Lympne’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Lympne’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
LympneKent
A village of 1,074 in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Cockney Laurie · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,074
Census 2021 · Folkestone and Hythe council
Median home
£385K
43 sales in 3 years
Median age
52.7
28% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
34%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Lympne a good place to live?
Lympne has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A+): 9.3 violent and sexual offences and 2.5 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is cost of living (D): median sale £385,000, 7.4 years of area income; rent £1,178 a month.
What makes Lympne stand out
The 3 things Lympne does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
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.
Secondary results, towns in England
Schools
Secondary results trail 99%
of towns in England, on GCSE results (Attainment 8, English and maths)
Primary results beat 77%. Department for Education.
How Lympne grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Lympne is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyA+Open →Cost of livingDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityC−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £57,508; 1.2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 77% of towns in England; secondary results beat 1% of towns in EnglandC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 81.2 for men, 84.9 for womenB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingC−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 34% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA+Open →Civic life1.9 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 Lympne.
Safety
Lympne has less crime per resident than 97% of UK towns
Burglary and damage came to 2.5 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Kent’s towns (12.3) and England’s towns (9.4). Police recorded 14 crimes inside Lympne’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 1 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 86% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
9.3violent 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 & sexual12
Damage & arson1
Other theft1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Burglary0
Drugs0
Vehicle crime0
Anti-social1
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.
9.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
14
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
SchoolsC+
Results at Lympne’s schools trail 63% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
C+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lympne Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 195 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade D
Most households in Lympne own their home: 85%, more than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns
For Lympne, that is above both Kent’s towns (65%) and England’s towns (61%). Social housing holds 3% of households.
£385Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Lympne£385K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £424,000 | 32 |
| Semi-detached | £309,000 | 6 |
| Terraced | £270,000 | 5 |
85%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,178
average private rent a month, Folkestone and Hythe council area
£2,515
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Commuters in Lympne travel far: only 18% go under 5 km, fewer than in Kent’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 27% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Lympne sits below both Kent’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (45%) on this measure. 9% of commuters went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport at the census.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot5%
Train3%
18%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
27%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£58K
mean household income, before tax
1.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 19% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
1 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Lympne has 1 listed building inside its built-up area on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*. 23% of its homes were built before 1919.
1listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
9
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
82% of residents say their health is good or very good
82% of Lympne’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 healthB−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Lympne | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.9% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 18% | 17% |
81.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Who lives here
Lympne skews older, with 28% of residents 65 or over, more than Kent’s towns or England’s towns
That puts Lympne above both Kent’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (18%). Under-15s account for 14% of the population. Lympne has a median age of 52.7.
52.7median age
LympneKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar20%
Degree level34%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Lympne | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.9% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 16% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 33% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.4% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 34% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Lympne Castle and 6 more in and around Lympne
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Lympne. Best known first.
CastleLympne Castle200 m outside town, to the south
CastleWestenhanger Castle1.5 km outside town, to the north
CastleSaltwood Castle3.6 km outside town, to the east
ZooPort Lympne Reserve100 m outside town, to the southwest
Heritage railwayRomney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway4.6 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumHythe Town Museum3.6 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)
- Lympne Castle: Robin Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Westenhanger Castle: Ian Knox, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Saltwood Castle: Edgepedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Port Lympne Reserve: William Warby, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway: Ben Salter from Wales, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lympne
15pages on Lympne
The big questions
SafetyA+9.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £385K · rent £1,178 a monthHousing15 sold in 12 months · busiest street Manor Farm CloseSchoolsC+1 state schoolHealthB−Life expectancy 81.2 (men), 84.9 (women)Work & commuteB+46% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Lympne’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HytheDymchurchAldingtonBrabourne LeesLymingeSt Mary's BayFolkestoneLympne
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lympne | 1,074 | — | — | D | A+ | B− |
| Hythe | 14,613 | 2.6 | C | D | B− | C+ |
| Dymchurch | 3,097 | 3.3 | D | D | C | C |
| Aldington | 1,280 | 3.7 | — | C− | A− | B+ |
| Brabourne Lees | 1,479 | 3.9 | — | C− | A− | B+ |
| Lyminge | 1,918 | 4.3 | — | D | A | A− |
| St Mary's Bay | 2,966 | 5.1 | D− | C− | B− | C− |
| Folkestone | 51,987 | 6.1 | C− | C− | D | D |
Aldington, Brabourne Lees and Lyminge have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Lympne
Is Lympne expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £385,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £270,000, semi-detached houses £309,000 and detached houses £424,000.
Does Lympne flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Lympne
Village in Kent, England
Lympne is a built-up area of 1,074 people, in the Folkestone and Hythe 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
- 1,074 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Folkestone and Hythe
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005937
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.