Thornton’s story
2 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Thornton’s built-up area.
25% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
ThorntonLeicestershire
The village, home to 1,030 people, lies in Leicestershire, East Midlands. It skews older: 22% of residents are 65 or over.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Mat Fascione · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,030
Census 2021 · Hinckley and Bosworth council
Median home
£340K
32 sales in 3 years
Median age
46.5
22% are 65+ · Leicestershire 17%
Degree level
32%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Thornton a good place to live?
Thornton’s standout strength is schools (A−): primary results beat three quarters of towns in England; secondary results beat 70% of towns in England. Homes sell for a median £340,000, about 6.4 years of what households in the Hinckley and Bosworth council area earn. Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work: 6% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The rest of its grades are middling: B− for safety and B for health.
Figures: commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes and life expectancy, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Thornton is graded subject by subject only.
What makes Thornton stand out
The 3 things Thornton 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%)
Homes built before 1919
History
25% of homes built before 1919
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
22% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Thornton grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Thornton is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityAmong the weakest of the towns comparedD−Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 75% of towns in England; secondary results beat 70% of towns in EnglandA−Open →Jobs & income2.1% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsCOpen →HealthLife expectancy 81.5 for men, 85.7 for womenBOpen →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentB−Open →Cost of livingNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildings, 1 Grade IC+Open →Outdoors50% live within 400 m of a park; 13.7 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsBOpen →Civic life0 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Thornton.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Under 5 km to work: 16% in Thornton, fewer than in Leicestershire’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.
94% of commuters drove, higher than both Leicestershire’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%). Home was the main workplace for 36% of workers at the census. About 3% of its commuters stay in Thornton for work. Households take home £51K a year before tax, on average.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving94%
On foot4%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
36%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£51K
mean household income, before tax
2.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 2% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
SchoolsA−
Results at Thornton’s schools beat 77% of towns in England
Secondary results at the one secondary school within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 49.5, with 50% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. Its one school is below. At the 3 primary schools within 3 km, 66% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornton Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 129 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Who lives here
Thornton has fewer young adults than Leicestershire’s towns or England’s towns: 9.1% are 15 to 24
Typical age in Thornton: 46.5, the median. People 65 and over make up just over a fifth of the town, above Leicestershire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Degrees are held by 32% of adults.
46.5median age
ThorntonLeicestershireEngland
Ages · share of residents
22%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level32%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Thornton | Leicestershire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.1% | 14% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 22% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.5% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 32% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Leicestershire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Health
Life expectancy in Thornton is longer than in 75% of UK towns
Seeing a GP means leaving Thornton: the nearest practice is 2.2 miles away. The nearest A&E to Thornton is Leicester Royal Infirmary, 7.7 miles away. 18% of residents have a disability, about level with England’s towns (17%) and above Leicestershire’s towns (16%).
81%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 81%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Thornton | Leicestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 81% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.6% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 16% | 17% |
81.5
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.
History
Thornton keeps more of its old housing than Leicestershire’s towns or England’s towns: 25% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Thornton counts 2 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade I. Its listed buildings include the Church of St Peter, Grade I. Scaled to its population, that is 19 listed buildings for every 10,000 people in the town.
2listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II1
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St Peter Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
25%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
19
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
More crimes per resident in Thornton than in 53% of UK towns
Over the year to August 2026, 42 offences were reported in Thornton, along with 10 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Homes saw 12.3 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year, near Leicestershire’s towns (11.9) and higher than England’s towns (9.4). Also worth knowing: for its size, Thornton records more crime per resident than 73% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people. Violence and sexual offences made up 36% of the total.
21.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 27% 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 & sexual15
Public order8
Other theft5
Vehicle crime5
Other crime4
Damage & arson3
Burglary1
Weapons1
Anti-social10
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.
21.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
42
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 B−
Private renting is less common in Thornton than in Leicestershire’s towns or across England’s towns: 8%
Social renters account for 20% of households. 71% of households own their home, higher than both Leicestershire’s towns (65%) and England’s towns (61%). Private rents average £934 a month across the Hinckley and Bosworth council area.
£340Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Thornton£340K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £380,000 | 17 |
| Semi-detached | £267,500 | 11 |
71%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£934
average private rent a month, Hinckley and Bosworth council area
£2,426
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Thornton
13pages on Thornton
The big questions
SafetyB−21.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB−Median home £340K · rent £934 a monthHousing6 sold in 12 months · busiest street Main StreetSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 81.5 (men), 85.7 (women)Work & commuteC51% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Thornton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BagworthMarkfieldNewbold VerdonDesfordBarlestoneRatbyEllistownThornton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thornton | 1,030 | — | — | B− | B− | B |
| Bagworth | 1,869 | 1.8 | — | B+ | B− | B |
| Markfield | 4,761 | 2.2 | A | A− | B | B |
| Newbold Verdon | 3,097 | 2.7 | B− | B+ | B− | C+ |
| Desford | 3,817 | 2.8 | B | B− | B− | B− |
| Barlestone | 2,563 | 2.8 | A− | A− | C+ | B+ |
| Ratby | 4,262 | 3 | B+ | A− | C | B− |
| Ellistown | 2,971 | 3.4 | B− | A− | B | C+ |
Bagworth has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Thornton
How many listed buildings are there in Thornton?
2 on Historic England’s list, 1 of them Grade I. Its Grade I building is Church of St Peter.
Are schools in Thornton good?
Secondary results beat 70%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Leicestershire council.
About Thornton
Village in Leicestershire, England
Thornton is a built-up area of 1,030 people, in the Hinckley and Bosworth 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
- 1,030 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Hinckley and Bosworth
- County
- Leicestershire
- Region
- East Midlands
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002560
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.