Cropston’s story
11 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Cropston’s built-up area.
18% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CropstonLeicestershire
It skews older: 34% of residents are 65 or over. Population 1,120: a village in Leicestershire, East Midlands.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Kev747 at en.wikipedia · Public domain
Population
1,120
Census 2021 · Charnwood council
Median home
£515K
43 sales in 3 years
Median age
56.9
34% are 65+ · Leicestershire 17%
Degree level
40%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Cropston a good place to live?
Residents are healthier than most (A+): life expectancy 83 for men, 85.8 for women. Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work (D): on the way to work, 8% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. At a median £515,000, a home costs 9.3 times the yearly income of households in the Charnwood council area. Natural hazards weigh less here than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: life expectancy and incomes, ONS · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. Cropston is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Cropston stand out
The 3 things Cropston does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 4 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
34% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Cropston grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Cropston is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Cropston is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Jobs & income0.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsA+Open →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedA+Open →WalkabilityNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 81% of towns in England; secondary results beat 56% of towns in EnglandB+Open →Cost of livingHomes are harder to afford than in most townsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageBOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 3.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life0.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cropston.
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Cropston than in Leicestershire’s towns or England’s towns: 8.7% are under 15
People 65 and over make up just over a third of the town, above both Leicestershire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). The 15-to-24 age group makes up nearly one in ten residents. Ages in Cropston split evenly at 56.9: half are older, half younger. 40% of adults hold a degree.
56.9median age
CropstonLeicestershireEngland
Ages · share of residents
34%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar16%
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.
| Cropston | Leicestershire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 8.7% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.3% | 14% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 14% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 35% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 34% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.1% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 40% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Leicestershire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Cropston than in Leicestershire’s towns or across England’s towns: 2.1% of residents
Asked at the census, 86% of residents of Cropston said they were in good or very good health. There is no GP practice here: the nearest is 1.5 miles off. Disability touches 16% of the town’s population.
86%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Cropston | Leicestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.1% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 16% | 17% |
83
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.8
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
More commuters in Cropston drive than in Leicestershire’s towns or England’s towns: 91%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 38% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Household income averages £74K a year before tax. Short trips to work, under 5 km: 17%, below both Leicestershire’s towns (46%) and England’s towns (45%). At the census, 38% of workers worked mainly from home. Of the commuters living in Cropston, 1% work in the town itself.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving91%
On foot3%
Bus2%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
Underground, tram1%
17%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
38%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£74K
mean household income, before tax
0.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 11% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Cropston records less violent crime per resident than Leicestershire’s towns or England’s towns, at 8.6 per 1,000 a year
Burglary and damage came to 8.9 per 1,000 residents a year, about level with England’s towns (9.4) and below Leicestershire’s towns (11.9). In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 24 crimes and 3 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Cropston’s built-up area. Of all the crimes, 38% were violence and sexual offences.
8.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 78% 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 & sexual9
Burglary8
Damage & arson2
Public order1
Other theft1
Drugs1
Vehicle crime1
Other crime1
Anti-social3
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.
8.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
24
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.
HousingCost of living grade C+
Most households in Cropston own their home: 92%, more than in Leicestershire’s towns and across England’s towns
6% of households are private tenants. Social housing holds 2% of households, below Leicestershire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Private rents average £960 a month across the Charnwood council area.
£515Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Cropston£515K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £564,500 | 37 |
| Semi-detached | £380,000 | 5 |
92%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£960
average private rent a month, Charnwood council area
£2,374
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
Cropston’s heritage list runs to 11 buildings
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Before 1919: that is when 18% of homes were built. Per 10,000 residents, Cropston counts 98 listed buildings, higher than both Leicestershire’s towns (33) and England’s towns (39).
11listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II11
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
18%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
98
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 →Bradgate Park and 6 more in and around Cropston
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Cropston. Best known first.
GardenBradgate Park2.4 km outside town, to the west
CastleGroby Castle4.2 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumBelgrave Hall Museum4.9 km outside town, to the southeast
Heritage railwayMountsorrel Railway3.8 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumStonehurst Motor Museum3.7 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionKing William's Bridge1.7 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Bradgate Park: Duncharris, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Groby Castle: Charles Wall, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Belgrave Hall Museum: Roger Hutchinson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mountsorrel Railway: Chris Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cropston
14pages on Cropston
The big questions
SafetyA8.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £515K · rent £960 a monthHousing12 sold in 12 months · busiest street Station RoadSchoolsB+HealthA+Life expectancy 83 (men), 85.8 (women)Work & commuteA+52% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Cropston’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ThurcastonAnsteyBirstallMountsorrelWoodhouse EavesGrobyQuorndonCropston
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cropston | 1,120 | — | — | C+ | A | A+ |
| Thurcaston | 1,649 | 1.2 | — | B− | C− | C+ |
| Anstey | 7,043 | 1.4 | B+ | A− | C+ | B |
| Birstall | 14,317 | 2.2 | A | B+ | B− | B+ |
| Mountsorrel | 12,879 | 2.3 | A− | A− | C | B+ |
| Woodhouse Eaves | 1,618 | 2.7 | — | B− | B | A |
| Groby | 6,559 | 3.2 | A | B | B− | A− |
| Quorndon | 5,576 | 3.6 | B+ | B− | B− | A |
Thurcaston and Woodhouse Eaves have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Cropston
How many listed buildings are there in Cropston?
That is 4 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Cropston safe?
It has less crime than most places its size: less crime per resident than 78% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people.
Is Cropston expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £515,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £380,000 and detached houses £564,500.
About Cropston
Village in Leicestershire, England
Cropston is a built-up area of 1,120 people, in the Charnwood 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
- 1,120 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Charnwood
- County
- Leicestershire
- Region
- East Midlands
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002483
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.