Rayne’s story
51 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Rayne’s built-up area.
14% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
RayneEssex
In Essex, East of England, this village has 2,169 residents.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Edwards · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,169
Census 2021 · Braintree council
Median home
£345K
77 sales in 3 years
Median age
44.8
21% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
27%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Rayne a good place to live?
Health is its strong suit: life expectancy is 82.3 for men and 87.6 for women. Work and incomes are strong: mean household income £69,283; 1.6% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Most journeys need a car: on the way to work, 9% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. Hazards are a real consideration (C−): 2.1% of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding. Homes sell for a median £345,000, about 5.8 years of what households in the Braintree council area earn.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · flood risk, Environment Agency · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. Rayne is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Rayne stand out
The 3 things Rayne does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% 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 All Saints; 9.6 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Life expectancy, against UK towns
Health
87.6 and 82.3 years
OHID Fingertips, 2019–23.
How Rayne grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Rayne is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Rayne is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
HealthIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workAOpen →WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carC−Open →Hazard riskBelow the middle of the towns comparedC−Open →Safety18.9 violent and sexual offences and 9.1 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026BOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 52% of towns in England; secondary results beat 31% of towns in EnglandC+Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryMore history than most townsA−Open →Outdoors64% live within 400 m of a park; 4.3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB−Open →Civic life1.8 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 Rayne.
Health
Life expectancy in Rayne is longer than in 90% of UK towns
A disability affects 14% of people in Rayne. The nearest A&E to Rayne is Broomfield Hospital, 7.2 miles away. 84% of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, above both Essex’s towns (83%) and England’s towns (82%). Seeing a GP means leaving Rayne: the nearest practice is 1.4 miles away.
84%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Rayne | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 17% | 17% |
82.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.6
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
SchoolsC+
Results at Rayne’s schools trail 60% of towns in England
Secondary results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 42.7, with 41% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. Below is its only school. Key Stage 2 results at the 7 primary schools within 3 km: 62% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
C+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rayne Primary and Nursery SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 213 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Rayne is a driving town: 89% of commuters go by car, above Essex’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 28% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For just over a third of commuters, work was under 5 km away. About 4% of its commuters stay in Rayne for work. This Essex town counts 0.4 jobs per working resident.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot5%
Train2%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
34%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
28%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£69K
mean household income, before tax
1.6%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 19% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Rayne is rich in listed buildings: 235 per 10,000 residents, more than Essex’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Rayne’s listed buildings include the Church of All Saints, Grade I. It counts 51 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade I, 1 Grade II*. The pre-1919 share of homes is 14%.
51listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*1
Grade II49
Among them · Grade I
- Church of All Saints Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
14%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
235
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Crime per resident in Rayne is lower than in 61% of UK towns
Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 2.5 reports per 1,000, lower than both Essex’s towns (4.6) and England’s towns (7.8). Reported offences in Rayne came to 66 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 6. 58% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
18.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearBSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 39% 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 & sexual38
Damage & arson8
Burglary5
Vehicle crime5
Public order4
Drugs3
Other theft2
Robbery1
Anti-social6
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.
18.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
66
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.
HousingCost of living grade B−
Rayne is a town of owners: 81% of households own their home, above Essex’s towns and England’s towns
8% rent privately, lower than both Essex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (21%). Council and housing-body homes hold one in ten households. Private rents average £1,213 a month across the Braintree council area.
£345Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Rayne£345K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £460,000 | 23 |
| Semi-detached | £336,000 | 34 |
| Terraced | £308,500 | 16 |
81%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,213
average private rent a month, Braintree council area
£2,295
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
An older town: 21% of people in Rayne are 65 or over, more than in Essex’s towns or England’s towns
The age that splits Rayne in two is 44.8. Children under 15 make up 17%, below both Essex’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (18%). 27% of adults hold a degree.
44.8median age
RayneEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
21%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level27%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Rayne | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 21% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.3% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 27% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Flitch Way Railway Carriage Museum and 4 more in and around Rayne
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Rayne. Best known first.
MuseumMuseumFlitch Way Railway Carriage Museumin town
Historic houseLeez Priory3.3 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumWarner Textile Archive2.3 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumBraintree Museum2.5 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttractionBocking Windmill4.2 km outside town, to the northeast
Historic houseLeez Priory3.3 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumWarner Textile Archive2.3 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumBraintree Museum2.5 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttractionBocking Windmill4.2 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 (2)
- Leez Priory: Andy Potter, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Warner Textile Archive: Oxyman, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rayne
14pages on Rayne
The big questions
SafetyB18.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB−Median home £345K · rent £1,213 a monthHousing8 sold in 12 months · busiest street Brunwin RoadSchoolsC+1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 82.3 (men), 87.6 (women)Work & commuteA51% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC−2.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Rayne’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Great NotleyBraintreeBlack NotleyFelstedGreat LeighsTye GreenLittle DunmowRayne
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rayne | 2,169 | — | — | B− | B | A |
| Great Notley | 7,659 | 1.4 | A | C | A− | A |
| Braintree | 43,179 | 2.2 | C+ | B | C− | C |
| Black Notley | 1,932 | 3 | — | C+ | B+ | B+ |
| Felsted | 1,233 | 3.2 | — | B− | B+ | A− |
| Great Leighs | 2,968 | 3.3 | A | C+ | B+ | A− |
| Tye Green | 1,415 | 3.5 | — | C+ | B− | C |
| Little Dunmow | 2,644 | 4.1 | B+ | B+ | B | A |
Black Notley, Felsted and Tye Green have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Rayne
How many listed buildings are there in Rayne?
That is 9.6 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of All Saints.
Does Rayne flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
How much is council tax in Rayne?
Band D council tax in Rayne is £2,295 for 2026–27, less than in 75% 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 Rayne
Village in Essex, England
Rayne is a built-up area of 2,169 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
- 2,169 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Braintree
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004159
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.