Joyden's Wood’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Joyden's Wood’s built-up area.
3% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Joyden's WoodKent
Secondary school results beat 98% of towns in England. 4,912 people live in this town in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Chris Whippet · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
4,912
Census 2021 · Dartford council
Median home
£539K
188 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.5
27% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
28%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
18%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
A
#2 of 87 in Kent
Is Joyden's Wood a good place to live?
Joyden's Wood’s strongest is jobs & income (A+) — the mean household earns £69,046 a year. It also does well on health — life expectancy 83.7 for men, 87.6 for women. The catch is cost of living: the median home sold for £539,000, 8.3 years of area income. All told, that adds up to an A overall and a rank of #2 of 87 in Kent. That leaves it better than 93% of UK towns.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years.
What makes Joyden's Wood stand out
The 3 things Joyden's Wood does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.9 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Secondary results, towns in England
Schools
Secondary results beat 98%
of towns in England, on GCSE results (Attainment 8, English and maths)
Primary results beat 65%. Department for Education.
Life expectancy, against UK towns
Health
87.6 and 83.7 years
OHID Fingertips, 2019–23.
How Joyden's Wood grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Joyden's Wood is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentA+Open →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 65% of towns in England; secondary results beat 98% of towns in EnglandAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Cost of livingRent £1,575 a monthC−Open →SafetyAbove the middle of the towns comparedB+Open →Walkability18% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingD−Open →Outdoors82% live within 400 m of a park; 4% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA−Open →Civic life2.4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 100% live within 1 km of a libraryAOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Joyden's Wood.
History
Joyden's Wood’s listed buildings: 1, all Grade II
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 3% of homes were built. Joyden's Wood has 2 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents, below both Kent’s towns (53) and England’s towns (39).
1listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
3%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
2
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsA
Exam results at Joyden's Wood’s schools top 86% of towns in England
Joyden's Wood’s three primaries have 915 pupils between them. Of its 3 schools, one is shown below, with the reason. GCSE results at the 13 secondary schools within 3 km: 70% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 59.3.
ASchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maypole Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 410 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 3 schools →
Health
Joyden's Wood’s life expectancy beats 96% of UK towns
Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 3.9% of the town. There is no GP practice in Joyden's Wood: the nearest is 1.6 miles off. Disability touches 16% of the town’s population.
84%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Joyden's Wood | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.9% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 18% | 17% |
83.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.6
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade C−
More households own their home in Joyden's Wood than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 90%
Private renters make up 6% of households, lower than both Kent’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (21%). The £539,000 median rests on 188 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026). It is the 4th most expensive of 87 towns of 2,500+ in Kent.
£539Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Joyden's Wood£539K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £756,500 | 62 |
| Semi-detached | £500,000 | 97 |
| Terraced | £430,000 | 24 |
| Flat or maisonette | £255,000 | 5 |
90%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,575
average private rent a month, Dartford council area
£2,352
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
Violent crime runs low in Joyden's Wood: 12.5 per 1,000 residents a year, under Kent’s towns and England’s towns
Police figures for Joyden's Wood’s built-up area: 138 crimes and 26 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. Among the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people, Joyden's Wood has less crime per resident than 79% of them. 48% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 4.8 reports per 1,000, below both Kent’s towns (9.4) and England’s towns (7.8).
12.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 79% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual66
Vehicle crime16
Other theft15
Damage & arson13
Public order9
Burglary9
Other crime4
Drugs3
Anti-social26
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.
12.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
11.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
138
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Benefit claims run low in Joyden's Wood, 1.4% of 16 to 64s, below Kent’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 34% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
78% of commuters drove, higher than both Kent’s towns (75%) and England’s towns (70%). About 3% of its commuters stay in Joyden's Wood for work. Jobs per working resident: 0.7.
18%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving78%
Train9%
On foot4%
Bus2%
Underground, tram1%
Bicycle1%
34%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
34%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£69K
mean household income, before tax
1.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B+
Walkability: more walkable than 69% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Older residents shape Joyden's Wood: 27% are 65 or over, above Kent’s towns and England’s towns
The under-15s are 15% of the population here. Just over a tenth of the population is aged 15 to 24, below Kent’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Ages in Joyden's Wood split evenly at 49.5: half are older, half younger. Graduates make up 28% of adults.
49.5median age
Joyden's WoodKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level28%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 96 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Joyden's Wood | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.4% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 28% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Red House and 6 more in and around Joyden's Wood
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Joyden's Wood. Best known first.
Museum · National TrustRed House3.6 km outside town, to the northwest
Historic houseHall Place and Gardens1.8 km outside town, to the north
MuseumDartford Borough Museum and Library2.8 km outside town, to the northeast
Historic houseDanson House4.3 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumMetropolitan Police Museum4.2 km outside town, to the westGardenGarden · National TrustWalled Garden/Rose Garden4.2 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Red House: Velela, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hall Place and Gardens: Wellingwebsite at English Wikipedia Later versions were uploaded by P Ingerson at en.wikipedia., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Dartford Borough Museum and Library: Clem Rutter, Rochester Kent, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Danson House: Stacey Harris, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Joyden's Wood
14pages on Joyden's Wood
The big questions
SafetyB+12.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £539K · rent £1,575 a monthHousing52 sold in 12 months · busiest street Birchwood RoadSchoolsA3 state schoolsHealthALife expectancy 83.7 (men), 87.6 (women)Work & commuteA+53% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Joyden's Wood’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HextableSwanleyHawleyDartfordBexleyCrockenhillSouth Darenth and Sutton at HoneJoyden's Wood
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyden's Wood | 4,912 | — | A | C− | B+ | A |
| Hextable | 4,100 | 1.1 | B+ | C | C+ | C+ |
| Swanley | 17,209 | 1.9 | B− | C+ | C− | C− |
| Hawley | 1,386 | 2.4 | — | C− | B | B |
| Dartford | 69,131 | 2.7 | B | C+ | D | C |
| Bexley | 246,074 | 2.9 | A− | B+ | C | C+ |
| Crockenhill | 1,569 | 3.1 | — | C | B− | B+ |
| South Darenth and Sutton at Hone | 4,091 | 3.6 | A− | B+ | C | B− |
Hawley and Crockenhill have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Joyden's Wood
Is Joyden's Wood expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £539,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £255,000, terraced houses £430,000, semi-detached houses £500,000 and detached houses £756,500.
Are schools in Joyden's Wood good?
Primary results are closer to the middle, beating 65%. Joyden's Wood has 3 state schools; places are handled by Kent council.
About Joyden's Wood
Town in Kent, England
Joyden's Wood is a built-up area of 4,912 people, in the Dartford 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
- 4,912 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dartford
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005079
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.