Fordcombe’s story
9 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Fordcombe’s built-up area.
39% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
FordcombeKent
A village of 570 in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Elisa.rolle · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
570
Census 2021 · Sevenoaks council
Median home
£615K
19 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.6
31% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
38%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
7%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Fordcombe a good place to live?
Fordcombe has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Fordcombe stand out
The 3 things Fordcombe does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
7% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 6.5 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.2 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Fordcombe.
Work & commute
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Fordcombe than in Kent’s towns or England’s towns: 7%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 43% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For Fordcombe, that is below both Kent’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (27%). For 21% of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
7%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot4%
Train3%
21%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
43%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£72K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Schools
The schools around Fordcombe
Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordcombe Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 57 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
Homes in Fordcombe cost more than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns, with a median sale of £615K
Fordcombe sits above both Kent’s towns (£380K) and England’s towns (£308K) on this measure. Private renters make up 7% of households.
£615Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Fordcombe£615K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £790,000 | 9 |
| Semi-detached | £490,000 | 5 |
| Terraced | £372,000 | 5 |
82%
of households own their home · England 61%
7%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,809
average private rent a month, Sevenoaks council area
£2,460
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Fordcombe records less violent crime per resident than Kent’s towns or England’s towns, at 7 per 1,000 a year
That puts Fordcombe below both Kent’s towns (24) and England’s towns (22). Homes see 7.6 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 10 crimes inside Fordcombe’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 5 reports of anti-social behaviour.
7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual3
Damage & arson3
Other theft2
Burglary2
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Drugs0
Vehicle crime0
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.
7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
10
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Health
82% of residents say their health is good or very good
82% of Fordcombe’s residents described their health as good or very good in 2021, against 82% across Kent’s towns. 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.
82%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Fordcombe | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.4% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 18% | 17% |
83.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
History
Much of Fordcombe is a conservation area: 100% 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.
Conservation areas cover 100% of Fordcombe’s land, above both Kent’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%). 39% of homes were built before 1919. Fordcombe has 9 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*.
9listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II9
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
39%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
158
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Fordcombe skews older, with 31% of residents 65 or over, more than Kent’s towns or England’s towns
On this, Fordcombe is above both Kent’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (18%). Those aged 15 to 24 account for 9.1% of residents. The median resident of Fordcombe is 51.6 years old.
51.6median age
FordcombeKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
31%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications18%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level38%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Fordcombe | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.1% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 16% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 31% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 38% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Penshurst Place and 3 more in and around Fordcombe
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Fordcombe. Best known first.
Historic houseHistoric housePenshurst Place3.5 km outside town, to the north
Historic houseSalomons Museum3.4 km outside town, to the east
Heritage railwaySpa Valley Railway3.6 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumThe Amelia Scott4.9 km outside town, to the east
Historic houseSalomons Museum3.4 km outside town, to the eastHeritage railwaySpa Valley Railway3.6 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumThe Amelia Scott4.9 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 (2)
- Salomons Museum: Nigel Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Spa Valley Railway: PeterSkuce, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fordcombe
13pages on Fordcombe
The big questions
Safety7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £615K · rent £1,809 a monthHousing5 sold in 12 months · busiest street Chafford LaneSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 83.4 (men), 87.5 (women)Work & commute60% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Fordcombe’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
GroombridgeRusthall and Langton GreenSouthboroughRoyal Tunbridge WellsLeighHildenboroughTonbridgeFordcombe
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fordcombe | 570 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Groombridge | 1,077 | 2 | — | D | A+ | A+ |
| Rusthall and Langton Green | 7,783 | 2.1 | A | C | B | B |
| Southborough | 9,632 | 3.6 | A− | C | B− | B− |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells | 51,215 | 3.8 | A− | C+ | C | B |
| Leigh | 1,104 | 4.1 | — | D | A | A+ |
| Hildenborough | 4,943 | 5.7 | A+ | C− | A | A |
| Tonbridge | 36,136 | 5.9 | B+ | C+ | C | B− |
Groombridge and Leigh have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Fordcombe
Is Fordcombe expensive to live in?
By type: terraced houses £372,000, semi-detached houses £490,000 and detached houses £790,000. Private rents in the Sevenoaks council area averaged £1,809 a month in August 2026.
How many listed buildings are there in Fordcombe?
That is 6.5 times the typical UK town for its size.
Who lives in Fordcombe?
More households own their home than across England’s towns: 82%, against 61%.
About Fordcombe
Village in Kent, England
Fordcombe is a built-up area of 570 people, in the Sevenoaks 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
- 570 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Sevenoaks
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005825
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.