Ampleforth’s story
16 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Ampleforth’s built-up area.
37% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
AmpleforthNorth Yorkshire
A village of 1,239 in North Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Stephen Horncastle · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,239
Census 2021 · Ryedale council
Median home
£357K
36 sales in 3 years
Median age
36.6
18% are 65+ · North Yorkshire 22%
Degree level
35%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
25%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Ampleforth a good place to live?
Ampleforth has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A): 14 violent and sexual offences and 1.6 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is cost of living (D−): median sale £357,000, 7.7 years of area income; rent £849 a month.
The state schools in and within 3 km of this town had fewer than 30 pupils in published KS2 or GCSE results, too few to grade, so it has no School Grade. ONS publishes one rent for all of North Yorkshire, so this town's Cost Grade uses house prices and council tax only.
What makes Ampleforth stand out
The 3 things Ampleforth does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including The Abbey Church; 5.3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents aged 15 to 24
Who lives here
1 in 4 is 15 to 24
27% of residents, against 12% across England’s towns
85%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 85%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
How Ampleforth grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Ampleforth is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Cost of livingD−Open →SafetyAOpen →Walkability25% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportAOpen →Hazard risk4.4% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaDOpen →HealthLife expectancy 81.8 for men, 84.9 for womenA−Open →Jobs & incomeB−Open →
SchoolsNot graded yet–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History37% of homes built before 1919A−Open →Outdoors27% live within 400 m of a park; 95% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeCOpen →Civic life4.8 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ampleforth.
Who lives here
A young town: 27% of people in Ampleforth are 15 to 24, more than in North Yorkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The 65-and-over age group makes up 18% of residents. Line up the people of Ampleforth by age and the one in the middle is 36.6. Degrees are held by 35% of adults, above North Yorkshire’s towns (32%) and close to England’s towns (34%).
36.6median age
AmpleforthNorth YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications15%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar13%
Degree level35%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
About 110 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Ampleforth | North Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 27% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 14% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 18% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 15% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.3% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 35% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · North Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Ampleforth
Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Benedict's Catholic Primary School - a Catholic voluntary academyLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 88 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade D−
Ampleforth is a town of owners: 69% of households own their home, above North Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
Private tenants account for 16% of households. From September 2023 to August 2026, 36 homes sold inside Ampleforth’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £357,000. Social housing holds 15% of households.
£357Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Ampleforth£357K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £525,000 | 21 |
| Semi-detached | £235,000 | 8 |
| Terraced | £260,000 | 7 |
69%
of households own their home · England 61%
16%
rent privately · England 21%
£849
average private rent a month, North Yorkshire council area
£2,530
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
Ampleforth has less crime per resident than nine in ten UK towns
The 12 months to August 2026 brought 25 recorded crimes inside Ampleforth’s built-up area, and 5 reports of anti-social behaviour. There were 3.8 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below North Yorkshire’s towns (10.4) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. Violence and sexual offences accounted for three fifths of recorded crime.
14violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 85% 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 & sexual15
Damage & arson3
Public order3
Other theft2
Other crime2
Shoplifting0
Burglary0
Drugs0
Anti-social5
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.
14
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
25
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Only 29% of Ampleforth’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in North Yorkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 35% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
0.8% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, lower than both North Yorkshire’s towns (1.9%) and England’s towns (2.3%). The average household earns £46K a year before tax. For every resident in work, Ampleforth has 1.3 jobs.
25%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving73%
On foot21%
Bicycle3%
29%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
35%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£46K
mean household income, before tax
0.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
A
Walkability: more walkable than 89% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Ampleforth keeps more of its old housing than North Yorkshire or England’s towns: 37% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Scaled to its population, that is 129 listed buildings for every 10,000 people in Ampleforth. Its listed buildings include The Abbey Church, Grade I. The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them. It counts 16 listed buildings on the national list (Historic England): 1 Grade I.
16listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II15
Among them · Grade I
- The Abbey Church Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
37%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
129
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Ampleforth than in North Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.5% of residents
One GP practice serves the town; 96% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey. 85% of Ampleforth’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, above North Yorkshire’s towns (81%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. Disability touches 16% of the town’s population. Also worth knowing: men in Ampleforth can expect to live to 81.8, women to 84.9 (2019–23).
85%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Ampleforth | North Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.5% | 5.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 19% | 17% |
81.8
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 · Self-reported health favours young towns, since these answers ignore age; the Health Grade leans on age-adjusted measures such as life expectancy and early deaths.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Ampleforth Abbey and 8 more in and around Ampleforth
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Ampleforth. Best known first.
Abbey or prioryAmpleforth Abbeyin town
Castle · English HeritageHelmsley Castle4.4 km outside town, to the northeast
Abbey or priory · English HeritageByland Abbey2.7 km outside town, to the west
CastleGilling Castle1.1 km outside town, to the southeast
Historic houseDuncombe Park3.7 km outside town, to the northeast
Abbey or prioryNewburgh Priory4.1 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Ampleforth Abbey: martin dawes, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Helmsley Castle: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Byland Abbey: Antony McCallum, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gilling Castle: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Duncombe Park: Kognos, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Newburgh Priory: Stuart and Fiona Jackson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ampleforth
14pages on Ampleforth
The big questions
SafetyA14 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingD−Median home £357K · rent £849 a monthHousing11 sold in 12 months · busiest street West EndSchools1 state schoolHealthA−Life expectancy 81.8 (men), 84.9 (women)Work & commuteB−63% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsD4.4% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Ampleforth’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HelmsleyEasingwoldHuby (Hambleton)KirkbymoorsideThirskSowerbyStrensallAmpleforth
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampleforth | 1,239 | — | — | D− | A | A− |
| Helmsley | 1,345 | 3.7 | — | D− | B− | B+ |
| Easingwold | 5,036 | 6.5 | B | C | C+ | B+ |
| Huby (Hambleton) | 1,056 | 8.2 | — | D | A+ | A− |
| Kirkbymoorside | 2,763 | 8.3 | C | C | C+ | A− |
| Thirsk | 5,891 | 9.9 | C+ | B | C | B |
| Sowerby | 4,727 | 10 | B− | B+ | C+ | B |
| Strensall | 6,060 | 12 | A | C− | A | A− |
Helmsley and Huby (Hambleton) have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Ampleforth
How many listed buildings are there in Ampleforth?
That is 5.3 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is The Abbey Church.
Does Ampleforth flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Ampleforth
Village in North Yorkshire, England
Ampleforth is a built-up area of 1,239 people, in the Ryedale 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
- 1,239 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Ryedale
- County
- North Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000471
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.