Barton’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Barton’s built-up area.
12% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BartonLancashire
A village of 1,492 in Lancashire, North West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Alexander P Kapp · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,492
Census 2021 · Preston council
Median home
£368K
63 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.6
20% are 65+ · Lancashire 20%
Degree level
48%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
7%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Barton a good place to live?
Barton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is schools (A+): primary results beat 99% of towns in England; secondary results beat 95% of towns in England. Its weakest is walkability (D): 7% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £368,000 in the last three years, 8 times what households in the Preston council area earn in a year.
What makes Barton stand out
The 3 things Barton does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
7% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Primary results, towns in England
Schools
Primary results beat 99%
of towns in England, on Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths
Secondary results beat 95%. Department for Education.
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (England’s towns 34%)
Lancashire 29%.
How Barton grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Barton is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 99% of towns in England; secondary results beat 95% of towns in EnglandA+Open →Jobs & income1.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsA+Open →WalkabilityDOpen →Cost of livingrent £783 a monthDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →HealthLife expectancy 79.7 for men, 84.6 for womenB+Open →SafetyB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildingsDOpen →Outdoors47% live within 400 m of a park; 2.6 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsCOpen →Civic life4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Barton.
SchoolsA+
Barton’s schools outperform 98% of towns in England on results
Barton’s two primaries have 333 pupils between them. Below is one of its 2 schools, and why it was picked. 80% of pupils at the town’s 2 primary schools met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
A+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barton St Lawrence Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 198 | A+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Under 5 km to work: 21% in Barton, fewer than in Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 36% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The census counted 36% of workers working mainly from home, and on top of that 92% of commuters drove, above Lancashire’s towns (78%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. Before tax, the average household brings in £66K a year. About 2% of its commuters stay in Barton for work.
7%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot3%
Bus2%
Bicycle2%
21%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
36%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£66K
mean household income, before tax
1.4%
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
All 2 of Barton’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Just over one in ten homes date from before 1919. Barton has 13 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents, about level with both Lancashire’s towns (16) and England’s towns (39).
2listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
12%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
13
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 D
Most households in Barton own their home: 89%, more than in Lancashire’s towns or across England’s towns
Private tenants account for 6% of households. Social housing holds 2% of households, lower than both Lancashire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (18%). The median sale, £368,000, comes from 63 standard sales inside Barton’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£368Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Barton£368K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £390,000 | 43 |
| Semi-detached | £292,500 | 16 |
89%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£783
average private rent a month, Preston council area
£2,585
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
More people in Barton hold a degree than in Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns: 48%
The 15-to-24 age group: 8.3%, below Lancashire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. The under-15s are 19% of the population here. At 43.6, the median resident of Barton sits in the middle of the age range.
43.6median age
BartonLancashireEngland
Ages · share of residents
20%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications7%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level48%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Barton | Lancashire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.3% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 24% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 20% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 7.3% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.9% | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 48% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Lancashire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Health
Is Barton a healthy place? 89% of its people say their health is good, above Lancashire’s towns and England’s towns
There is no GP practice in Barton: the nearest is 2.8 miles off. 2.5% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, below Lancashire’s towns (6.3%) and England’s towns (5.2%) alike. Disability touches 13% of the town’s population.
89%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 8%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Barton | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 89% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.5% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 20% | 17% |
79.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.6
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · 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.
Safety
Violent crime runs low in Barton: 16.5 per 1,000 residents a year, under Lancashire’s towns and England’s towns
A year of reports to August 2026 adds up to 59 offences in Barton and 18 cases of nuisance behaviour. Of all the crimes, 54% were violence and sexual offences. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 10.3 reports per 1,000, lower than Lancashire’s towns (17.3) yet higher than England’s towns (7.8).
16.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 45% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual32
Damage & arson13
Public order5
Burglary4
Other crime3
Other theft2
Shoplifting0
Drugs0
Anti-social18
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.
16.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
59
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.
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Barton
14pages on Barton
The big questions
SafetyB+16.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £368K · rent £783 a monthHousing22 sold in 12 months · busiest street Garstang RoadSchoolsA+2 state schoolsHealthB+Life expectancy 79.7 (men), 84.6 (women)Work & commuteA+48% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Barton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BroughtonGoosnarghCottamFulwoodCatterallPrestonBondsBarton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barton | 1,492 | — | — | D | B+ | B+ |
| Broughton | 2,468 | 1.5 | — | C− | C− | B+ |
| Goosnargh | 1,892 | 2.6 | — | C+ | C− | C+ |
| Cottam | 5,507 | 3.2 | C+ | C | C− | B |
| Fulwood | 34,693 | 3.3 | B | B− | C | C |
| Catterall | 2,800 | 3.5 | B | C− | B− | B |
| Preston | 94,502 | 4.6 | C− | B+ | D− | D |
| Bonds | 1,237 | 4.7 | — | D | A+ | B− |
Broughton, Goosnargh and Bonds have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Barton
Are schools in Barton good?
Among the strongest in England: GCSE results beat 95% of towns in England, and primary results beat 99% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Barton has 2 state schools; places are handled by Lancashire council.
Is Barton expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £368,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £292,500 and detached houses £390,000.
About Barton
Village in Lancashire, England
Barton is a built-up area of 1,492 people, in the Preston 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
- 1,492 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Preston (mostly)
- County
- Lancashire
- Region
- North West
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000761
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.