Worsthorne’s story
4 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Worsthorne’s built-up area.
44% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
WorsthorneLancashire
The village, home to 971 people, lies in Lancashire, North West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Kevin Waterhouse · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
971
Census 2021 · Burnley council
Median home
£210K
49 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.9
27% are 65+ · Lancashire 20%
Degree level
34%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Worsthorne a good place to live?
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Worsthorne is too small for fair grades, though the figures on this page are real. 44% of its homes date from before 1919. 12% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. People aged 65 and over make up 27% of residents.
What makes Worsthorne stand out
The 3 things Worsthorne does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
27% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Worsthorne.
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Worsthorne than in Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns: 14% are under 15
Worsthorne has a median age of 49.9. Young adults of 15 to 24 are 7.8% of residents, below Lancashire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Graduates make up just over a third of adults.
49.9median age
WorsthorneLancashireEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar21%
Degree level34%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Worsthorne | Lancashire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.8% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 8.4% | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 34% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Lancashire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Worsthorne
48% of pupils at the 9 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). There is one school here; it is shown below. Secondary results at the 3 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 39.4, with 32% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worsthorne Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 213 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
The car carries 86% of commuters in Worsthorne, more than in Lancashire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 23% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Work in town: 4% of resident commuters. Just over a third of commuters travelled under 5 km, below both Lancashire’s towns (49%) and England’s towns (45%). In 2026, 1.5% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot7%
Bus3%
Bicycle2%
35%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
23%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£46K
mean household income, before tax
1.5%
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
Worsthorne is a town of owners: 78% of households own their home, above Lancashire’s towns and England’s towns
Social housing holds 6% of households, lower than both Lancashire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (18%). The private rented sector houses 16% of households. Half of the 49 standard sales inside Worsthorne’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £210,000.
£210Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Worsthorne£210K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £310,000 | 13 |
| Semi-detached | £210,000 | 13 |
| Terraced | £155,000 | 23 |
78%
of households own their home · England 61%
16%
rent privately · England 21%
£631
average private rent a month, Burnley council area
£2,566
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 Worsthorne than in Lancashire’s towns or across England’s towns: 14.8 per 1,000 residents a year
There were 10 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than Lancashire’s towns (17.3) yet higher than England’s towns (7.8). Over the year to August 2026, 38 offences were reported in Worsthorne, along with 14 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Just over a third of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
14.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual13
Damage & arson6
Burglary6
Vehicle crime5
Public order4
Bicycle theft2
Other theft1
Other crime1
Anti-social14
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.
14.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
11.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
38
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.
Health
Disability is less common in Worsthorne, 16% of residents, than in Lancashire’s towns and England’s towns
At the census, 83% of people in Worsthorne called their health good or very good, above Lancashire’s towns (80%) and close to England’s towns (82%). Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 4.8% of the town. There is no GP practice here: the nearest is 1.8 miles off.
83%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Worsthorne | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.8% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 20% | 17% |
80.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Worsthorne’s 4 listed buildings include 1 at Grade II*
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Of Worsthorne’s land, 26% lies in conservation areas, above both Lancashire’s towns (2%) and England’s towns (7%). Listed buildings per head: 41 for every 10,000 residents of the town.
4listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II3
Among them · Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
44%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
41
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 →Towneley Hall and 3 more in and around Worsthorne
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Worsthorne. Best known first.
MuseumTowneley Hall2.3 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumWeavers' Triangle3.4 km outside town, to the west
MuseumMuseum of Local Crafts & Industries2.3 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumQueen Street Mill Textile Museum2.3 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Towneley Hall: Humphrey Bolton, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Weavers' Triangle: Betty Longbottom, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Museum of Local Crafts & Industries: Len Williams, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Worsthorne
13pages on Worsthorne
The big questions
Safety14.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £210K · rent £631 a monthHousing11 sold in 12 months · busiest street Ormerod StreetSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 80.9 (men), 83.1 (women)Work & commute38% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Worsthorne’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BurnleyBrierfieldNelsonFenceWeirBarrowfordTrawdenWorsthorne
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worsthorne | 971 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Burnley | 78,266 | 2.4 | D | B+ | D− | D |
| Brierfield | 10,723 | 2.9 | D | B | D | C− |
| Nelson | 33,808 | 3.5 | C− | B+ | D | D |
| Fence | 1,585 | 4.3 | — | C− | A | A− |
| Weir | 1,290 | 4.4 | — | C | B | C− |
| Barrowford | 5,887 | 4.5 | C+ | B | C+ | A− |
| Trawden | 1,204 | 4.5 | — | C+ | C | B |
Fence, Weir and Trawden have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Worsthorne
How many listed buildings are there in Worsthorne?
That is 1.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Worsthorne expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £210,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £155,000, semi-detached houses £210,000 and detached houses £310,000. Private rents in the Burnley council area averaged £631 a month in August 2026.
About Worsthorne
Village in Lancashire, England
Worsthorne is a built-up area of 971 people, in the Burnley 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
- 971 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Burnley
- County
- Lancashire
- Region
- North West
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000809
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.