Lea’s story
12 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Lea’s built-up area.
17% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
LeaLincolnshire
It is a village of 1,006 residents in Lincolnshire, East Midlands.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Jonathan Thacker · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,006
Census 2021 · West Lindsey council
Median home
£240K
64 sales in 3 years
Median age
55.5
34% are 65+ · Lincolnshire 22%
Degree level
31%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Lea a good place to live?
Cost of living is its strong suit (A) — homes sell for a median £240,000, about 4.8 times local household income. Its schools fall short: primary results beat 4% of towns in England. The rest of its grades are middling: C+ for health and C+ for jobs & income. Hazard risk is lower than in most UK towns (A). Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work (D−): 6% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP · flood risk, Environment Agency · commuting, Census 2021. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Lea has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Lea stand out
The 3 things Lea 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%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of St Helen; 4.9 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 Lea grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Lea is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Lea has subject grades but no overall one.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 4% of towns in EnglandD−Open →WalkabilityAmong the weakest of the towns comparedD−Open →Cost of livingRent £741 a monthAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentA−Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.7 for men, 83 for womenC+Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryAbove the middle of the towns comparedBOpen →Outdoors76% live within 400 m of a park; 4.3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC−Open →Civic life6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Lea.
Who lives here
Lea skews older, with 34% of residents 65 or over, more than Lincolnshire’s towns or England’s towns
People aged 15 to 24 make up 6.6% of the town, lower than both Lincolnshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Children under 15 count for 14% of the people here. The median resident of Lea is 55.5 years old. Degrees are held by 31% of adults.
55.5median age
LeaLincolnshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
34%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications15%
Apprenticeship9%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level31%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 91 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.
| Lea | Lincolnshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.6% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 16% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 34% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 15% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 9.5% | 6.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 31% | 25% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Lincolnshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsD−
Exam results at Lea’s schools trail 98% of towns in England
Its only school is listed below. At the 6 primary schools within 3 km, 47% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). 185 pupils attend Lea’s one primary school.
D−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frances Olive Anderson Church of England (Aided) Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 185 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
More commuters in Lea drive than in Lincolnshire’s towns or England’s towns: 92%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 29% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Short trips to work, under 5 km: 39%, lower than both Lincolnshire’s towns (46%) and England’s towns (45%). 1.9% of people aged 16 to 64 were on unemployment benefits in 2026. About 2% of its commuters stay in Lea for work. Income per household averages £48K a year, before tax.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot4%
Bicycle2%
39%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
29%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£48K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 3% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade A
Most households in Lea own their home: 89%, more than in Lincolnshire’s towns or across England’s towns
3% live in social housing, below both Lincolnshire’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (18%). Renting privately is how 8% of households live. 64 standard sales inside Lea’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £240,000.
£240Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Lea£240K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £250,000 | 47 |
| Semi-detached | £199,950 | 15 |
89%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£741
average private rent a month, West Lindsey council area
£2,315
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
Violent crime runs low in Lea: 13.3 per 1,000 residents a year, under Lincolnshire’s towns and England’s towns
Violence and sexual offences accounted for 52% of recorded crime. The 12 months to August 2026 brought 31 recorded crimes inside Lea’s built-up area, and 5 reports of anti-social behaviour. Homes saw 6.6 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year, below Lincolnshire’s towns (7.8) and England’s towns (9.4) alike.
13.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 68% 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 & sexual16
Other theft5
Burglary4
Public order3
Other crime2
Drugs1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Anti-social5
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.
13.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
31
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
Lea has 12 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Per 10,000 residents, Lea counts 119 listed buildings. Its listed buildings include the Church of St Helen, Grade I. Homes built before 1919 account for 17% of the housing.
12listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II11
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St Helen Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
17%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
119
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
More people in Lea live with a disability than in Lincolnshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 21%
The nearest A&E to Lea is Lincoln County Hospital, 13.7 miles away. The town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.1 miles away. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 4.9% of the town.
80%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Lea | Lincolnshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.9% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
79.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Census health answers are raw, so younger towns score better on them; for the Health Grade we use age-adjusted figures like life expectancy and early deaths.
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lea
15pages on Lea
The big questions
SafetyA−13.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingAMedian home £240K · rent £741 a monthHousing19 sold in 12 months · busiest street Mulberry CloseSchoolsD−1 state schoolHealthC+Life expectancy 79.7 (men), 83 (women)Work & commuteC+43% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Lea’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
GainsboroughBeckinghamNorth Leverton with HabblesthorpeSturton by StowMistertonClarboroughSaxilbyLea
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lea | 1,006 | — | — | A | A− | C+ |
| Gainsborough | 21,899 | 2.1 | C− | A+ | D− | D |
| Beckingham | 1,207 | 3.6 | — | C+ | B+ | B− |
| North Leverton with Habblesthorpe | 1,079 | 4.1 | — | B | B | B− |
| Sturton by Stow | 1,485 | 5.5 | — | A | B− | C+ |
| Misterton | 2,191 | 5.9 | — | B− | C+ | B− |
| Clarborough | 1,220 | 6.6 | — | B | B | B− |
| Saxilby | 4,432 | 8.1 | A | A− | B | B+ |
Beckingham, North Leverton with Habblesthorpe, Sturton by Stow, Misterton and Clarborough have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Lea
Are schools in Lea good?
Primary results trail 96% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Lincolnshire council.
How many listed buildings are there in Lea?
That is 4.9 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of St Helen.
About Lea
Village in Lincolnshire, England
Lea is a built-up area of 1,006 people, in the West Lindsey 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
- 1,006 (Census 2021)
- Council
- West Lindsey
- County
- Lincolnshire
- Region
- East Midlands
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63001420
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.