Kingswood’s story
No listed buildings inside Kingswood’s built-up area
14% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
KingswoodKent
A village of 1,371 in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Penny Mayes · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,371
Census 2021 · Maidstone council
Median home
£418K
65 sales in 3 years
Median age
53.4
30% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
27%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Kingswood a good place to live?
Safety is where it shines — 10.5 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 10 home and vehicle crimes. Pupils here do less well than most: primary results beat 2% of towns in England. It also trails on walkability — 6% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. A median £417,500 buys a home here, 6.9 times what households in the Maidstone council area earn in a year. The rest of its grades are middling: B for health and C+ for jobs & income.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Kingswood has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Kingswood stand out
The 3 things Kingswood does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
6% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
30% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Primary results, towns in England
Schools
Primary results trail 98%
of towns in England, on Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths
Department for Education.
How Kingswood grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Kingswood is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Kingswood has subject grades but no overall one.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 2% of towns in EnglandD−Open →WalkabilityNear the bottom of the towns comparedD−Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentA−Open →Cost of livingRent £1,297 a monthC−Open →HealthLife expectancy 82.4 for men, 84.3 for womenBOpen →Jobs & incomeMean household income £61,371; 2.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsDOpen →Outdoors23% live within 400 m of a park; 11% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB−Open →Civic life4.4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Leeds Castle and 4 more in and around Kingswood
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Kingswood. Best known first.
CastleLeeds Castle1.9 km outside town, to the north
Castle · English HeritageSutton Valence Castle1.9 km outside town, to the southwest
Historic house · National TrustStoneacre3.2 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumDog collar museum1.7 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionFalconry Shows1.5 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Leeds Castle: Misterzee, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sutton Valence Castle: Ukiws, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stoneacre: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dog collar museum: Basher Eyre, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Kingswood.
Who lives here
Older residents shape Kingswood: 30% are 65 or over, above Kent’s towns and England’s towns
The share of residents under 15 is 16%. The 15-to-24 age group: 6.8%, below both Kent’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). The age that splits Kingswood in two is 53.4. Graduates make up 27% of adults.
53.4median age
KingswoodKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level27%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Kingswood | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.8% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 17% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 8.2% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 27% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsD−
Results at Kingswood’s schools are among the lowest in England
Key Stage 2 results at the 6 primary schools within 3 km: 44% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Below is its only school. The town’s primary school has 118 pupils.
D−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingswood Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 118 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Fewer commuters in Kingswood work nearby than in Kent’s towns or England’s towns: 14% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 38% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Work in town: 3% of resident commuters. Nine in ten commuters drove, above Kent’s towns (75%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. Home was the main workplace for 38% of workers at the census.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot3%
Train3%
Bicycle1%
14%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
38%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£61K
mean household income, before tax
2.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 5% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
No listed buildings in Kingswood
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
14% of its homes were built before 1919, below both Kent’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (16%). Historic England’s list has no building inside Kingswood’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
14%
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
Per resident, Kingswood sees less crime than 82% of UK towns
Over the year to August 2026, 27 offences were reported in Kingswood, along with 19 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 13.1 reports per 1,000, above Kent’s towns (9.3) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. Of all the crimes, 37% were violence and sexual offences.
10.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 67% 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 & sexual10
Damage & arson6
Other theft5
Vehicle crime3
Public order1
Burglary1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social19
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.
10.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
13.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
27
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−
Most households in Kingswood own their home: 90%, more than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns
3% live in social housing, lower than both Kent’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (18%). Private renters make up 5% of households. Half of the 65 standard sales inside Kingswood’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £417,500.
£418Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Kingswood£418K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £488,500 | 32 |
| Semi-detached | £385,525 | 26 |
| Terraced | £335,000 | 7 |
90%
of households own their home · England 61%
5%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,297
average private rent a month, Maidstone council area
£2,539
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
83% of residents say their health is good or very good
At the census, 16% of people here had a disability, below both Kent’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (17%). Seeing a GP means leaving Kingswood: the nearest practice is 1.7 miles away. Men in Kingswood can expect to live to 82.4, women to 84.3 (2019–23). The nearest A&E to Kingswood is Maidstone Hospital, 7.1 miles away.
83%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Kingswood | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 18% | 17% |
82.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.3
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kingswood
14pages on Kingswood
The big questions
SafetyA−10.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £418K · rent £1,297 a monthHousing18 sold in 12 months · busiest street Charlesford AvenueSchoolsD−1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 82.4 (men), 84.3 (women)Work & commuteC+57% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Kingswood’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Sutton ValenceLenham and HarrietshamBearstedHeadcornMaidstoneStaplehurstCoxheathKingswood
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingswood | 1,371 | — | — | C− | A− | B |
| Sutton Valence | 1,457 | 1.9 | — | C− | C+ | B |
| Lenham and Harrietsham | 4,763 | 2.5 | C− | C | C− | B+ |
| Bearsted | 8,349 | 3.8 | A | C− | A− | A |
| Headcorn | 3,293 | 4 | C− | C− | D | B |
| Maidstone | 109,503 | 5.4 | C+ | C+ | D | C |
| Staplehurst | 6,181 | 5.5 | C | C | C+ | B− |
| Coxheath | 8,453 | 5.5 | C+ | C | B− | B |
Sutton Valence has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Kingswood
Are schools in Kingswood good?
One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Kent council.
Is Kingswood expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £417,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £335,000, semi-detached houses £385,525 and detached houses £488,500.
About Kingswood
Village in Kent, England
Kingswood is a built-up area of 1,371 people, in the Maidstone 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
- 1,371 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Maidstone
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005567
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.