Purleigh’s story
10 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Purleigh’s built-up area.
17% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PurleighEssex
A village in Essex, East of England, home to 535 people.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Edwards · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
535
Census 2021 · Maldon council
Median age
51.5
25% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
28%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Purleigh a good place to live?
Purleigh is below the 1,000 residents fair grades need, but every figure on this page is real. 6% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. Its listed buildings number 10, with 1 at Grade I. A quarter of residents are 65 or over.
What makes Purleigh stand out
The 3 things Purleigh does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
6% 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 Parish Church of All Saints; 7.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
25% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Purleigh.
Who lives here
Children make up only 13% of Purleigh, fewer than in both Essex’s towns and England’s towns
People 65 and over make up a quarter of the town, higher than both Essex’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (18%). Purleigh has a median age of 51.5 years. Graduates make up 28% of adults.
51.5median age
PurleighEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications19%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level28%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Purleigh | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 19% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 28% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Purleigh
Key Stage 2 results at the 2 primary schools within 3 km: 71% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The town has one school, shown below. 206 pupils attend Purleigh’s one primary school.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purleigh Community Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 206 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Purleigh work nearby than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 20% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 32% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Among 16 to 64s, 1.9% claimed unemployment benefits in 2026. 91% of commuters drove, higher than both Essex’s towns (74%) and England’s towns (70%). Also worth knowing: a household here earns £64K a year before tax, on average.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving91%
On foot3%
Train2%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
20%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
£64K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Housing
Private renting is less common in Purleigh than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns: 7%
70% of households own their home, above Essex’s towns (67%) and England’s towns (61%) alike. Council and housing-body homes hold 22% of households. Private rents average £1,139 a month across the Maldon council area.
£0Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Purleigh£0K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £1,000,000 | 5 |
70%
of households own their home · England 61%
7%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,139
average private rent a month, Maldon council area
£2,339
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Purleigh records less burglary and damage per resident than Essex’s towns or England’s towns, at 3.7 per 1,000 a year
Over the year to August 2026, 7 offences were reported in Purleigh. Violence came to 11.8 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Essex’s towns (23) and England’s towns (22). Of all the crimes, 71% were violence and sexual offences.
11.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual5
Damage & arson1
Burglary1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Other theft0
Drugs0
Vehicle crime0
Anti-social0
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.
11.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
7
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.
Health
Most people in Purleigh (83%) report good or very good health
The nearest A&E to Purleigh is Southend University Hospital, 9.3 miles away. At the census, nearly a fifth of people here had a disability, above both Essex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (17%). Seeing a GP means leaving Purleigh: the nearest practice is 3 miles away.
83%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Purleigh | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
81.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Census health answers are raw, so younger towns score better on them; for the Health Grade we use age-adjusted figures like life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Purleigh is rich in listed buildings: 187 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.
Purleigh’s listed buildings include the Parish Church of All Saints, Grade I. 17% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Essex’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (16%). The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them.
10listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II9
Among them · Grade I
- Parish Church of All Saints Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
17%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
187
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →The Moot Hall and 6 more in and around Purleigh
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Purleigh. Best known first.
CastleThe Moot Hall4.6 km outside town, to the north
MuseumMaeldune Heritage Centre4.6 km outside town, to the north
MuseumMuseum in the Park4.4 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumStow Maries Great War Aerodrome Museum2.4 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionThomas Plume's Library4.6 km outside town, to the northZooZooPromanade Park Zoo4.5 km outside town, to the northeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- The Moot Hall: Basher Eyre, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Maeldune Heritage Centre: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Museum in the Park: Robert Edwards, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Purleigh
12pages on Purleigh
The big questions
Purleigh’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Cold NortonLatchingdonMaldonBicknacreSouth Woodham FerrersDanburyMaylandPurleigh
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purleigh | 535 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Norton | 1,161 | 1.3 | — | C | A | B+ |
| Latchingdon | 1,140 | 3.1 | — | B− | C− | B− |
| Maldon | 23,389 | 3.2 | C+ | B | C | B− |
| Bicknacre | 2,277 | 3.3 | — | B− | B+ | A |
| South Woodham Ferrers | 16,029 | 3.6 | A | B | B+ | A− |
| Danbury | 6,196 | 3.8 | A | C | B+ | A |
| Mayland | 3,740 | 4.4 | C+ | C+ | B | B |
Cold Norton, Latchingdon and Bicknacre have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Purleigh
How many listed buildings are there in Purleigh?
That is 7.7 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Parish Church of All Saints.
How much is council tax in Purleigh?
Band D council tax in Purleigh is £2,339 for 2026–27, less than in 68% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Purleigh
Village in Essex, England
Purleigh is a built-up area of 535 people, in the Maldon 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
- 535 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Maldon
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004555
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.