Shipdham’s story
Historic England lists 16 buildings inside Shipdham’s built-up area, 1 of them Grade I.
16% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
ShipdhamNorfolk
A village of 2,459 in Norfolk, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David Howard · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,459
Census 2021 · Breckland council
Median home
£283K
94 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.6
28% are 65+ · Norfolk 24%
Degree level
23%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Shipdham a good place to live?
Shipdham has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is schools (A+): primary results beat 100% of towns in England. Its weakest is walkability (C−): 9% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £282,500 in the last three years, 5.7 times what households in the Breckland council area earn in a year.
What makes Shipdham stand out
The 3 things Shipdham 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%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of All Saints; 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Primary results, towns in England
Schools
Primary results beat 100%
of towns in England, on Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths
Department for Education.
How Shipdham grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Shipdham is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 100% of towns in EnglandA+Open →SafetyA−Open →WalkabilityC−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £47,644; 1.7% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC+Open →Cost of livingrent £928 a monthC+Open →Hazard risk0.3% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →HealthLife expectancy 81.3 for men, 83.3 for womenB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryB−Open →Outdoors59% live within 400 m of a park; 1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsD−Open →Civic life1.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Shipdham.
SchoolsA+
Results at Shipdham’s schools are among the best in England
Thomas Bullock Church of England Primary and Nursery Academy’s results beat 98% of schools in England like it. Its one school is below.
A+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Bullock Church of England Primary and Nursery AcademyLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 229 | A+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Burglary and damage are rarer in Shipdham than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 4.1 per 1,000 residents a year
Shipdham sits below both Norfolk’s towns (6.1) and England’s towns (9.4) on this measure. Police recorded 46 crimes inside Shipdham’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 9 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence comes to 15.2 per 1,000 residents a year.
15.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 71% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual24
Damage & arson6
Public order4
Other crime4
Other theft3
Drugs2
Burglary1
Vehicle crime1
Anti-social9
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.
15.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
46
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Fewer commuters in Shipdham 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 25% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
That puts Shipdham below both Norfolk’s towns (42%) and England’s towns (45%). 89% of commuters drove to work at the census.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot5%
Bus2%
Bicycle2%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
25%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£48K
mean household income, before tax
1.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 18% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C+
Shipdham is a town of owners: 74% of households own their home, above Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
On this, Shipdham is above both Norfolk’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%). Private renters make up 13% of households.
£283Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Shipdham£283K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £350,000 | 51 |
| Semi-detached | £236,000 | 34 |
| Terraced | £200,000 | 7 |
74%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£928
average private rent a month, Breckland council area
£2,420
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
16 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Shipdham has 16 listed buildings inside its built-up area on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade I, 0 Grade II*. 16% of its homes were built before 1919.
16listed buildingsB−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II15
Among them · Grade I
- Church of All Saints Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
16%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
65
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
78% of residents say their health is good or very good
78% of Shipdham’s residents described their health as good or very good in 2021, against 79% across Norfolk’s towns. 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.
78%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 78%Fair 16%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Shipdham | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 78% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.5% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
81.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.3
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Who lives here
Shipdham skews older, with 28% of residents 65 or over, more than Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns
In the comparison, Shipdham comes above both Norfolk’s towns (24%) and England’s towns (18%). People aged 15 to 24 make up 9.9% of the town. Half the people of Shipdham are older than 48.6.
48.6median age
ShipdhamNorfolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications22%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level23%
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.
| Shipdham | Norfolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.9% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 22% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.6% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 23% | 26% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Norfolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Shipdham
14pages on Shipdham
The big questions
SafetyA−15.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £283K · rent £928 a monthHousing28 sold in 12 months · busiest street Market StreetSchoolsA+1 state schoolHealthB−Life expectancy 81.3 (men), 83.3 (women)Work & commuteC+48% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.3% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Shipdham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
DerehamSaham ToneyWattonAshillHinghamNectonGristonShipdham
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shipdham | 2,459 | — | — | C+ | A− | B− |
| Dereham | 20,788 | 3.7 | C− | B− | C− | C+ |
| Saham Toney | 1,287 | 4.7 | — | C | A | B− |
| Watton | 11,549 | 4.8 | C+ | B− | C+ | C |
| Ashill | 1,252 | 4.9 | — | C+ | B | B− |
| Hingham | 2,304 | 5 | — | A− | A− | B+ |
| Necton | 1,742 | 5.2 | — | C+ | A | B− |
| Griston | 1,361 | 5.6 | — | C− | C− | C |
Saham Toney, Ashill, Hingham, Necton and Griston have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Shipdham
Are schools in Shipdham good?
Primary results beat almost all towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Norfolk council.
How many listed buildings are there in Shipdham?
That is 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of All Saints.
Is Shipdham safe?
Police recorded 46 crimes inside Shipdham’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, 52% of them violence and sexual offences, a police category that includes harassment and stalking.
About Shipdham
Village in Norfolk, England
Shipdham is a built-up area of 2,459 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
- 2,459 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Breckland
- County
- Norfolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002563
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.