Thurlton’s story
6 listed buildings, 2 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Thurlton’s built-up area.
27% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
ThurltonNorfolk
A village of 1,145 in Norfolk, East of England. 6% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Geographer · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,145
Census 2021 · South Norfolk council
Median home
£291K
38 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.4
24% are 65+ · Norfolk 24%
Degree level
32%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Thurlton a good place to live?
Thurlton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is cost of living (A−): median sale £291,250, 5.1 years of area income; rent £981 a month. Its weakest is schools (D−): primary results beat 0% of towns in England.
What makes Thurlton stand out
The 3 things Thurlton 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
2 Grade I, including Church of All Saints; 2.2 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Primary results, towns in England
Schools
Primary results trail 100%
of towns in England, on Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths
Department for Education.
How Thurlton grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Thurlton is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 0% of towns in EnglandD−Open →WalkabilityD−Open →Hazard risk4.3% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →SafetyA−Open →Jobs & income2.4% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsCOpen →HealthLife expectancy 81.5 for men, 82.5 for womenBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryBOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 39% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB−Open →Civic life4.4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Thurlton.
SchoolsD−
Results at Thurlton’s schools are among the lowest in England
36% of pupils at the 2 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its one school is below. 69 pupils attend Thurlton’s one primary school.
D−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurlton Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 69 | D− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Long commutes are the norm in Thurlton: just 11% travel under 5 km, below Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
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.
92% of commuters drove, above Norfolk’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. There are 0.2 jobs in Thurlton for each resident in work. Before tax, the average household brings in £51K a year.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
Bus2%
On foot2%
Bicycle1%
11%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
26%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£51K
mean household income, before tax
2.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 3% 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 A−
Most households in Thurlton own their home: 83%, more than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns
8% of households rent privately. 38 standard sales inside Thurlton’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 put the median at £291,250.
£291Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Thurlton£291K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £365,000 | 22 |
| Semi-detached | £245,000 | 13 |
83%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£981
average private rent a month, South Norfolk council area
£2,412
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
Burglary and damage are rarer in Thurlton than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.8 per 1,000 residents a year
Each year, 16.3 violent crimes are recorded per 1,000 residents. The 12 months to August 2026 brought 20 recorded crimes inside Thurlton’s built-up area, and 2 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences made up 55% of the total.
16.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 68% 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 & sexual11
Damage & arson3
Other theft3
Burglary2
Weapons1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Drugs0
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.
16.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
20
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 Thurlton than in Norfolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 4% of residents
There is no GP practice in Thurlton: the nearest is 3.5 miles off. Just over four fifths of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than Norfolk’s towns (79%) and near England’s towns (82%). The nearest A&E to Thurlton is James Paget Hospital, 7.1 miles away.
82%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Thurlton | Norfolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4% | 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 · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
History
Old homes shape Thurlton: 27% were built before 1919, more than in Norfolk’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Thurlton’s listed buildings include the Church of All Saints, Grade I. Historic England’s list names 6 listed buildings here: 2 Grade I. Listed buildings per head: 52 for every 10,000 residents of the town.
6listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I2
Grade II*0
Grade II4
Among them · Grade I
- Church of All Saints Grade I
- Church of St Mary Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
27%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
52
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Few people in Thurlton are 15 to 24: 8.8%, fewer than in Norfolk’s towns and England’s towns
Those 65 and older account for nearly a quarter of residents. Ages in Thurlton split evenly at 49.4: half are older, half younger. Also worth knowing: 32% of adults hold a degree, higher than Norfolk’s towns (26%) and near England’s towns (34%).
49.4median age
ThurltonNorfolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level32%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
About 105 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Thurlton | Norfolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.8% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 24% | 24% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 32% | 26% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Norfolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Raveningham Hall and 3 more in and around Thurlton
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Thurlton. Best known first.
Historic house · English HeritageRaveningham Hall1.8 km outside town, to the southwest
Abbey or priory · English HeritageSt Olave's Priory4.1 km outside town, to the eastZooZooPettitts Animal Adventure Park4 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionHerringfleet Windmill4.7 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Raveningham Hall: Evelyn Simak, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St Olave's Priory: Michael Dibb, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Thurlton
14pages on Thurlton
The big questions
SafetyA−16.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £291K · rent £981 a monthHousing13 sold in 12 months · busiest street Low RoadSchoolsD−1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 81.5 (men), 82.5 (women)Work & commuteC45% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD4.3% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Thurlton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ChedgraveLoddonFreethorpeBeltonBecclesWorlinghamDitchinghamThurlton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurlton | 1,145 | — | — | A− | A− | B |
| Chedgrave | 1,053 | 3.4 | — | A− | A− | B |
| Loddon | 2,247 | 3.4 | — | A− | C− | B |
| Freethorpe | 1,050 | 4.1 | — | A− | A− | B− |
| Belton | 3,603 | 5.1 | D | D | B+ | C |
| Beccles | 9,807 | 5.4 | B | A | C | C |
| Worlingham | 3,618 | 5.7 | A | A− | A | B+ |
| Ditchingham | 1,997 | 6.2 | — | A | A | B |
Chedgrave, Loddon, Freethorpe and Ditchingham have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Thurlton
Are schools in Thurlton good?
Primary results trail 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 Thurlton?
That is 2.2 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I buildings include Church of All Saints.
Does Thurlton flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Thurlton
Village in Norfolk, England
Thurlton is a built-up area of 1,145 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
- 1,145 (Census 2021)
- Council
- South Norfolk
- County
- Norfolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002723
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.