Markbeech’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Markbeech’s built-up area.
52% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
MarkbeechKent
A village of 281 in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Dr Neil Clifton · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
281
Census 2021 · Sevenoaks council
Median age
49.1
26% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
15%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Markbeech a good place to live?
Markbeech has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Markbeech stand out
The 3 things Markbeech does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
52% of homes built before 1919
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
15% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
26% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Hever Castle and 7 more in and around Markbeech
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Markbeech. Best known first.
Historic houseHever Castle1.5 km outside town, to the north
CastleChiddingstone Castle2.5 km outside town, to the northeast
CastleStarborough Castle4.8 km outside town, to the west
Historic houseHammerwood Park4.9 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumEden Valley Museum4.1 km outside town, to the northwestHistoric houseHistoric housePenshurst Place4.9 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 (5)
- Hever Castle: Nigel Lamb, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chiddingstone Castle: Hjamesberglen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Starborough Castle: Wenceslas Hollar, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hammerwood Park: Zadradr (Uploads), CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Eden Valley Museum: Nigel Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Markbeech.
Who lives here
Degrees are more common in Markbeech than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 44% of adults
For Markbeech, that is above both Kent’s towns (29%) and England’s towns (34%). Those aged 15 to 24 account for 6.4% of residents. Markbeech has a median age of 49.1.
49.1median age
MarkbeechKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications10%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Markbeech | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.4% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 10% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.1% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commute
Commuters in Markbeech travel far: only 15% 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 51% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Markbeech sits below both Kent’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (45%) on this measure. 51% of workers worked mainly from home at the census.
15%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving81%
Train7%
On foot6%
Bicycle1%
15%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
51%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£72K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
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
Housing
Markbeech is a town of owners: 79% of households own their home, above Kent’s towns and England’s towns
That puts Markbeech above both Kent’s towns (65%) and England’s towns (61%). Social housing holds 1% of households.
£0Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Markbeech£0K
Typical UK town£277K
79%
of households own their home · England 61%
19%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,809
average private rent a month, Sevenoaks council area
£2,482
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
Violence is recorded less often in Markbeech than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 7.1 per 1,000 residents a year
On this, Markbeech is below both Kent’s towns (24) and England’s towns (22). Police recorded 2 crimes inside Markbeech’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 5 reports of anti-social behaviour. Burglary and damage come to 8.3 per 1,000 residents a year.
7.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual1
Other theft1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Public order0
Burglary0
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.
7.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.3
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)
2
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
Disability is less common in Markbeech, 12% of residents, than in Kent’s towns and England’s towns
In the comparison, Markbeech comes below both Kent’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (17%). Markbeech has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 3 miles away. 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.
86%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Markbeech | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.6% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 12% | 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
Markbeech keeps more of its old housing than Kent or England’s towns: 52% built before 1919
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 Markbeech’s land, above both Kent’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (7%). Markbeech has 2 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*.
2listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
52%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
71
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Markbeech
12pages on Markbeech
The big questions
Markbeech’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
EdenbridgeMarlpit HillDormanslandLeighGroombridgeAshurst WoodLingfieldMarkbeech
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Markbeech | 281 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Edenbridge | 7,903 | 2.9 | C+ | C | C− | B− |
| Marlpit Hill | 1,271 | 3.6 | — | D | C− | B |
| Dormansland | 2,300 | 4.5 | — | C− | A | B |
| Leigh | 1,104 | 4.9 | — | D | A | A+ |
| Groombridge | 1,077 | 5.1 | — | D | A+ | A+ |
| Ashurst Wood | 1,508 | 5.5 | — | B− | A− | A |
| Lingfield | 3,622 | 5.6 | B− | C− | C | B+ |
Marlpit Hill, Dormansland, Leigh, Groombridge and Ashurst Wood have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Markbeech
How many listed buildings are there in Markbeech?
2 on Historic England’s list. That is 2.9 times the typical UK town for its size.
Who lives in Markbeech?
An older village. At the 2021 Census, 26% of residents were 65 or over and 31% were 45 to 64, against 18% and 25% across England’s towns; 17% were under 15.
How much is council tax in Markbeech?
Band D council tax in Markbeech is £2,482 for 2026–27, more than in 60% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Markbeech
Village in Kent, England
Markbeech is a built-up area of 281 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
- 281 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Sevenoaks
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005753
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.