England · County

Find your town in Kent

Kent has 87 towns of 2,500 or more and 175 villages and smaller places. Towns are graded against towns across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on cost of living, safety, schools, health and more.

87graded towns

11grade A− or better

175villages and smaller places

Maidstonelargest · 109,503

How Kent compares: its report card →

#1 in KentHildenboroughA⁺

#2 in KentJoyden's WoodA

#3 in KentBearstedA

#4 in KentOtford and KemsingA

Kent at a glance

What Kent is like

The typical Kent town grades highest on walkability and outdoors against towns across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and lowest on cost of living. Choose a subject to find the towns that do best on it.

The typical town, subject by subjectThe median Kent town against UK towns · the line marks the typical UK town

How Kent’s towns grade overall87 graded towns

A11B21C37D18

11 of 87 (13%) grade A− or better, against 25% of UK towns.

Every town ranked by scoreThe full Kent list, with what drives each grade Compare two townsSide by side, subject by subject

The finder

Find a town that’s…

87 towns · ordered by Kent rank

A⁺

Hildenborough

Town · 4,943 people · #80 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺SchoolsA⁺Jobs & incomeLowestD⁻Hazard risk

Joyden's Wood

Town · 4,912 people · #144 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺Jobs & incomeAHealthLowestC⁻Cost of living

Bearsted

Town · 8,349 people · #184 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺Jobs & incomeAHealthLowestC⁻Cost of living

Otford and Kemsing

Town · 7,332 people · #287 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺HealthA⁺Jobs & incomeLowestDCost of living

Rusthall and Langton Green

Town · 7,783 people · #289 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺SchoolsAHazard riskLowestCCost of living

A⁻

Dunton Green

Town · 3,241 people · #331 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAJobs & incomeAHealthLowestC⁻Hazard risk

A⁻

Kings Hill

Town · 9,963 people · #335 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺HealthA⁺Jobs & incomeLowestC⁻Cost of living

A⁻

Sevenoaks

Large town · 26,474 people · #425 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺Jobs & incomeA⁺WalkabilityLowestDCost of living

A⁻

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Large town · 51,215 people · #442 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺WalkabilityASchoolsLowestCSafety

A⁻

Southborough

Town · 9,632 people · #452 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestASchoolsAWalkabilityLowestCCost of living

A⁻

South Darenth and Sutton at Hone

Town · 4,091 people · #506 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺SchoolsB⁺Cost of livingLowestC⁻Hazard risk

B⁺

Cuxton

Town · 3,039 people · #566 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestASafetyA⁻Jobs & incomeLowestC⁻Cost of living

B⁺

Hextable

Town · 4,100 people · #590 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestASchoolsAHazard riskLowestCCost of living

B⁺

Hawkhurst

Town · 3,683 people · #679 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestASchoolsB⁺Hazard riskLowestCSafety

B⁺

Istead Rise

Town · 3,398 people · #687 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAJobs & incomeASafetyLowestDCost of living

B⁺

Tonbridge

Large town · 36,136 people · #714 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityASchoolsLowestDHazard risk

Meopham

Town · 4,349 people · #768 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAJobs & incomeAHazard riskLowestDCost of living

Cranbrook

Town · 3,962 people · #780 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestASchoolsAHazard riskLowestC⁻Safety

Westerham

Town · 3,390 people · #809 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHealthA⁻WalkabilityLowestDHazard risk

Marden

Town · 3,489 people · #817 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestASchoolsA⁻WalkabilityLowestC⁻Cost of living

Dartford

Large town · 69,131 people · #860 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺WalkabilityA⁺SchoolsLowestDSafety

West Malling

Town · 4,251 people · #900 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻HealthB⁺Jobs & incomeLowestCSafety

Cliffe Woods

Town · 2,689 people · #914 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestASafetyAHazard riskLowestDCost of living

Longfield, New Ash Green and Hartley

Town · 16,077 people · #915 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskB⁺Jobs & incomeLowestC⁻Cost of living

B⁻

Ash (Dover)

Town · 2,529 people · #956 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskA⁻SchoolsLowestC⁻Cost of living

B⁻

Ebbsfleet Valley

Town · 2,989 people · #994 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityAJobs & incomeLowestD⁻Safety

B⁻

Swanley

Town · 17,209 people · #1,013 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityAHazard riskLowestC⁻Safety

B⁻

Borough Green

Town · 4,712 people · #1,045 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻HealthA⁻Jobs & incomeLowestDSchools

