Old Buckenham’s story
16 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Old Buckenham’s built-up area.
40% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Old BuckenhamNorfolk
Home to 332 people, this village lies in Norfolk, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: James Allan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
332
Census 2021 · Breckland council
Median home
£388K
10 sales in 3 years
Median age
46.9
30% are 65+ · Norfolk 24%
Degree level
27%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Old Buckenham a good place to live?
Towns under 1,000 residents aren’t graded, so Old Buckenham has no grades; its figures are still real. 10% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. It has 16 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I. 30% of residents are 65 or over.
What makes Old Buckenham stand out
The 3 things Old Buckenham 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%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of All Saints; 19.8 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
30% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Old Buckenham.
Who lives here
Children make up 21% of Old Buckenham, above Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 7.3% of the town. Line up the people of Old Buckenham by age and the one in the middle is 46.9. Graduates make up 27% of adults.
46.9median age
Old BuckenhamNorfolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications23%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level27%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 93 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Old Buckenham | Norfolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.3% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 22% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 23% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.6% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 27% | 26% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Norfolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commute
The car carries 89% of commuters in Old Buckenham, more than in both Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
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.
For every resident in work, Old Buckenham has 0.3 jobs. 29% of commuters travelled under 5 km, lower than both Norfolk’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (45%). Also worth knowing: the 2026 claimant rate among 16 to 64s was 1.9%.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot4%
Bus2%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
29%
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 in Old Buckenham live in social housing than in Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns: 41%
Owners make up 53% of households, lower than both Norfolk’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Private renters make up 4% of households. Half of the 10 standard sales inside Old Buckenham’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £387,500.
£388Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Old Buckenham£388K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £580,000 | 5 |
53%
of households own their home · England 61%
4%
rent privately · England 21%
£928
average private rent a month, Breckland council area
£2,371
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 high in Old Buckenham: 31.1 per 1,000 residents a year, above Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
Police figures for Old Buckenham’s built-up area: 23 crimes and 2 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence and sexual offences were 57% of the crimes. There were 10 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above both Norfolk’s towns (5) and England’s towns (7.8).
31.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual13
Other crime3
Damage & arson2
Public order1
Other theft1
Burglary1
Weapons1
Theft from person1
Anti-social2
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.
31.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
23
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 more common in Old Buckenham than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 6.3% of residents
At the census, nearly four fifths of people in Old Buckenham called their health good or very good, near Norfolk’s towns (79%) and lower than England’s towns (82%). Seeing a GP means leaving Old Buckenham: the nearest practice is 2.6 miles away. The nearest A&E to Old Buckenham is Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, 12.3 miles away.
79%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 79%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Old Buckenham | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 79% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.3% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
81.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.3
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
Old Buckenham is rich in listed buildings: 482 per 10,000 residents, more than in both Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
40% of its homes were built before 1919, above Norfolk’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. Old Buckenham’s listed buildings include the Church of All Saints, Grade I. The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them.
16listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*1
Grade II14
Among them · Grade I
- Church of All Saints Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
40%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
482
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 →Banham Zoo and 2 more in and around Old Buckenham
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Old Buckenham. Best known first.
ZooZooBanham Zoo3.3 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseum453rd Bomb Group Museum1.2 km outside town, to the northeastHistoric siteHistoric siteMarket Cross1.5 km outside town, to the east
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Old Buckenham
13pages on Old Buckenham
The big questions
Safety31.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £388K · rent £928 a monthHousing4 sold in 12 months · busiest street Hargham RoadSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 81.8 (men), 84.3 (women)Work & commute41% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Old Buckenham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
AttleboroughBesthorpeEast HarlingRoydon (South Norfolk)HinghamDissWymondhamOld Buckenham
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Buckenham | 332 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Attleborough | 11,236 | 2.6 | C | C+ | B− | C+ |
| Besthorpe | 1,007 | 3 | — | C+ | A+ | A− |
| East Harling | 2,490 | 5.2 | — | C− | A | B |
| Roydon (South Norfolk) | 1,117 | 7 | — | A | A− | B− |
| Hingham | 2,304 | 7.3 | — | A− | A− | B+ |
| Diss | 9,599 | 7.7 | C+ | A | C+ | C+ |
| Wymondham | 16,334 | 7.7 | A | A− | C | B+ |
Besthorpe, East Harling, Roydon (South Norfolk) and Hingham have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Old Buckenham
How many listed buildings are there in Old Buckenham?
That is 19.8 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of All Saints.
Is Old Buckenham expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £387,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. Private rents in the Breckland council area averaged £928 a month in August 2026.
About Old Buckenham
Village in Norfolk, England
Old Buckenham is a built-up area of 332 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
- 332 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Breckland
- County
- Norfolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002838
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.