Lyng’s story
4 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Lyng’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
LyngNorfolk
A village of 856 in Norfolk, East of England. 9% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Charlesdrakew · Public domain
Population
856
Census 2021 · Breckland council
Median home
£325K
30 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.7
25% are 65+ · Norfolk 24%
Degree level
30%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Lyng a good place to live?
Lyng has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Lyng stand out
The 3 things Lyng does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
25% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Lyng.
Who lives here
Few people in Lyng are 15 to 24: 8.2%, fewer than in both Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
Children under 15 make up 17%, about level with England’s towns (18%) and above Norfolk’s towns (16%). Retirement age and beyond: a quarter of residents are 65 or older. The age that splits Lyng in two is 48.7. Graduates make up 30% of adults.
48.7median age
LyngNorfolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level30%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Lyng | Norfolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.2% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 30% | 26% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Norfolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Lyng
Lyng Church of England Primary Academy’s results beat 95% of schools in England like it. The town has one school, shown below. At the 2 primary schools within 3 km, 77% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyng Church of England Primary AcademyLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 87 | A+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Only 16% of Lyng’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in both Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 30% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
In 2026, 1.9% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits. The car took 88% of commuters, higher than both Norfolk’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%). Also worth knowing: for every resident in work, Lyng has 0.3 jobs. 4% of commuters who live in Lyng also work there.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot7%
Bicycle3%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
30%
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 Lyng than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 83%
6% live in social housing, lower than both Norfolk’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). The private rented sector houses 10% of households. Behind the median of £325,000: 30 standard sales inside Lyng’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026.
£325Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Lyng£325K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £375,000 | 17 |
| Semi-detached | £270,000 | 11 |
83%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£928
average private rent a month, Breckland council area
£2,400
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
Violence is recorded less often in Lyng than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 7 per 1,000 residents a year
Violence and sexual offences made up 25% of the total. Burglary and damage come to 3.5 per 1,000 residents a year. Police recorded 8 crimes inside Lyng’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. There were 2 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below Norfolk’s towns (5) and England’s towns (7.8) alike.
7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual2
Damage & arson2
Other theft1
Burglary1
Drugs1
Vehicle crime1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
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.
7
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
2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
8
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
Bad health is less common in Lyng than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 4.2% of residents
The nearest A&E to Lyng is Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, 9.8 miles away. 16% of residents have a disability, below Norfolk’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (17%) alike. This Norfolk town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 3.8 miles away.
81%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 81%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Lyng | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 81% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.2% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 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 · 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
Among Lyng’s 4 listed buildings: the Church of St Margaret, Grade II*
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Nearly a quarter of its homes were built before 1919, above both Norfolk’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (16%). Of Lyng’s land, 21% lies in conservation areas, above Norfolk’s towns (6%) and England’s towns (7%) alike.
4listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II3
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Margaret Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
47
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 3 more in and around Lyng
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Lyng. Best known first.
Historic houseElsing Hall3 km outside town, to the southwestTheme parkTheme parkRoarr!3.6 km outside town, to the eastTheme parkTheme parkRoarr! Dinosaur Adventure3.7 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttractionWhitwell & Reepham Restored Railway Station4.1 km outside town, to the northeastPlaces: © 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 Lyng
13pages on Lyng
The big questions
Safety7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £325K · rent £928 a monthHousing7 sold in 12 months · busiest street The StreetSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 81 (men), 84.9 (women)Work & commute51% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Lyng’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Swanton MorleyReephamMattishallFoulshamNorth ElmhamCawstonDerehamLyng
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyng | 856 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Swanton Morley | 2,175 | 3.1 | — | C+ | A− | B |
| Reepham | 2,317 | 3.9 | — | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| Mattishall | 2,203 | 4.4 | — | C | A− | B+ |
| Foulsham | 1,025 | 4.8 | — | A | B+ | B |
| North Elmham | 1,172 | 5.1 | — | C | A | B |
| Cawston | 1,114 | 5.6 | — | A− | A− | B |
| Dereham | 20,788 | 5.7 | C− | B− | C− | C+ |
Swanton Morley, Reepham, Mattishall, Foulsham, North Elmham and Cawston have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Lyng
How many listed buildings are there in Lyng?
That is 1.9 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Lyng expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £325,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £270,000 and detached houses £375,000. Private rents in the Breckland council area averaged £928 a month in August 2026.
About Lyng
Village in Norfolk, England
Lyng is a built-up area of 856 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
- 856 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Breckland
- County
- Norfolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002341
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.