North Benfleet’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside North Benfleet’s built-up area.
8% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
North BenfleetEssex
1,765 residents make their home in this village in Essex, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Glyn Baker · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,765
Census 2021 · Basildon council
Median home
£472K
56 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.8
25% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
20%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
Is North Benfleet a good place to live?
Cost of living is its weak spot: a typical home costs £472,000 and rent runs £1,424 a month. It also trails on health (D) — life expectancy is 75.7 for men and 79.6 for women. Police record more crime here than in most towns (C−): 30 violent and sexual offences and 18.5 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. Against UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has more crime per resident than 90%.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · life expectancy, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. North Benfleet has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes North Benfleet stand out
The 3 things North Benfleet does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
35% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.7 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (England’s towns 34%)
Essex 27%.
How North Benfleet grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far North Benfleet is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Cost of livingMedian sale £472,000, 8 years of area incomeDOpen →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areDOpen →Jobs & incomeMean household income £49,918C−Open →SafetyMore crime than in most townsC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 66% of towns in England; secondary results beat 5% of towns in EnglandCOpen →WalkabilityWeaker than most of the towns comparedC+Open →Hazard risk0.3% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildingsDOpen →Outdoors56% live within 400 m of a parkBOpen →Civic life1.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in North Benfleet.
Who lives here
Children make up only 13% of North Benfleet, fewer than in Essex’s towns and across England’s towns
20% of adults hold a degree. People 65 and over make up 25% of the town, above both Essex’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (18%). Typical age in North Benfleet: 50.8, the median.
50.8median age
North BenfleetEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications28%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level20%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| North Benfleet | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 28% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.6% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 20% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsC
Exam results at North Benfleet’s schools trail 68% of towns in England
Its only school is listed below. Attainment 8 at the 4 secondary schools within 3 km averages 36.3, and 29% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths. 64% of pupils at the 25 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Margaret's Church of England Academy, Bowers GiffordLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 182 | D |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
All 2 of North Benfleet’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
North Benfleet has 11 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents, below both Essex’s towns (52) and England’s towns (39). Homes from before 1919 make up 8% of the total.
2listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
8%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
11
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 D
Most households in North Benfleet own their home: 85%, more than in Essex’s towns and across England’s towns
2% live in social housing, lower than both Essex’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). Private tenants account for 14% of households. The £472,000 median rests on 56 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£472Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
North Benfleet£472K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £480,000 | 41 |
| Semi-detached | £395,000 | 15 |
85%
of households own their home · England 61%
14%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,424
average private rent a month, Basildon council area
£2,362
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
North Benfleet’s life expectancy trails 94% of UK towns
At the census, 6.7% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, higher than both Essex’s towns (4.8%) and England’s towns (5.2%). There is no GP practice in North Benfleet: the nearest is 0.6 miles off. Self-reported good health: nearly four fifths of the town’s residents.
79%good or very good healthDHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 79%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 7%
| Census 2021 | North Benfleet | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 79% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.7% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
75.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
79.6
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.
Safety
Crime per resident in North Benfleet is higher than in 77% of UK towns
47% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. A year of reports to August 2026 adds up to 142 offences in North Benfleet and 13 cases of nuisance behaviour. Also worth knowing: there were 6.8 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above Essex’s towns (4.6) but below England’s towns (7.8).
30violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 10% 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 & sexual67
Damage & arson23
Other theft12
Vehicle crime9
Public order8
Weapons7
Other crime7
Drugs6
Anti-social13
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.
30
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
18.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
142
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 C−
5.2% of 16 to 64s in North Benfleet claim unemployment benefits, more than in Essex’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 29% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Just over one in ten commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, below Essex’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (27%) alike. About 3% of its commuters stay in North Benfleet for work. There are 0.6 jobs in North Benfleet for each resident in work.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot5%
Train5%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
Underground, tram1%
35%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
29%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£50K
mean household income, before tax
5.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 37% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Rayleigh Castle and 3 more in and around North Benfleet
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near North Benfleet. Best known first.
Castle · National TrustRayleigh Castle3.8 km outside town, to the east
MuseumRayleigh Town Museum3.8 km outside town, to the eastGardenGarden · National TrustRayleigh Mount3.8 km outside town, to the eastHistoric siteHistoric siteRayleigh Mill3.9 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Rayleigh Castle: John Myers, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rayleigh Town Museum: Terryjoyce, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about North Benfleet
14pages on North Benfleet
The big questions
SafetyC−30 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £472K · rent £1,424 a monthHousing15 sold in 12 months · busiest street Pound LaneSchoolsC1 state schoolHealthDLife expectancy 75.7 (men), 79.6 (women)Work & commuteC−54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.3% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
North Benfleet’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Thundersley and South BenfleetWickfordBasildonRayleighCrays HillRunwellCanvey IslandNorth Benfleet
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Benfleet | 1,765 | — | — | D | C− | D |
| Thundersley and South Benfleet | 49,886 | 1.9 | B | D | B− | B |
| Wickford | 27,533 | 2.6 | B | C− | B− | B |
| Basildon | 115,935 | 3 | D | C+ | D− | D |
| Rayleigh | 32,383 | 3.4 | B+ | C | B− | B+ |
| Crays Hill | 1,218 | 3.4 | — | D | C+ | B+ |
| Runwell | 8,086 | 3.6 | C+ | B− | C− | C+ |
| Canvey Island | 38,004 | 4.1 | C | C | C | C− |
Crays Hill has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about North Benfleet
Who lives in North Benfleet?
At the 2021 Census, 11% of North Benfleet’s 1,765 residents were 15 to 24 and 25% were 65 or over, against 12% and 18% across England’s towns.
Is North Benfleet expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £472,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £395,000 and detached houses £480,000.
Are schools in North Benfleet good?
GCSE results trail 95% of towns in England, and primary results beat 66% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Essex council.
About North Benfleet
Village in Essex, England
North Benfleet is a built-up area of 1,765 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
- 1,765 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Basildon
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004779
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.