Bawdeswell’s story
5 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Bawdeswell’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BawdeswellNorfolk
A village of 869 in Norfolk, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Evelyn Simak · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
869
Census 2021 · Breckland council
Median home
£289K
26 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.4
26% are 65+ · Norfolk 24%
Degree level
25%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Bawdeswell a good place to live?
Bawdeswell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real. On the way to work, 13% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. 5 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I. It skews older: just over a quarter of residents are 65 or over.
What makes Bawdeswell stand out
The 3 things Bawdeswell does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% 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*; 2.4 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 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 Bawdeswell.
Who lives here
Bawdeswell skews older, with 26% of residents 65 or over, more than in Norfolk’s towns and across England’s towns
Those aged 15 to 24 account for 8.5% of residents. The middle age in Bawdeswell is 48.4.
48.4median age
BawdeswellNorfolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications19%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar20%
Degree level25%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Bawdeswell | Norfolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 19% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.8% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 25% | 26% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Norfolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Bawdeswell
There is one school here; it is shown below. Key Stage 2 results at the one primary school within 3 km: 27% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The town’s primary school has 85 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bawdeswell Community Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 85 | D− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Bawdeswell work nearby than in Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns: 15% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 25% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
1.9% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, lower than both Norfolk’s towns (2.5%) and England’s towns (2.3%). At the census, 85% of commuters went by car. Jobs per working resident: 0.3.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
On foot10%
Bicycle2%
Bus1%
15%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
25%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£53K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
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
More households own their home in Bawdeswell than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 74%
Social renters account for 13% of households. 12% rent privately, below both Norfolk’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (21%). Private rents average £928 a month across the Breckland council area.
£289Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Bawdeswell£289K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £375,000 | 11 |
| Semi-detached | £262,500 | 12 |
74%
of households own their home · England 61%
12%
rent privately · England 21%
£928
average private rent a month, Breckland 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
Safety
Bawdeswell records less burglary and damage per resident than Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns, at 3.5 per 1,000 a year
Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 1.5 reports per 1,000, below both Norfolk’s towns (5) and England’s towns (7.8). Reported offences in Bawdeswell came to 36 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 1. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 64% of recorded crime.
21.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual23
Public order4
Other theft4
Other crime3
Damage & arson2
Shoplifting0
Burglary0
Drugs0
Anti-social1
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.
21.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
36
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.
Health
Just 3.8% of people in Bawdeswell say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in Norfolk’s towns and across England’s towns
There is no GP practice in Bawdeswell: the nearest is 3.5 miles off. The nearest A&E to Bawdeswell is Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, 11.9 miles away. At the census, 17% of people here had a disability, lower than Norfolk’s towns (20%) and near England’s towns (17%).
82%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Bawdeswell | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.8% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 20% | 17% |
81
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Bawdeswell keeps more of its old housing than Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns: 23% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Of Bawdeswell’s land, 25% lies in conservation areas, higher than both Norfolk’s towns (6%) and England’s towns (7%). Relative to its size, Bawdeswell keeps 58 listed buildings per 10,000 residents.
5listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II5
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
58
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 →Elsing Hall and 2 more in and around Bawdeswell
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Bawdeswell. Best known first.
Historic houseElsing Hall4.4 km outside town, to the southAttractionAttractionMayfields Farm3 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionWhitwell & Reepham Restored Railway Station3.8 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Elsing Hall: Adrian S Pye, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bawdeswell
13pages on Bawdeswell
The big questions
Safety21.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £289K · rent £928 a monthHousing11 sold in 12 monthsSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 81 (men), 84.9 (women)Work & commute50% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Bawdeswell’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
FoulshamSwanton MorleyNorth ElmhamReephamCawstonMattishallDerehamBawdeswell
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bawdeswell | 869 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Foulsham | 1,025 | 2.7 | — | A | B+ | B |
| Swanton Morley | 2,175 | 2.8 | — | C+ | A− | B |
| North Elmham | 1,172 | 3.6 | — | C | A | B |
| Reepham | 2,317 | 3.7 | — | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| Cawston | 1,114 | 5.9 | — | A− | A− | B |
| Mattishall | 2,203 | 6 | — | C | A− | B+ |
| Dereham | 20,788 | 6 | C− | B− | C− | C+ |
Foulsham, Swanton Morley, North Elmham, Reepham, Cawston and Mattishall have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Bawdeswell
How many listed buildings are there in Bawdeswell?
That is 2.4 times the typical UK town for its size. 23% of Bawdeswell’s homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
How much is council tax in Bawdeswell?
Band D council tax in Bawdeswell is £2,426 for 2026–27, less than in 54% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Bawdeswell
Village in Norfolk, England
Bawdeswell is a built-up area of 869 people, in the Breckland 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
- 869 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Breckland
- County
- Norfolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002287
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.