Rowhedge’s story
22 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Rowhedge’s built-up area.
24% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
RowhedgeEssex
The village, home to 2,492 people, lies in Essex, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: PeterSouthEast99 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,492
Census 2021 · Colchester council
Median home
£308K
132 sales in 3 years
Median age
40.5
18% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
34%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
16%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Rowhedge a good place to live?
Rowhedge’s strongest subject is safety — police record 16.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 5.9 home and vehicle crimes. Housing is within reach (B+): a typical home costs £307,500 and rent runs £1,197 a month. Health outcomes fall short of most towns: men here can expect to live to 77.1, women to 82.1. Hazard risk is higher than most (D): 3.4% of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding. Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ for jobs & income and B for walkability.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · life expectancy and income, ONS · flood risk, Environment Agency · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021. Rowhedge has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Rowhedge stand out
The 3 things Rowhedge does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 3.6 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
16% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
How Rowhedge grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Rowhedge is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard riskAmong the most exposed to natural hazardsDOpen →SafetyAbove the middle of the towns comparedA−Open →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 43% of towns in England; secondary results beat 17% of towns in EnglandCOpen →Cost of livingMedian sale £307,500, 5 years of area incomeB+Open →WalkabilityEasier than most to get around on footBOpen →Jobs & income2.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryBetter than most of the towns comparedB+Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 1.6 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsAOpen →Civic life71% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Colchester Castle and 18 more in and around Rowhedge
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Rowhedge. Best known first.
CastleColchester Castle4.2 km outside town, to the northwest
Abbey or priory · English HeritageSt. Botolph's Priory3.8 km outside town, to the northwest
FortBalkerne Gate4.5 km outside town, to the northwest
GardenBeth Chatto Gardens4.2 km outside town, to the northeast
Abbey or priory · English HeritageSt. John's Abbey Gatehouse3.8 km outside town, to the northwest
Art galleryFirstsite3.9 km outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Colchester Castle: George Gastin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Botolph's Priory: Maria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Balkerne Gate: Tanya2501, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beth Chatto Gardens: Grahamec, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. John's Abbey Gatehouse: Saltmarsh, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Firstsite: Alexis Ip, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Rowhedge.
Safety
Rowhedge records less crime per resident than 78% of UK towns
Police recorded 62 crimes inside Rowhedge’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 10 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 55% of the crimes. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Rowhedge has less crime per resident than just over three fifths of them.
16.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 61% 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 & sexual34
Damage & arson8
Other theft8
Public order4
Vehicle crime3
Drugs2
Shoplifting1
Burglary1
Anti-social10
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.
16.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
62
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.
SchoolsC
On exam results, Rowhedge’s schools trail 74% of towns in England
Secondary results at the one secondary school within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 41.2, with 35% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. The one school in town appears below. At the 8 primary schools within 3 km, 60% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, RowhedgeLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 223 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Rowhedge’s life expectancy trails 82% of UK towns
One GP practice serves the town; nearly two thirds of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey. At the census, 3.8% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, below Essex’s towns (4.8%) and England’s towns (5.2%) alike. Asked at the census, 84% of residents of Rowhedge said they were in good or very good health.
84%good or very good healthC−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Rowhedge | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 17% | 17% |
77.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade B+
Most households in Rowhedge own their home: 75%, more than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns
Private renters make up 16% of households, lower than both Essex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (21%). 8% of households rent from a council or housing body. The median sale, £307,500, comes from 132 standard sales inside Rowhedge’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£308Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Rowhedge£308K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £375,000 | 22 |
| Semi-detached | £312,000 | 40 |
| Terraced | £312,500 | 45 |
| Flat or maisonette | £187,000 | 25 |
75%
of households own their home · England 61%
16%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,197
average private rent a month, Colchester council area
£2,375
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
Old homes shape Rowhedge: 24% were built before 1919, more than in 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.
Per 10,000 residents, Rowhedge counts 88 listed buildings. Of the town’s land, 17% lies in conservation areas, higher than both Essex’s towns (3%) and England’s towns (7%). This Essex town has 22 listed buildings on Historic England’s list, all Grade II.
22listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II22
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
24%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
88
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 C+
Only 16% of commuters in Rowhedge go to work without a car, fewer than in Essex’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 30% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Driving is how 82% of commuters got to work at the census. 31% of commuters travelled under 5 km, lower than both Essex’s towns (41%) and England’s towns (45%). The average household earns £51K a year before tax.
16%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving82%
On foot8%
Bus3%
Train3%
Bicycle2%
31%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
30%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£51K
mean household income, before tax
2.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B
Walkability: more walkable than 60% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Rowhedge has fewer young adults than Essex’s towns or England’s towns: 9% are 15 to 24
Degrees are held by just over a third of adults. The age that splits Rowhedge in two is 40.5. 17% are under 15, lower than Essex’s towns (18%) and near England’s towns (18%).
40.5median age
RowhedgeEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
18%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level34%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 92 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Rowhedge | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 29% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 18% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.2% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 34% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rowhedge
14pages on Rowhedge
The big questions
SafetyA−16.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £308K · rent £1,197 a monthHousing40 sold in 12 months · busiest street Hillview CloseSchoolsC1 state schoolHealthC−Life expectancy 77.1 (men), 82.1 (women)Work & commuteC+49% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD3.4% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Rowhedge’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
WivenhoeBerechurchLangenhoe and AbbertonAlresfordElmstead MarketColchesterLayer-de-la-HayeRowhedge
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowhedge | 2,492 | — | — | B+ | A− | C− |
| Wivenhoe | 7,354 | 0.8 | A | B+ | B+ | A |
| Berechurch | 7,702 | 1.8 | C+ | A | D | D |
| Langenhoe and Abberton | 1,010 | 2.3 | — | B− | A | A− |
| Alresford | 2,462 | 2.3 | — | D− | B+ | B− |
| Elmstead Market | 1,767 | 2.7 | — | D− | C | B |
| Colchester | 130,259 | 3.1 | B | A− | D | C |
| Layer-de-la-Haye | 1,338 | 3.8 | — | C+ | A− | A |
Langenhoe and Abberton, Alresford, Elmstead Market 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 Rowhedge
How many listed buildings are there in Rowhedge?
That is 3.6 times the typical UK town for its size.
Does Rowhedge flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Is Rowhedge safe?
About the middle for its size: 39% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people report less crime per resident. Against all UK towns, it grades A−.
Are schools in Rowhedge good?
GCSE results trail 84% of towns in England, and primary results trail 57% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Essex council.
About Rowhedge
Village in Essex, England
Rowhedge is a built-up area of 2,492 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
- 2,492 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Colchester
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004179
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.