B⁻

Higham

Town · 2,642 people · #1,093 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskA⁻HealthLowestDCost of living

B⁻

Cliffe

Town · 2,531 people · #1,128 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskB⁺SchoolsLowestDWalkability

B⁻

West Kingsdown

Town · 4,306 people · #1,134 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskBSafetyLowestCCost of living

B⁻

Pembury

Town · 5,783 people · #1,151 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻Jobs & incomeB⁺WalkabilityLowestC⁻Safety

C⁺

Stone

Town · 6,438 people · #1,174 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityAHazard riskLowestD⁻Safety

C⁺

Swanscombe

Town · 15,462 people · #1,176 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityAHazard riskLowestDSafety

C⁺

Maidstone

City · 109,503 people · #1,192 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityA⁻SchoolsLowestDSafety

C⁺

Coxheath

Town · 8,453 people · #1,200 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestBHealthBJobs & incomeLowestCCost of living

C⁺

Ashford

Large town · 82,143 people · #1,220 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityBSchoolsLowestC⁻Safety

C⁺

Hawkinge

Town · 8,499 people · #1,227 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskA⁻SchoolsLowestDCost of living

C⁺

Hadlow

Town · 3,168 people · #1,258 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestBSafetyBWalkabilityLowestC⁻Schools

C⁺

Halling

Town · 2,926 people · #1,261 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻Jobs & incomeB⁺Hazard riskLowestC⁻Schools

C⁺

Edenbridge

Town · 7,903 people · #1,347 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityBSchoolsLowestDHazard risk

C⁺

Iwade

Town · 4,533 people · #1,369 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻SafetyB⁺Jobs & incomeLowestD⁻Schools

C⁺

Faversham

Large town · 20,941 people · #1,375 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityB⁺SchoolsLowestC⁻Safety

C⁺

Larkfield

Large town · 26,147 people · #1,381 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺Jobs & incomeB⁻WalkabilityLowestDHazard risk

Darenth

Town · 2,588 people · #1,396 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskBSchoolsLowestC⁻Health

Herne

Town · 14,874 people · #1,404 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestBSafetyB⁻SchoolsLowestC⁻Cost of living

Hythe

Town · 14,613 people · #1,407 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityB⁺SchoolsLowestDHazard risk

Paddock Wood

Town · 7,616 people · #1,444 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityBHealthLowestD⁻Hazard risk

Teynham

Town · 3,128 people · #1,481 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestBWalkabilityBCost of livingLowestC⁻Safety

Halfway Houses

Town · 4,396 people · #1,485 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺Hazard riskB⁻Cost of livingLowestCJobs & income

Rochester

Large town · 67,279 people · #1,486 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityB⁺SchoolsLowestDSafety

Newington

Town · 2,691 people · #1,493 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskB⁺Jobs & incomeLowestC⁻Safety

Sittingbourne

Large town · 54,385 people · #1,546 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityBHazard riskLowestDSafety

Broadstairs

Large town · 25,780 people · #1,550 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityBSchoolsLowestD⁻Cost of living

Northfleet

Large town · 29,892 people · #1,583 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityAHazard riskLowestDSafety

Staplehurst

Town · 6,181 people · #1,588 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺WalkabilityB⁻Jobs & incomeLowestDSchools

Whitfield

Town · 6,509 people · #1,592 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskC⁺WalkabilityLowestC⁻Safety

Tenterden

Town · 7,775 people · #1,594 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺Hazard riskB⁺HealthLowestD⁻Schools

C⁻

Snodland

Town · 11,820 people · #1,646 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestBCost of livingBWalkabilityLowestDSchools

C⁻

Chartham

Town · 3,569 people · #1,679 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺HealthB⁻Jobs & incomeLowestD⁻Hazard risk

C⁻

Headcorn

Town · 3,293 people · #1,688 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺WalkabilityBHealthLowestDSafety

C⁻

Canterbury

Large town · 55,107 people · #1,691 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁺WalkabilityB⁻SchoolsLowestD⁻Safety

C⁻

Whitstable

Large town · 32,185 people · #1,707 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityB⁻HealthLowestDCost of living

C⁻

Lenham and Harrietsham

Town · 4,763 people · #1,716 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺HealthBWalkabilityLowestDSchools

C⁻

Dover

Large town · 36,349 people · #1,739 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityBCost of livingLowestD⁻Safety

