Hickling’s story
4 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Hickling’s built-up area.
25% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HicklingNorfolk
A village of 603 in Norfolk, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Adrian S Pye · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
603
Census 2021 · North Norfolk council
Median home
£374K
24 sales in 3 years
Median age
60.8
42% are 65+ · Norfolk 24%
Degree level
28%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
7%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Hickling a good place to live?
Hickling has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Hickling stand out
The 3 things Hickling does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
7% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
42% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Church of St Mary; 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Hickling.
Who lives here
An older town: 42% of people in Hickling are 65 or over, more than in Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns
In the comparison, Hickling comes above both Norfolk’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (18%). Children under 15 make up 9.6% of residents. The median resident of Hickling is 60.8 years old.
60.8median age
HicklingNorfolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
42%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications26%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level28%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Hickling | Norfolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 9.6% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.8% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 11% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 42% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 26% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.8% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 28% | 26% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Norfolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Hickling
Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickling CofE Infants AcademyLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 11 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Hickling work nearby than in Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns: 16% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 26% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For Hickling, that is below both Norfolk’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (45%). 7% of commuters went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport at the census.
7%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
Bicycle3%
On foot3%
Train1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
26%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£44K
mean household income, before tax
1.7%
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 Hickling than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 11%
Hickling sits below both Norfolk’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (21%) on this measure. Owners make up 71% of households.
£374Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Hickling£374K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £381,250 | 14 |
| Semi-detached | £245,000 | 7 |
71%
of households own their home · England 61%
11%
rent privately · England 21%
£865
average private rent a month, North Norfolk council area
£2,494
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
Hickling records less violent crime per resident than Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns, at 7.7 per 1,000 a year
That puts Hickling below both Norfolk’s towns (18.9) and England’s towns (22). Burglary and damage come to 2.8 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 13 crimes inside Hickling’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 6 reports of anti-social behaviour.
7.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Other theft4
Violence & sexual3
Damage & arson2
Public order2
Bicycle theft1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Burglary0
Anti-social6
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.
7.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
13
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
More people in Hickling live with a disability than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 29%
On this, Hickling is above both Norfolk’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (17%). Hickling has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.7 miles away. 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.
75%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 75%Fair 18%Bad or very bad 7%
| Census 2021 | Hickling | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 75% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.3% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 29% | 20% | 17% |
80
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
History
Hickling keeps more of its old housing than Norfolk or England’s towns: 25% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Hickling has 4 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 1 Grade II*.
4listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II3
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Mary Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
25%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
66
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 →Museum of the Broads and 5 more in and around Hickling
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Hickling. Best known first.
MuseumMuseum of the Broads3.2 km outside town, to the northwestAttractionAttraction · National TrustHorsey Windpump4.1 km outside town, to the eastGardenGarden · National TrustButterfly Garden4 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumWaxham Great Barn3 km outside town, to the northeastHistoric shipHistoric shipWherry Hathor4.8 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumSutton Corn Mill1000 m outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Museum of the Broads: don cload, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hickling
13pages on Hickling
The big questions
Safety7.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £374K · rent £865 a monthHousing8 sold in 12 months · busiest street Stubb RoadSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 80 (men), 83.5 (women)Work & commute44% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards5.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Hickling’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
SuttonStalhamMarthamHemsbyOrmesby St MargaretHoveton and WroxhamAcleHickling
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickling | 603 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sutton | 1,026 | 1.9 | — | C+ | A | C+ |
| Stalham | 3,383 | 2.6 | C+ | C | C+ | C+ |
| Martham | 3,633 | 4 | C | D | A− | B− |
| Hemsby | 5,724 | 6.2 | D | D | C+ | C |
| Ormesby St Margaret | 2,741 | 7.2 | C+ | D | A | C |
| Hoveton and Wroxham | 3,620 | 7.3 | C− | D− | B− | B− |
| Acle | 2,268 | 7.8 | — | A− | C+ | B− |
Sutton and Acle have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Hickling
How many listed buildings are there in Hickling?
That is 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size. 25% of Hickling’s homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Is Hickling expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £373,750, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £245,000 and detached houses £381,250. Private rents in the North Norfolk council area averaged £865 a month in August 2026.
About Hickling
Village in Norfolk, England
Hickling is a built-up area of 603 people, in the North 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
- 603 (Census 2021)
- Council
- North Norfolk
- County
- Norfolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002250
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.