Capel-le-Ferne’s story
No listed buildings inside Capel-le-Ferne’s built-up area
9% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Capel-le-FerneKent
63% of households own their home with no mortgage. Population 1,962: a village in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Nick Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,962
Census 2021 · Dover council
Median home
£350K
68 sales in 3 years
Median age
59.8
40% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
22%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Capel-le-Ferne a good place to live?
Recorded crime is low: police record 13.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 7.7 home and vehicle crimes. Its weakest is cost of living: homes sell for a median £350,000, about 6.7 times local household income. Its other grades sit near the middle: B for schools, B for health, B− for jobs & income and C+ for walkability. Natural hazards weigh less here than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · flood risk, Environment Agency. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Capel-le-Ferne has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Capel-le-Ferne stand out
The 3 things Capel-le-Ferne does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
40% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Own outright
Housing
63% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Capel-le-Ferne grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Capel-le-Ferne is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA−Open →Cost of livingRent £1,021 a monthC−Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.3 for men, 86.6 for womenBOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 33% of towns in England; secondary results beat 79% of towns in EnglandBOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carC+Open →Jobs & income2.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors88% live within 400 m of a park; 52% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA+Open →Civic life2.5 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 Capel-le-Ferne.
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Capel-le-Ferne than in Kent’s towns or England’s towns: 9.4% are under 15
Young adults of 15 to 24 are 7% of the population. 40% of residents are 65 or over, higher than both Kent’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (18%). Typical age in Capel-le-Ferne: 59.8, the median. Degrees are held by just over a fifth of adults.
59.8median age
Capel-le-FerneKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
40%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications25%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level22%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Capel-le-Ferne | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 9.4% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 13% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 40% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 25% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 8.1% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 22% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsB
Capel-le-Ferne’s schools outperform 59% of towns in England on results
The town has one school, shown below. At the 11 primary schools within 3 km, 58% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Secondary results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 50.4, with 55% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
BSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capel-le-Ferne Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 170 | D |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
Much of Capel-le-Ferne is a conservation area: 92% of its land, more than Kent’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.
Before 1919: that is when 9% of homes were built. Historic England’s list has no building inside Capel-le-Ferne’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
9%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Fewer crimes per resident in Capel-le-Ferne than in 80% of UK towns
Violence and sexual offences were 45% of the crimes. A year of reports to August 2026 adds up to 44 offences in Capel-le-Ferne and 15 cases of nuisance behaviour. Also worth knowing: among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Capel-le-Ferne has less crime per resident than 64% of them.
13.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 64% 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 & sexual20
Damage & arson6
Burglary5
Vehicle crime4
Drugs3
Other theft2
Other crime2
Public order1
Anti-social15
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.
13.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
44
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 C−
Few households rent privately in Capel-le-Ferne: 8%, fewer than in Kent’s towns and England’s towns
Social housing holds 6% of households, lower than both Kent’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (18%). The owner-occupied share of households is 86%. Half of the 68 standard sales inside Capel-le-Ferne’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £350,000.
£350Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Capel-le-Ferne£350K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £372,500 | 44 |
| Semi-detached | £315,000 | 21 |
86%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,021
average private rent a month, Dover council area
£2,461
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
More people in Capel-le-Ferne live with a disability than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 24%
The nearest A&E to Capel-le-Ferne is William Harvey Hospital, 13.2 miles away. Just over three quarters of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, below Kent’s towns (82%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 6.6% of the town. This Kent town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.7 miles away.
76%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 76%Fair 18%Bad or very bad 7%
| Census 2021 | Capel-le-Ferne | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 76% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.6% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 24% | 18% | 17% |
80.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.6
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Only 13% of commuters in Capel-le-Ferne go to work without a car, fewer than in Kent’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.
84% of commuters drove, above both Kent’s towns (75%) and England’s towns (70%). For 29% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. A household here earns £57K a year before tax, on average.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot6%
Bus3%
Train2%
Bicycle1%
29%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
28%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£57K
mean household income, before tax
2.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 43% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →The Wing and 7 more in and around Capel-le-Ferne
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Capel-le-Ferne. Best known first.
MuseumThe Wingin town
CastleSandgate Castle 15394.2 km outside town, to the southwest
Abbey or priory · English HeritageSwingfield Preceptory4.7 km outside town, to the north
MuseumKent Battle of Britain Museum3.5 km outside town, to the west
MuseumFolkestone Museum2.1 km outside town, to the southwestCastleCastleCitadel Battery4.5 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- The Wing: Tim Heaton, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sandgate Castle 1539: The original uploader was Jamesedits at English Wikipedia., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Swingfield Preceptory: Ron Strutt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kent Battle of Britain Museum: Ron Hann, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Folkestone Museum: Chris Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Capel-le-Ferne
14pages on Capel-le-Ferne
The big questions
SafetyA−13.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £350K · rent £1,021 a monthHousing21 sold in 12 months · busiest street Old Dover RoadSchoolsB1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 80.3 (men), 86.6 (women)Work & commuteB−47% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Capel-le-Ferne’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
FolkestoneHawkingeDoverWhitfieldGustonLymingeSibertswoldCapel-le-Ferne
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capel-le-Ferne | 1,962 | — | — | C− | A− | B |
| Folkestone | 51,987 | 2.3 | C− | C− | D | D |
| Hawkinge | 8,499 | 2.4 | C+ | D | B− | C |
| Dover | 36,349 | 4.1 | C− | B | D− | D |
| Whitfield | 6,509 | 5.2 | C | C | C− | C+ |
| Guston | 1,684 | 5.4 | — | C+ | A+ | C− |
| Lyminge | 1,918 | 5.9 | — | D | A | A− |
| Sibertswold | 1,619 | 6 | — | C− | B | C+ |
Guston, Lyminge and Sibertswold have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Capel-le-Ferne
Is Capel-le-Ferne safe?
About the middle for its size: 36% 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−.
Is Capel-le-Ferne expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £350,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £315,000 and detached houses £372,500.
About Capel-le-Ferne
Village in Kent, England
Capel-le-Ferne is a built-up area of 1,962 people, in the Dover 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
- 1,962 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dover
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005867
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.