Geldeston’s story
Old homes in Geldeston: 29% built before 1919
Historic England lists 6 buildings inside Geldeston’s built-up area.
29% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
GeldestonNorfolk
A village of 408 in Norfolk, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Bernd Jatzwauk Pommes104 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
408
Census 2021 · South Norfolk council
Median home
£330K
15 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.7
26% are 65+ · Norfolk 24%
Degree level
39%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Geldeston a good place to live?
Geldeston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Geldeston stand out
The 3 things Geldeston 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
0 Grade II*; 6 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 Geldeston.
Who lives here
Children make up only 13% of Geldeston, fewer than in Norfolk’s towns and across England’s towns
Young adults of 15 to 24 account for nearly a tenth of the town. People 65 and over make up just over a quarter of the town, above Norfolk’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Line up the people of Geldeston by age and the one in the middle is 51.7. Among adults, 39% have a degree.
51.7median age
GeldestonNorfolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar15%
Degree level39%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Geldeston | Norfolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.3% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 17% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 35% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.9% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 15% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 39% | 26% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Norfolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commute
Under 5 km to work: 22% in Geldeston, fewer than in Norfolk’s towns and across 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.
Walking, cycling and public transport carried 6% of commuters at the census. About 3% of its commuters stay in Geldeston for work. The car carried 93% of commuters at the census.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving93%
On foot3%
Bicycle3%
22%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
36%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£51K
mean household income, before tax
2.3%
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
Private renting is less common in Geldeston than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 10%
74% of households own their home, higher than both Norfolk’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Social housing holds 14% of households. 15 standard sales inside Geldeston’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £330,000.
£330Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Geldeston£330K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £490,000 | 6 |
| Semi-detached | £325,000 | 5 |
74%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£981
average private rent a month, South Norfolk council area
£2,436
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
Geldeston records less burglary and damage per resident than Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns, at 2.5 per 1,000 a year
7 crimes and 1 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Geldeston’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence came to 9 per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Norfolk’s towns (18.9) and England’s towns (22). 86% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual6
Vehicle crime1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Public order0
Other theft0
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.
9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.9
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 · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
Health
Most people in Geldeston (82%) report good or very good health
There is no GP practice in Geldeston: the nearest is 2.5 miles off. The nearest A&E to Geldeston is James Paget Hospital, 10.5 miles away. 18% of residents in Geldeston live with a disability.
82%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Geldeston | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.2% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 20% | 17% |
81.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.5
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.
History
Geldeston keeps more of its old housing than Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns: 29% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Geldeston has 6 listed buildings on Historic England’s list, all Grade II. Relative to its size, Geldeston keeps 147 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, above both Norfolk’s towns (44) and England’s towns (39).
6listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II6
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
29%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
147
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 →Mettingham Castle and 2 more in and around Geldeston
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Geldeston. Best known first.
CastleMettingham Castle4.1 km outside town, to the southwest
Historic house · English HeritageRaveningham Hall4.3 km outside town, to the north
MuseumBeccles and District Museum2.7 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 (3)
- Mettingham Castle: Graham Horn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Raveningham Hall: Evelyn Simak, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beccles and District Museum: Ashley Dace, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Geldeston
13pages on Geldeston
The big questions
Safety9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £330K · rent £981 a monthHousing3 sold in 12 months · busiest street The StreetSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 81.5 (men), 82.5 (women)Work & commute53% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards17.3% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Geldeston’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BecclesDitchinghamBungayWorlinghamThurltonLoddonChedgraveGeldeston
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geldeston | 408 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Beccles | 9,807 | 2.8 | B | A | C | C |
| Ditchingham | 1,997 | 2.9 | — | A | A | B |
| Bungay | 5,012 | 3.4 | C+ | A | C+ | B− |
| Worlingham | 3,618 | 3.7 | A | A− | A | B+ |
| Thurlton | 1,145 | 4.2 | — | A− | A− | B |
| Loddon | 2,247 | 4.4 | — | A− | C− | B |
| Chedgrave | 1,053 | 5 | — | A− | A− | B |
Ditchingham, Thurlton, Loddon and Chedgrave have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Geldeston
How many listed buildings are there in Geldeston?
That is 6 times the typical UK town for its size. 29% of Geldeston’s homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Is Geldeston expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £330,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £325,000 and detached houses £490,000. Private rents in the South Norfolk council area averaged £981 a month in August 2026.
About Geldeston
Village in Norfolk, England
Geldeston is a built-up area of 408 people, in the South Norfolk 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
- 408 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Norfolk
- County
- Norfolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002832
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.