That is 2.5 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of St James.
Are schools in Marks Tey good?
Primary results beat 73% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Essex council.
Does Marks Tey flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Marks Tey
Village in Essex, England
Marks Tey is a built-up area of 1,817 people, in the Colchester 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
- 1,817 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Colchester
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004139
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.