Barnston’s story
2 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Barnston’s built-up area.
11% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BarnstonMerseyside
In Merseyside, North West, this village has 661 residents.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Galatas · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
661
Census 2021 · Wirral council
Median home
£460K
19 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.5
26% are 65+ · Merseyside 19%
Degree level
47%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Barnston a good place to live?
Grades need 1,000 residents, so Barnston has none; the figures on this page are still real. On the way to work, 10% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. The median sale price is £460,000. Over-65s are just over a quarter of the population.
What makes Barnston stand out
The 3 things Barnston does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
10% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.7 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
26% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Barnston.
Who lives here
Barnston has fewer young adults than Merseyside’s towns or England’s towns: 7.7% are 15 to 24
Children under 15 make up 13%, below Merseyside’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Those 65 and older account for 26% of residents. Half the people of Barnston are older than 51.5. Also worth knowing: among adults, 47% have a degree.
51.5median age
BarnstonMerseysideEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level47%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Barnston | Merseyside | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.7% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 33% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.1% | 5.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 47% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Merseyside and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commute
More commuters in Barnston drive than in Merseyside’s towns or England’s towns: 86%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 31% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
31% of commuters travelled under 5 km to work. Unemployment benefit claims came to 1.6% of 16 to 64s in 2026, below Merseyside’s towns (2.2%) and England’s towns (2.3%) alike. Jobs per working resident: 1.2.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot6%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
Train1%
31%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
31%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£50K
mean household income, before tax
1.6%
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
Barnston is a town of owners: 81% of households own their home, above Merseyside’s towns and England’s towns
13% of households rent privately. Social housing holds 7% of households, lower than both Merseyside’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £859 a month across the Wirral council area.
£460Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Barnston£460K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £523,750 | 12 |
| Semi-detached | £231,000 | 7 |
81%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£859
average private rent a month, Wirral council area
£2,501
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 Barnston: 6.1 per 1,000 residents a year, under Merseyside’s towns and England’s towns
Burglary and damage came to 5.6 per 1,000 residents a year, below Merseyside’s towns (9.8) and England’s towns (9.4) alike. Over the year to August 2026, 7 offences were reported in Barnston.
6.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Other theft4
Damage & arson1
Public order1
Burglary1
Violence & sexual0
Shoplifting0
Drugs0
Vehicle crime0
Anti-social0
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.
6.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
7
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Health
Just 4.5% of people in Barnston say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in Merseyside’s towns and across England’s towns
At the census, 20% of people here had a disability, between Merseyside’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (17%). Self-reported good health: 82% of Barnston’s residents. Seeing a GP means leaving Barnston: the nearest practice is 1 miles away.
82%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Barnston | Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 78% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.5% | 7.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 20% | 22% | 17% |
81.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.7
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
All 2 of Barnston’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The pre-1919 share of homes is 11%. Conservation areas cover 13% of Barnston’s land, higher than both Merseyside’s towns (6%) and England’s towns (7%). The town has 30 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents.
2listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II2
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
11%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
30
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 →Lady Lever Art Gallery and 5 more in and around Barnston
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Barnston. Best known first.
Art galleryLady Lever Art Gallery4.9 km outside town, to the east
GardenBirkenhead Park5 km outside town, to the northeast
Historic houseThornton Manor2.2 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumWilliamson Art Gallery & Museum4.3 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumPort Sunlight Museum4.9 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttractionBrimstage Hall2.1 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 (5)
- Lady Lever Art Gallery: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Birkenhead Park: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Thornton Manor: John Robertson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Williamson Art Gallery & Museum: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Port Sunlight Museum: Man vyi, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Barnston
13pages on Barnston
The big questions
Safety6.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £460K · rent £859 a monthHousing9 sold in 12 monthsSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 81.5 (men), 84.7 (women)Work & commute43% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Barnston’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HeswallBirkenheadGreasbyBebingtonCaldyNestonWest KirbyBarnston
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnston | 661 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Heswall | 29,082 | 1.2 | A− | D | A− | B+ |
| Birkenhead | 109,854 | 2.5 | D | B− | D | D− |
| Greasby | 9,175 | 2.7 | A | C− | A | B+ |
| Bebington | 57,607 | 3.3 | B− | C | B− | C |
| Caldy | 1,227 | 3.9 | — | D− | A | A+ |
| Neston | 14,963 | 4 | B | C | B | B |
| West Kirby | 13,383 | 4.4 | A | D | B+ | A− |
Caldy has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Barnston
Is Barnston expensive to live in?
By type: semi-detached houses £231,000 and detached houses £523,750.
How much is council tax in Barnston?
Band D council tax in Barnston is £2,501 for 2026–27, more than in 64% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Barnston
Village in Merseyside, England
Barnston is a built-up area of 661 people, in the Wirral 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
- 661 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Wirral
- County
- Merseyside
- Region
- North West
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63001451
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.