Ickleford’s story
28 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Ickleford’s built-up area.
11% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
IcklefordHertfordshire
Over-65s are 26% of the population. Population 1,936: a village in Hertfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Humphrey Bolton · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,936
Census 2021 · North Hertfordshire council
Median home
£595K
104 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.4
26% are 65+ · Hertfordshire 17%
Degree level
42%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
17%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Ickleford a good place to live?
Health is a strength: life expectancy 81.4 for men, 84.4 for women. Prices are high against local incomes (C−): a typical home costs £595,000 and rent runs £1,434 a month. It also trails on hazard risk — 0.8% of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding. Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B for safety and B− for jobs & income.
Figures: life expectancy and income, ONS · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · claimants, DWP. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Ickleford has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Ickleford stand out
The 3 things Ickleford does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of St Katherine (Church of England); 5.9 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.1 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
26% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Ickleford grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Ickleford is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Ickleford has subject grades but no overall one.
Cost of livingMedian sale £595,000, 8.9 years of area incomeC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 72% of towns in England; secondary results beat 79% of towns in EnglandA−Open →HealthAhead of most towns comparedB+Open →Walkability17% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportB+Open →Hazard riskBased on how exposed the town is to floods, storms and other hazardsCOpen →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentBOpen →Jobs & incomeAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageBOpen →Outdoors82% live within 400 m of a park; 11% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA−Open →Civic life3.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ickleford.
Who lives here
An older town: 26% of people in Ickleford are 65 or over, more than in both Hertfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
8.5% of the population is aged 15 to 24, lower than both Hertfordshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%); what’s more, the share of residents under 15 is 16%. Half the people of Ickleford are older than 49.4. Graduates make up just over two in five adults.
49.4median age
IcklefordHertfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level42%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Ickleford | Hertfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 15% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.6% | 4.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 42% | 39% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Hertfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsA−
Ickleford’s schools outperform 79% of towns in England on results
Ickleford Primary School’s results beat 77% of schools in England like it. The town has one school, shown below. Key Stage 2 results at the 14 primary schools within 3 km: nearly two thirds of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ickleford Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 213 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade C−
Few households rent privately in Ickleford: 11%, fewer than in both Hertfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The social rented sector houses 23% of households. From September 2023 to August 2026, 104 homes sold inside Ickleford’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £595,000. The owner-occupied share of households is 66%.
£595Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Ickleford£595K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £875,000 | 54 |
| Semi-detached | £490,000 | 17 |
| Terraced | £407,500 | 22 |
| Flat or maisonette | £240,000 | 11 |
66%
of households own their home · England 61%
11%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,434
average private rent a month, North Hertfordshire council area
£2,485
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
Good or very good health: 82% of Ickleford’s residents
Ickleford has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.3 miles away. 17% of residents in Ickleford live with a disability. At the census, 4.8% of people here described their health as bad or very bad.
82%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Ickleford | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 85% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.8% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 14% | 17% |
81.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
More people aged 16 to 64 in Ickleford claim unemployment benefits than in Hertfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 4.3%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 47% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Before tax, the average household brings in £66K a year. The car took 81% of commuters, higher than both Hertfordshire’s towns (73%) and England’s towns (70%). For every resident in work, Ickleford has 0.2 jobs.
17%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving81%
On foot6%
Train6%
Bicycle5%
40%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
47%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£66K
mean household income, before tax
4.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B+
Walkability: more walkable than 67% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
More buildings in Ickleford are listed than in Hertfordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 145 per 10,000 residents
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them. Ickleford’s listed buildings include the Church of St Katherine (Church of England), Grade I. Historic England’s list names 28 listed buildings here: 1 Grade I.
28listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II27
Among them · Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
11%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
145
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 Ickleford is lower than in 58% of UK towns
Over the year to August 2026, 67 offences were reported in Ickleford, along with 27 incidents of anti-social behaviour. 49% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Violence came to 17.4 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Hertfordshire’s towns (21.3) and England’s towns (22).
17.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearBSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 36% 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 & sexual33
Damage & arson10
Burglary6
Vehicle crime5
Public order4
Other theft3
Drugs3
Theft from person2
Anti-social27
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.
17.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
11.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
13.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
67
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.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →RAF Henlow and 8 more in and around Ickleford
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Ickleford. Best known first.
MuseumRAF Henlow4.3 km outside town, to the north
MuseumNorth Hertfordshire Museum1.7 km outside town, to the south
MuseumBritish schools museum2.1 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumGarden City Collection Study Centre1.6 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumLetchworth Community Museum3.3 km outside town, to the eastWater parkWater parkBancroft Splash Park1.5 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- RAF Henlow: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- North Hertfordshire Museum: Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- British schools museum: Jack1956, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ickleford
14pages on Ickleford
The big questions
SafetyB17.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £595K · rent £1,434 a monthHousing28 sold in 12 months · busiest street Ansell GrangeSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthB+Life expectancy 81.4 (men), 84.4 (women)Work & commuteB−59% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC0.8% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Ickleford’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HitchinPirtonLetchworthLower StondonArleseyLittle WymondleyStotfoldIckleford
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ickleford | 1,936 | — | — | C− | B | B+ |
| Hitchin | 35,220 | 1.4 | A− | C+ | B− | B |
| Pirton | 1,452 | 2.1 | — | C− | A | A− |
| Letchworth | 33,993 | 2.4 | C+ | B− | C | C+ |
| Lower Stondon | 3,966 | 2.5 | B+ | B | B | A− |
| Arlesey | 6,027 | 3.1 | B | A− | B− | B− |
| Little Wymondley | 1,003 | 3.3 | — | B− | C | C+ |
| Stotfold | 12,313 | 3.5 | B+ | B− | B+ | A− |
Pirton and Little Wymondley have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Ickleford
Is Ickleford expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £595,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £240,000, terraced houses £407,500, semi-detached houses £490,000 and detached houses £875,000.
How many listed buildings are there in Ickleford?
That is 5.9 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of St Katherine (Church of England).
Are schools in Ickleford good?
Primary results beat 72%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Hertfordshire council.
About Ickleford
Village in Hertfordshire, England
Ickleford is a built-up area of 1,936 people, in the North Hertfordshire 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
- 1,936 (Census 2021)
- Council
- North Hertfordshire
- County
- Hertfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003995
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.