Rufford’s story
7 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Rufford’s built-up area.
16% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
RuffordLancashire
A village of 1,562 in Lancashire, North West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Stephen McKay · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,562
Census 2021 · West Lancashire council
Median home
£311K
54 sales in 3 years
Median age
52.4
28% are 65+ · Lancashire 20%
Degree level
40%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Rufford a good place to live?
Rufford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A): 10 violent and sexual offences and 4.5 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is walkability (D−): 6% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £311,250 in the last three years, 6.6 times what households in the West Lancashire council area earn in a year.
What makes Rufford stand out
The 3 things Rufford 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%)
88%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 88%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
28% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Rufford grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Rufford is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityD−Open →SafetyAOpen →Hazard risk7.8% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaDOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 80% of towns in EnglandAOpen →Cost of livingrent £805 a monthCOpen →HealthC+Open →Jobs & incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryC+Open →Outdoors70% live within 400 m of a park; 2.8 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsCOpen →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 Rufford.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
The car carries 92% of commuters in Rufford, more than in Lancashire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 33% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Household income averages £44K a year before tax. 21% of commuters travelled under 5 km, lower than both Lancashire’s towns (49%) and England’s towns (45%). In 2026, 1.2% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits. Of the commuters living in Rufford, 4% work in the town itself.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot3%
Train2%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
21%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
33%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£44K
mean household income, before tax
1.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 4% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
SchoolsA
Rufford’s schools outperform 85% of towns in England on results
68% of pupils at the 5 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Rufford CofE School’s results beat 77% of schools in England like it. There is one school here; it is shown below.
ASchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rufford CofE SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 114 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Fewer crimes per resident in Rufford than in 94% of UK towns
34 crimes and 21 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Rufford’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 11.7 reports per 1,000, lower than Lancashire’s towns (17.3) yet higher than England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences accounted for 53% of recorded crime.
10violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 88% 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 & sexual18
Damage & arson4
Other theft4
Burglary3
Public order2
Vehicle crime1
Weapons1
Other crime1
Anti-social21
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
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
11.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
34
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.
Who lives here
Older residents shape Rufford: 28% are 65 or over, above Lancashire’s towns and England’s towns
Under-15s account for 14% of the population. Young adults of 15 to 24 are nearly one in ten residents, lower than both Lancashire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%). Residents of Rufford have a median age of 52.4. Graduates make up 40% of adults.
52.4median age
RuffordLancashireEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level40%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Rufford | Lancashire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.8% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 16% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.6% | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 40% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Lancashire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C
More households own their home in Rufford than in Lancashire’s towns or across England’s towns: 83%
8% of households rent from a council or housing body. Private renters make up 6% of households, lower than both Lancashire’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (21%). The median sale, £311,250, comes from 54 standard sales inside Rufford’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£311Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Rufford£311K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £425,000 | 23 |
| Semi-detached | £260,000 | 23 |
| Terraced | £198,000 | 7 |
83%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£805
average private rent a month, West Lancashire council area
£2,481
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
Just 3.8% of people in Rufford say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in Lancashire’s towns and across England’s towns
83% of Rufford’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, above Lancashire’s towns (80%) and close to England’s towns (82%). There is no GP practice locally: the nearest is 2.1 miles off. Life expectancy here is 82.9 for women and 78.3 for men (2019–23).
83%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Rufford | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.8% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 20% | 17% |
78.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
History
More of the land in Rufford is conservation area than in Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns: 100%
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Rufford’s listed buildings include Rufford Old Hall, Grade I. It has 7 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade I. 16% of its homes were built before 1919, about level with England’s towns (16%) and below Lancashire’s towns (23%).
7listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II6
Among them · Grade I
- Rufford Old Hall Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
16%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
45
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Rufford Old Hall and 2 more in and around Rufford
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Rufford. Best known first.
Historic house · National TrustRufford Old Hallin townZooZooWindmill Animal Farm2.5 km outside town, to the westAttractionAttractionCedar Farm3.3 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 (1)
- Rufford Old Hall: Doug Elliot, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rufford
14pages on Rufford
The big questions
SafetyA10 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £311K · rent £805 a monthHousing16 sold in 12 months · busiest street Liverpool RoadSchoolsA1 state schoolHealthC+Life expectancy 78.3 (men), 82.9 (women)Work & commuteB−47% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD7.8% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Rufford’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BurscoughCrostonParboldEcclestonTarleton and Hesketh BankWymottBanksRufford
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rufford | 1,562 | — | — | C | A | C+ |
| Burscough | 8,773 | 2.3 | B− | B− | B− | C |
| Croston | 2,793 | 3 | A− | B+ | B | C+ |
| Parbold | 2,409 | 3.5 | — | C | A+ | A |
| Eccleston | 4,543 | 4.3 | A | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| Tarleton and Hesketh Bank | 8,756 | 4.4 | B+ | C+ | A− | B+ |
| Wymott | 2,092 | 4.5 | — | A− | B | C− |
| Banks | 4,439 | 5 | C | B | B+ | C |
Parbold and Wymott have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Rufford
Does Rufford flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Are schools in Rufford good?
Primary results beat 80% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Lancashire council.
About Rufford
Village in Lancashire, England
Rufford is a built-up area of 1,562 people, in the West Lancashire 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
- 1,562 (Census 2021)
- Council
- West Lancashire
- County
- Lancashire
- Region
- North West
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63001032
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.