Thurcaston’s story
13 listed buildings, 2 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Thurcaston’s built-up area.
6% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
ThurcastonLeicestershire
43% of households own their home outright. A village in Leicestershire, East Midlands, home to 1,649 people.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Michig · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,649
Census 2021 · Charnwood council
Median home
£346K
124 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.6
20% are 65+ · Leicestershire 17%
Degree level
41%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Thurcaston a good place to live?
The local economy does well: the mean household earns £62,166 a year. Its schools fall short (C−): primary results beat 21% of towns in England; secondary results beat 32% of towns in England. It takes 6.3 years of household income in the Charnwood council area to buy the median home, at £345,750. Getting around depends on the car: nearly one in ten commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport.
Figures: income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Thurcaston has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Thurcaston stand out
The 3 things Thurcaston does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
2 Grade II*, including Church of All Saints; 3.2 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Own outright
Housing
43% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Thurcaston grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Thurcaston is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carC−Open →Jobs & income2.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 21% of towns in England; secondary results beat 32% of towns in EnglandC−Open →SafetyWeaker than most of the towns comparedC−Open →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesC+Open →Cost of livingRent £990 a monthB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryLess recorded history than most townsC+Open →Outdoors33% live within 400 m of a park; 1.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsDOpen →Civic life3 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →National Space Centre and 12 more in and around Thurcaston
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Thurcaston. Best known first.
MuseumNational Space Centre3.1 km outside town, to the south
GardenBradgate Park3.7 km outside town, to the west
Abbey or prioryLeicester Abbey3.6 km outside town, to the south
CastleGroby Castle5 km outside town, to the southwest
Abbey or prioryAbbey Pumping Station3 km outside town, to the south
MuseumBelgrave Hall Museum2.8 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 (6)
- National Space Centre: Kate Jewell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bradgate Park: Duncharris, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Leicester Abbey: Kev747 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Groby Castle: Charles Wall, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Abbey Pumping Station: Jonnic1 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Belgrave Hall Museum: Roger Hutchinson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Thurcaston.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Fewer commuters in Thurcaston walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Leicestershire’s towns or England’s towns: 9%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 34% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Nine in ten commuters drove, above Leicestershire’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. For 30% of commuters, work was under 5 km away. Jobs per working resident: 0.7.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot4%
Bicycle2%
Bus2%
30%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
34%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£62K
mean household income, before tax
2.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 15% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
SchoolsC−
School results in Thurcaston are weaker than in 79% of towns in England
Key Stage 2 results at the town’s 2 primary schools: 55% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Secondary results at the 4 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 44, with 39% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. Between them, two primaries teach 415 pupils in Thurcaston.
C−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glebelands Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 326 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 2 schools →
Safety
Thurcaston records more burglary and damage per resident than Leicestershire’s towns or England’s towns, at 22.8 per 1,000 a year
48% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. 99 crimes and 11 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Thurcaston’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. For its size, Thurcaston records more crime per resident than 89% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people.
25.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 11% 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 & sexual48
Damage & arson12
Burglary12
Vehicle crime10
Other theft6
Public order5
Other crime3
Weapons2
Anti-social11
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.
25.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
22.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
99
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.
History
Much of Thurcaston is a conservation area: 65% of its land, more than Leicestershire’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Relative to its size, Thurcaston keeps 79 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, above Leicestershire’s towns (33) and England’s towns (39) alike. Homes built before 1919 account for 6% of the housing. Grade II* covers 2 of them. This Leicestershire town counts 13 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 2 Grade II*.
13listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*2
Grade II11
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of All Saints Grade II*
- Latimer's House Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
6%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
79
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Thurcaston than in Leicestershire’s towns or across England’s towns: 2.7% of residents
Self-reported good health: 87% of Thurcaston’s residents. 15% of residents have a disability, below Leicestershire’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (17%) alike. Also worth knowing: the town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 0.8 miles away. Life expectancy here is 82.2 for women and 78.7 for men (2019–23).
87%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Thurcaston | Leicestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.7% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
78.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.2
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them, do allow for age.
HousingCost of living grade B−
Most households in Thurcaston own their home: 86%, more than in Leicestershire’s towns or across England’s towns
5% of households rent from a council or housing body. Private renters make up 8% of households, below Leicestershire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. Half of the 124 standard sales inside Thurcaston’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £345,750.
£346Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Thurcaston£346K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £422,250 | 66 |
| Semi-detached | £295,000 | 49 |
| Terraced | £164,950 | 7 |
86%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£990
average private rent a month, Charnwood council area
£2,448
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
Few people in Thurcaston are 15 to 24: 8.5%, fewer than in Leicestershire’s towns and England’s towns
A fifth of residents are 65 or over, above both Leicestershire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). Residents of Thurcaston have a median age of 43.6. Degrees are held by 41% of adults.
43.6median age
ThurcastonLeicestershireEngland
Ages · share of residents
20%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level41%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Thurcaston | Leicestershire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.5% | 14% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 20% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.4% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 41% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Leicestershire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Thurcaston
15pages on Thurcaston
The big questions
SafetyC−25.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB−Median home £346K · rent £990 a monthHousing34 sold in 12 months · busiest street Leicester RoadSchoolsC−2 state schoolsHealthC+Life expectancy 78.7 (men), 82.2 (women)Work & commuteA−44% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Thurcaston’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BirstallCropstonAnsteyMountsorrelThurmastonSystonGrobyThurcaston
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurcaston | 1,649 | — | — | B− | C− | C+ |
| Birstall | 14,317 | 1 | A | B+ | B− | B+ |
| Cropston | 1,120 | 1.2 | — | C+ | A | A+ |
| Anstey | 7,043 | 1.8 | B+ | A− | C+ | B |
| Mountsorrel | 12,879 | 2.4 | A− | A− | C | B+ |
| Thurmaston | 9,509 | 2.5 | B− | A− | C− | C |
| Syston | 13,628 | 3.3 | B− | A− | C | C+ |
| Groby | 6,559 | 3.6 | A | B | B− | A− |
Cropston has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Thurcaston
How many listed buildings are there in Thurcaston?
That is 3.2 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Thurcaston good?
GCSE results trail 68% of towns in England, and primary results trail 79% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Thurcaston has 2 state schools; places are handled by Leicestershire council.
About Thurcaston
Village in Leicestershire, England
Thurcaston is a built-up area of 1,649 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
- 1,649 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Charnwood (mostly)
- County
- Leicestershire
- Region
- East Midlands
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002491
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.