Guston’s story
15 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Guston’s built-up area.
18% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
GustonKent
A village of 1,684 in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Nick Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,684
Census 2021 · Dover council
Median home
£280K
33 sales in 3 years
Median age
25.5
7% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
21%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
18%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Guston a good place to live?
Guston has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A+): 7.5 violent and sexual offences and 4.4 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is health (C−): life expectancy 75.5 for men, 81.4 for women. The median home sold for £280,000 in the last three years, 5.3 times what households in the Dover council area earn in a year.
What makes Guston stand out
The 3 things Guston does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 3.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
94%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 94%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Residents aged 15 to 24
Who lives here
1 in 5 is 15 to 24
20% of residents, against 12% across England’s towns
How Guston grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Guston is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyA+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →HealthC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 11% of towns in England; secondary results beat 55% of towns in EnglandCOpen →WalkabilityB+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →Jobs & income2.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryBOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 25% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA+Open →Civic life4.2 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Dover Castle and 23 more in and around Guston
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Guston. Best known first.
Castle · English HeritageDover Castle1 km outside town, to the south
MuseumDover Bronze Age Boat1.6 km outside town, to the south
Fort · English HeritageDover Western Heights2.5 km outside town, to the southwest
Fort · National TrustFan Bay Deep Shelter2.2 km outside town, to the east
MuseumDover Museum1.5 km outside town, to the south
FortFort Burgoyne300 m 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 (6)
- Dover Castle: Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dover Bronze Age Boat: mari from tokyo, japan, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dover Western Heights: Paul Wells, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fan Bay Deep Shelter: Inklin235, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dover Museum: Nessy-Pic, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fort Burgoyne: Chris, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Guston.
Who lives here
Children make up 30% of Guston, above Kent’s towns and England’s towns
Retirement age and beyond: 6.9% of residents are 65 or older. People aged 15 to 24 make up a fifth of the town, above both Kent’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Guston has a median age of 25.5 years. Graduates make up 21% of adults.
25.5median age
GustonKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
20%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar20%
Degree level21%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
About 109 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Guston | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 30% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 20% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 17% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 6.9% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 21% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsC
Guston’s schools fall behind 70% of towns in England on results
Both of the town’s schools appear below. Duke of York's Royal Military School’s results beat 91% of schools in England like it. Attainment 8 at the 6 secondary schools within 3 km averages 45.9, and 47% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guston Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | – | B− |
| Duke of York's Royal Military SchoolLargest secondary schoolSecondary | Secondary | 470 | A |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
Safety
Fewer crimes per resident in Guston than in 97% of UK towns
A year of reports to August 2026 adds up to 32 offences in Guston and 7 cases of nuisance behaviour. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 2.2 reports per 1,000, lower than both Kent’s towns (9.4) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences accounted for 34% of recorded crime.
7.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 94% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual11
Other theft4
Other crime4
Vehicle crime3
Damage & arson2
Public order2
Burglary2
Shoplifting1
Anti-social7
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.
7.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
32
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
91% of people in Guston say their health is good or very good, more than in Kent’s towns and across England’s towns
A disability affects 9.9% of people in Guston, and 2.3% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, lower than both Kent’s towns (5.1%) and England’s towns (5.2%). Women here live to 81.4 on average and men to 75.5 (2019–23). Seeing a GP means leaving Guston: the nearest practice is 0.9 miles away.
91%good or very good healthC−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 91%Fair 7%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Guston | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 91% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.3% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 9.9% | 18% | 17% |
75.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
81.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Households in Guston earn less than in Kent’s towns and across England’s towns: £42K a year
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 17% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The census counted 17% of workers working mainly from home. 18% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, below both Kent’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (27%). For every resident in work, Guston has 0.6 jobs. Work in town: a tenth of resident commuters.
18%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving78%
On foot16%
Bus1%
17%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£42K
mean household income, before tax
2.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B+
Walkability: more walkable than 68% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
More of the land in Guston is conservation area than in Kent’s towns or England’s towns: 100%
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
For its size, Guston has 89 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, above Kent’s towns (52) and England’s towns (39) alike. Historic England’s list names 15 listed buildings in the town, every one Grade II. The pre-1919 share of homes is 18%.
15listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II15
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
18%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
89
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C+
More households rent privately in Guston than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 36%
Owners make up 52% of households, below Kent’s towns (65%) and England’s towns (61%) alike. Social renters account for 12% of households. Private rents average £1,021 a month across the Dover council area.
£280Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Guston£280K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £450,000 | 9 |
| Semi-detached | £292,000 | 5 |
| Terraced | £235,000 | 19 |
52%
of households own their home · England 61%
36%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,021
average private rent a month, Dover council area
£2,463
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Guston
14pages on Guston
The big questions
SafetyA+7.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £280K · rent £1,021 a monthHousing11 sold in 12 monthsSchoolsC2 state schoolsHealthC−Life expectancy 75.5 (men), 81.4 (women)Work & commuteC+36% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Guston’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
DoverWhitfieldSt Margaret's at CliffeKingsdownEythorneSibertswoldCapel-le-FerneGuston
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guston | 1,684 | — | — | C+ | A+ | C− |
| Dover | 36,349 | 1.3 | C− | B | D− | D |
| Whitfield | 6,509 | 1.7 | C | C | C− | C+ |
| St Margaret's at Cliffe | 2,399 | 2.6 | — | D | B | A− |
| Kingsdown | 1,687 | 4.5 | — | C− | B+ | A− |
| Eythorne | 1,487 | 4.7 | — | C | B | C+ |
| Sibertswold | 1,619 | 5 | — | C− | B | C+ |
| Capel-le-Ferne | 1,962 | 5.4 | — | C− | A− | B |
St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kingsdown, Eythorne, Sibertswold and Capel-le-Ferne have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Guston
How many listed buildings are there in Guston?
That is 3.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Guston good?
GCSE results beat 55% of towns in England, and primary results trail 89% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Guston has 2 state schools; places are handled by Kent council.
About Guston
Village in Kent, England
Guston is a built-up area of 1,684 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
- 1,684 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dover
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005738
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.