C⁻

Gillingham

City · 108,485 people · #1,780 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityC⁺Jobs & incomeLowestDSafety

C⁻

Sandwich

Town · 4,258 people · #1,785 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityC⁺SchoolsLowestDSafety

C⁻

Folkestone

Large town · 51,987 people · #1,793 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityB⁺SchoolsLowestDSafety

C⁻

Aylesham

Town · 5,788 people · #1,800 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskBWalkabilityLowestDSchools

Sturry

Town · 4,857 people · #1,829 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺WalkabilityC⁺Jobs & incomeLowestDHazard risk

Chatham

Large town · 76,956 people · #1,832 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁺WalkabilityBHazard riskLowestDSafety

Gravesend

Large town · 58,105 people · #1,837 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityB⁻SchoolsLowestDSafety

Queenborough

Town · 3,915 people · #1,842 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityB⁺Hazard riskLowestDSafety

Deal

Large town · 28,992 people · #1,905 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityC⁺Cost of livingLowestDSchools

Dymchurch

Town · 3,097 people · #1,926 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestBSchoolsB⁻WalkabilityLowestD⁻Hazard risk

Minster (Swale)

Town · 16,735 people · #1,957 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestC⁺SchoolsC⁺Cost of livingLowestDJobs & income

Ramsgate

Large town · 42,031 people · #1,998 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityBSchoolsLowestD⁻Safety

Sheerness

Town · 13,253 people · #2,005 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityB⁺Cost of livingLowestD⁻Safety

Hoo St Werburgh

Town · 8,758 people · #2,023 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestC⁺WalkabilityCJobs & incomeLowestDHazard risk

Lydd

Town · 3,911 people · #2,030 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskBWalkabilityLowestD⁻Jobs & income

D⁻

Eastchurch

Town · 3,381 people · #2,044 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskA⁻WalkabilityLowestD⁻Safety

D⁻

Littlestone-on-Sea

Town · 5,271 people · #2,078 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestBSafetyCWalkabilityLowestD⁻Schools

D⁻

St Mary's Bay

Town · 2,966 people · #2,081 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestB⁻WalkabilityB⁻SafetyLowestDJobs & income

D⁻

Minster (Thanet)

Town · 4,739 people · #2,083 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskC⁺WalkabilityLowestD⁻Cost of living

D⁻

Herne Bay

Large town · 24,873 people · #2,107 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityC⁻Cost of livingLowestD⁻Schools

D⁻

New Romney

Town · 3,870 people · #2,108 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAHazard riskB⁺WalkabilityLowestD⁻Schools

D⁻

Margate

Large town · 63,315 people · #2,135 of 2,138 nationally

StrongestAWalkabilityC⁺Hazard riskLowestDSafety

Go deeper

Kent lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Kent rankings →

Best places to live87 towns · #1 Hildenborough Best small towns56 towns · #1 Hildenborough Most affordable towns87 towns · #1 Sheerness Safest towns87 towns · #1 Cuxton Towns with the best schools87 towns · #1 Hildenborough Healthiest towns87 towns · #1 Otford and Kemsing Best towns for jobs & income87 towns · #1 Sevenoaks Most walkable towns87 towns · #1 Canterbury Towns with the lowest flood risk87 towns · #1 Ash (Dover) and 27 more Best towns for the outdoors87 towns · #1 Folkestone Most historic towns87 towns · #1 Sandwich Towns with the most civic life87 towns · #1 Ash (Dover)Towns with the highest household incomes87 towns · #1 Kings HillDescribed, no letters Towns with the lowest council tax87 towns · #1 GillinghamDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters87 towns · #1 SheernessDescribed, no letters Towns with the warmest summers87 towns · #1 DartfordDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers87 towns · #1 HawkingeDescribed, no letters Towns with the fewest frosts87 towns · #1 RamsgateDescribed, no letters Driest towns87 towns · #1 QueenboroughDescribed, no letters Wettest towns87 towns · #1 HawkingeDescribed, no letters

Villages and small towns

175 smaller places in Kent

Places of 1,000 to 2,500 people have subject grades on their pages, but no overall grade or rank. The search at the top finds these too.

