Blakeney’s story
44 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Blakeney’s built-up area.
59% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BlakeneyGloucestershire
This village in Gloucestershire, South West has a population of 1,303.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Jonathan Thacker · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,303
Census 2021 · Forest of Dean council
Median home
£293K
39 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.4
26% are 65+ · Gloucestershire 20%
Degree level
35%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Blakeney a good place to live?
Where it does best is cost of living — homes sell for a median £293,100, about 5.9 times local household income. The local economy is weaker than most (C−): mean household income £50,810; 2.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Hazard risk is weaker too: just over one in ten homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding. Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work (C−): one in ten commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · flood risk, Environment Agency · commuting, Census 2021. Blakeney is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Gloucestershire Police published 29 of the 36 months; rates are per year over the months published.
How Blakeney grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Blakeney is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Blakeney is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Hazard riskNear the bottom of the towns comparedD−Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentC−Open →WalkabilityMost errands need a carC−Open →SafetyWeaker than most of the towns comparedC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.3 for men, 80.7 for womenC+Open →Cost of livingRent £828 a monthBOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 48% of towns in EnglandB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryBased on listed places, the town’s age and notable peopleA+Open →Outdoors68% live within 400 m of a park; 2.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB−Open →Civic life3.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Blakeney stand out
The 3 things Blakeney does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
10% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Flood risk, against UK towns
Flood risk
High or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea: more than in 96% of UK towns
Environment Agency flood maps, defences counted.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Blakeney.
History
Blakeney is rich in listed buildings: 338 per 10,000 residents, more than in both Gloucestershire’s towns and England’s towns
44listed buildingsA+History Grade
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Blakeney has 44 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade II*. 59% of its homes were built before 1919, above Gloucestershire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (16%) alike.
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II43
Among them · Grade II*
- Blakeney United Reformed Church Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
59%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
338
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsB−
School results in Blakeney are weaker than in 52% of towns in England
B−School Grade
Below is its only school. Key Stage 2 results at the 7 primary schools within 3 km: just over three in five pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The town’s primary school has 75 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blakeney Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 75 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Only 12% of Blakeney’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in both Gloucestershire’s towns and England’s towns
10%walk, cycle or ride
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.
For every resident in work, Blakeney has 0.4 jobs. 88% of commuters drove, above Gloucestershire’s towns (78%) and England’s towns (70%) alike.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot6%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
12%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
£51K
mean household income, before tax
2.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 24% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Blakeney records more violent crime per resident than Gloucestershire’s towns or England’s towns, at 30.2 per 1,000 a year
30.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Blakeney logged 21 reported offences in a year (to August 2026), plus 5 complaints of anti-social conduct. There were 13.7 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above both Gloucestershire’s towns (9.1) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences made up 71% of the total.
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 18% 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 & sexual15
Damage & arson4
Public order1
Vehicle crime1
Shoplifting0
Other theft0
Burglary0
Drugs0
Anti-social5
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.
30.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
13.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
21
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
Disability is more common in Blakeney than in Gloucestershire’s towns or across England’s towns: 22% of residents
78%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
One GP practice serves the town; just over four in five patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey. 78% of Blakeney’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, below both Gloucestershire’s towns (83%) and England’s towns (82%). Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 6.3% of the town. The nearest A&E to Blakeney is Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, 12.9 miles away.
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 78%Fair 16%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Blakeney | Gloucestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 78% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.3% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 22% | 17% | 17% |
80.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
80.7
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.
HousingCost of living grade B
More households own their home in Blakeney than in Gloucestershire’s towns or across England’s towns: 76%
£293Kmedian sale
Also worth knowing: half of the 39 standard sales inside Blakeney’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £293,100.
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Blakeney£293K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £420,000 | 19 |
| Semi-detached | £260,000 | 11 |
| Terraced | £220,000 | 9 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
12%
rent privately · England 21%
£828
average private rent a month, Forest of Dean council area
£2,352
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
Children make up only 13% of Blakeney, fewer than in both Gloucestershire’s towns and England’s towns
49.4median age
The middle age in Blakeney is 49.4. 26% of residents are 65 or over, higher than both Gloucestershire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (18%). Young adults of 15 to 24 are nearly a tenth of the population.
BlakeneyGloucestershireEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level35%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Blakeney | Gloucestershire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.2% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 15% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.4% | 5.8% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 35% | 34% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Gloucestershire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Blakeney
15pages on Blakeney
The big questions
SafetyC+30.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingBMedian home £293K · rent £828 a monthHousing14 sold in 12 months · busiest street Butlers MeadSchoolsB−1 state schoolHealthC+Life expectancy 80.3 (men), 80.7 (women)Work & commuteC−53% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD−10.7% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Dean Forest Railway and 6 more in and around Blakeney
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Blakeney. Best known first.
Heritage railwayDean Forest Railway2.1 km outside town, to the west
MuseumDean Heritage Museum3.2 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionGo Ape2.9 km outside town, to the northwestWildlife parkWildlife parkSlimbridge Wetland Centre4.9 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttractionArctic Adventure4.9 km outside town, to the southeastAttractionAttractionFlamingo Lagoon5 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Dean Forest Railway: Jamielw, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dean Heritage Museum: Philip Halling, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Blakeney
Village in Gloucestershire, England
Blakeney is a built-up area of 1,303 people, in the Forest of Dean 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
- 1,303 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Forest of Dean
- County
- Gloucestershire
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004456
Blakeney’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Yorkley and WhitecroftLydneySharpnessNewnhamRuspidgeBreamCinderfordBlakeney
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blakeney | 1,303 | — | — | B | C+ | C+ |
| Yorkley and Whitecroft | 2,678 | 2.4 | C+ | B− | B+ | B |
| Lydney | 9,655 | 3 | C | B | C | C+ |
| Sharpness | 1,237 | 3.1 | — | A− | C− | C+ |
| Newnham | 1,054 | 3.3 | — | B− | B+ | C+ |
| Ruspidge | 2,431 | 3.6 | — | A− | B− | C− |
| Bream | 3,117 | 4.1 | C | B+ | C+ | B− |
| Cinderford | 8,778 | 4.5 | C | A− | C− | C− |
Sharpness, Newnham and Ruspidge have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Blakeney
Does Blakeney flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
How many listed buildings are there in Blakeney?
That is 13.9 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Blakeney safe?
It has more crime per resident than most places its size: 82% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people report less. Burglary was rare, with 0 reports in the year.
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.