Sabden’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Sabden’s built-up area.
52% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
SabdenLancashire
With 1,582 residents, it is a village in Lancashire, North West. 10% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Chris Heaton · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,582
Census 2021 · Ribble Valley council
Median home
£228K
64 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.1
22% are 65+ · Lancashire 20%
Degree level
40%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Sabden a good place to live?
Sabden’s best grade is for cost of living — homes sell for a median £227,667, about 4.4 times local household income. People here tend to be in good health (A−): life expectancy 81.9 for men, 85.7 for women. Pupils here do less well than most (D−): primary results beat 4% of towns in England. Its other grades sit near the middle: B− for safety and B− for jobs & income.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · life expectancy and income, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · claimants, DWP. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Sabden is graded subject by subject only.
What makes Sabden stand out
The 3 things Sabden does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
10% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
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.
Flood risk, against UK towns
Flood risk
High or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea: more than in 95% of UK towns
Environment Agency flood maps, defences counted.
How Sabden grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Sabden is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 4% of towns in EnglandD−Open →Hazard risk9.8% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaD−Open →Cost of livingIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesA−Open →WalkabilityMost errands need a carC−Open →Jobs & income2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →SafetyClose to the middle of the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildingsC+Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 38% 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 Sabden.
SchoolsD−
School results in Sabden are weaker than in 98% of towns in England
Below is one of its 2 schools, and why it was picked. Between them, two primaries teach 170 pupils in Sabden. Key Stage 2 results at the town’s 2 primary schools: 47% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
D−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabden Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 101 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
HousingCost of living grade A
Private renting is less common in Sabden than in Lancashire’s towns or across England’s towns: 14%
Social renters account for just over one in ten households. Owners make up 73% of households, above both Lancashire’s towns (65%) and England’s towns (61%). Private rents average £818 a month across the Ribble Valley council area.
£228Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Sabden£228K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £389,000 | 11 |
| Semi-detached | £249,000 | 10 |
| Terraced | £190,000 | 43 |
73%
of households own their home · England 61%
14%
rent privately · England 21%
£818
average private rent a month, Ribble Valley council area
£2,394
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
Fewer people in Sabden live with a disability than in Lancashire’s towns or across England’s towns: 14%
At the census, 4.4% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. 85% of Sabden’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than both Lancashire’s towns (80%) and England’s towns (82%). Seeing a GP means leaving Sabden: the nearest practice is 2.4 miles away.
85%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Sabden | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.4% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 20% | 17% |
81.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.7
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Fewer commuters in Sabden work nearby than in Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns: 12% travel under 5 km
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.
Household income came to £59K a year before tax, above Lancashire’s towns (£48K) and England’s towns (£55K) alike. 88% of commuters took the car to work at the census. Work in town: 4% of resident commuters. For every resident in work, Sabden has 0.3 jobs.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot7%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
12%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
27%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£59K
mean household income, before tax
2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 22% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Sabden keeps more of its old housing than Lancashire’s towns 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 49% of Sabden’s land, above both Lancashire’s towns (2%) and England’s towns (7%). Relative to its size, Sabden keeps 13 listed buildings per 10,000 residents.
2listed buildingsC+History Grade
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%
13
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Burglary and damage hit Sabden harder than Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns: 12 per 1,000 residents a year
64 crimes and 9 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Sabden’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Of all the crimes, 56% were violence and sexual offences. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 8 reports per 1,000, below Lancashire’s towns (17.3) and close to England’s towns (7.8). Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Sabden has more crime per resident than 70% of them.
20.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 30% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual36
Vehicle crime8
Other theft6
Damage & arson4
Burglary3
Drugs3
Public order2
Weapons1
Anti-social9
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.
20.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
64
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
More people in Sabden hold a degree than in Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns: 40%
Typical age in Sabden: 48.1, the median. 15% are under 15, below Lancashire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Aged 15 to 24: nearly one in ten residents.
48.1median age
SabdenLancashireEngland
Ages · share of residents
22%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar20%
Degree level40%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Sabden | Lancashire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.5% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 22% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.1% | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 40% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Lancashire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Whalley Abbey and 3 more in and around Sabden
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Sabden. Best known first.
Abbey or priory · English HeritageWhalley Abbey4.4 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumGawthorpe Hall3.8 km outside town, to the southeastHistoric houseHistoric houseMartholme4 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumGawthorpe Textiles Collection3.8 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Whalley Abbey: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sabden
15pages on Sabden
The big questions
SafetyB−20.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingAMedian home £228K · rent £818 a monthHousing27 sold in 12 months · busiest street Padiham RoadSchoolsD−2 state schoolsHealthA−Life expectancy 81.9 (men), 85.7 (women)Work & commuteB−43% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD−9.8% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Sabden’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ReadBarrowPadihamWhalleyFenceClitheroeBillingtonSabden
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabden | 1,582 | — | — | A | B− | A− |
| Read | 2,049 | 1.8 | — | A− | A | A |
| Barrow | 1,388 | 2.6 | — | B | C | A |
| Padiham | 10,121 | 2.6 | D | A− | D− | D |
| Whalley | 3,411 | 3.2 | B | B− | C− | A− |
| Fence | 1,585 | 3.3 | — | C− | A | A− |
| Clitheroe | 16,626 | 3.5 | A− | A | B− | C+ |
| Billington | 1,743 | 3.6 | — | A | A | A− |
Read, Barrow, Fence and Billington have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Sabden
Are schools in Sabden good?
Primary results trail 96% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). Sabden has 2 state schools; places are handled by Lancashire council.
Does Sabden flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
How many listed buildings are there in Sabden?
2 on Historic England’s list.
About Sabden
Village in Lancashire, England
Sabden is a built-up area of 1,582 people, in the Ribble Valley 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
- 1,582 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Ribble Valley
- County
- Lancashire
- Region
- North West
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000750
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.