Chattenden2,417 St Margaret's at Cliffe2,399 Eastry2,388 Boughton under Blean2,274 Wateringbury2,248 Charing2,170 East Peckham2,144 Hersden2,118 Wye2,064 Culverstone Green2,038 Ightham2,037 Vigo Village2,005 Capel-le-Ferne1,962 Wrotham1,961 Lyminge1,918 High Halstow1,823 Warden1,817 Hamstreet1,738 Grain1,728 Upchurch1,727 Eccles1,706 Kingsdown1,687 Allhallows1,684 Guston1,684 Eynsford1,676 Bean1,633 Sibertswold1,619 Seal1,616 Littlebourne1,596 Horsmonden1,580 Finberry1,571 Crockenhill1,569 Yalding1,549 Bridge1,539 Eythorne1,487 Brabourne Lees1,479 Sutton Valence1,457 Five Oak Green1,436 Benenden1,409 Hawley1,386 Kingswood1,371 Biddenden1,345 Blean1,327 Wingham1,313 Burham1,293 Rough Common1,291 Cliffs End1,284 Aldington1,280 Farningham1,279 Marlpit Hill1,271 Horton Kirby1,247 Lower Halstow1,210 Woodchurch1,201 Sundridge1,190 Plaxtol1,137 Goudhurst1,104 Leigh1,104 Challock1,089 Lympne1,074 Shorne1,038 Shadoxhurst1,009 Bethersden1,008

113 places under 1,000 people

Addington Adisham Alkham Appledore Appledore Heath Ash (Sevenoaks)Aylesford Badgers Mount Barham Bidborough Blue Bell Hill Borden Bossingham Brasted Brasted Chart Bredgar Bredhurst Brenchley Broad Oak Bromley Green Brook Brookland Bullingstone Chainhurst Chart Sutton Chartway Street Chiddingstone Causeway Chilham Cobham Cowden Cranbrook Common Crockham Hill Curtisden Green Densole Detling Dunkirk East Farleigh East Studdal Eastling Egerton Elham Etchinghill Fordcombe Four Elms Frittenden Golden Green Great Chart Great Mongeham Hale Street Halstead Hartley Hartlip High Halden Highsted Hothfield Kingsnorth Kingston Kit's Coty Knockholt Pound Lamberhurst Langley Heath Leysdown-on-Sea Linkhill Lower Hardres and Street End Lower Higham Lower Upnor Lydden Lynsted Markbeech Matfield Mersham Monkton Mud Row Nonington Offham Old Wives Lees Peters Village Pipsden Pluckley Preston Rhodes Minnis Rolvenden Rolvenden Layne Ryarsh Saltwood Sandhurst Sellindge Sepham Heath Sevenoaks Weald Sholden Shoreham Sissinghurst Smarden Sole Street Southfleet Speldhurst St Nicholas at Wade Stanford Swanley Village Teston Trottiscliffe Tyler Hill Ulcombe Upper Harbledown Upstreet Well Hill Wickhambreaux Wittersham Woodnesborough Woolpack Corner Worth Wrotham Heath Yorkletts

Photos: 0: Stacey Harris · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 1: Chris Whippet · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 2: Nigel Thompson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 3: Oxenhillshaw · Public domain · 4: Marathon · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 5: David Anstiss · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 7: DS Pugh · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 9: Nigel Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 10: Stephen Craven · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 12: David Martin · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 13: David Howard · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 16: Clem Rutter, Rochester Kent · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 17: John Salmon · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 18: Des Blenkinsopp · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 20: Chris Heaton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 23: Robin Webster · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 24: Colin Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 25: Sunil060902 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 28: Oast House Archive · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 30: Chris Shaw · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 31: N Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 32: Steve F · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 33: Brian Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 37: Ron Hann · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 40: Charlesdrakew · Public domain · 47: M J Roots · CC BY 3.0 · 48: Penny Mayes · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 53: John Fielding from Norwich, UK · CC BY 2.0 · 54: Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent. · CC BY 2.5 · 57: Phil Brandon Hunter · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 58: Malc McDonald · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 59: Colin Park · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 60: Michael Garlick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 61: Philip Halling · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 62: Paste at English Wikipedia · Public domain · 63: John Baker · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 67: Unknown author · CC BY 2.0 · 73: Stephen McKay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 79: Peter Wood · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 80: Richard Rogerson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 81: D-G-Seamon · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 82: Ian Dunster · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 83: Rod Grealish · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 85: Chris Gunns · CC BY-SA 2.0 · 86: Christopher Hilton · CC BY-SA 2.0

Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only · ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area. 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.