Embsay’s story
14 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Embsay’s built-up area.
25% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
EmbsayNorth Yorkshire
A village of 1,723 in North Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David Clark · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,723
Census 2021 · Craven council
Median home
£355K
142 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.3
27% are 65+ · North Yorkshire 22%
Degree level
48%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
14%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Embsay a good place to live?
Embsay has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A+): 6.6 violent and sexual offences and 2.5 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 £355,000, 7.1 years of area income; rent £849 a month.
ONS publishes one rent for all of North Yorkshire, so this town's Cost Grade uses house prices and council tax only.
What makes Embsay stand out
The 3 things Embsay does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Manor House; 3.3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
98%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 98%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
14% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
39% of commuters travel under 5 km.
How Embsay grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Embsay is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyA+Open →HealthLife expectancy 83.7 for men, 85.2 for womenA+Open →Cost of livingDOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 38% of towns in England; secondary results beat 95% of towns in EnglandB+Open →Hazard risk1.1% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaCOpen →Jobs & incomeMean household income £51,791; 2.1% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →WalkabilityB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryB+Open →Outdoors38% live within 400 m of a park; 47% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeC−Open →Civic life6.4 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 Embsay.
Safety
Embsay has less crime per resident than 99% of UK towns
Violence came to 6.6 per 1,000 residents a year, below both North Yorkshire’s towns (20.2) and England’s towns (22). Police recorded 23 crimes inside Embsay’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 6 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 83% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
6.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 98% 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 & sexual19
Burglary2
Public order1
Other theft1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Drugs0
Vehicle crime0
Anti-social6
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.
6.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.1
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
SchoolsB+
Results at Embsay’s schools beat 70% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
B+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embsay Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | – | D |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Bad health is less common in Embsay than in North Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 2.7% of residents
For Embsay, that is below both North Yorkshire’s towns (5.5%) and England’s towns (5.2%). Women here live to 85.2 on average and men to 83.7 (2019–23). 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.
87%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Embsay | North Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.7% | 5.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 19% | 17% |
83.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.2
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
HousingCost of living grade D
Most households in Embsay own their home: 81%, more than in North Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns
Embsay sits above both North Yorkshire’s towns (65%) and England’s towns (61%) on this measure. Social housing holds 7% of households.
£355Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Embsay£355K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £476,000 | 50 |
| Semi-detached | £355,000 | 46 |
| Terraced | £236,000 | 28 |
| Flat or maisonette | £189,950 | 18 |
81%
of households own their home · England 61%
12%
rent privately · England 21%
£849
average private rent a month, North Yorkshire council area
£2,531
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
More of the land in Embsay is conservation area than in North Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 65%
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
That puts Embsay above both North Yorkshire’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (7%). Homes from before 1919 make up 25% of the total. Embsay has 14 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 1 Grade II*.
14listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II13
Among them · Grade II*
- Manor House Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
25%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
81
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Embsay than in North Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 14%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 39% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
On this, Embsay is below both North Yorkshire’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (27%). The car carried 85% of commuters at the census.
14%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
On foot10%
Bicycle2%
Bus1%
Train1%
39%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
39%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£52K
mean household income, before tax
2.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 52% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Embsay is a graduates’ town: 48% hold a degree, more than in North Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns
In the comparison, Embsay comes above both North Yorkshire’s towns (32%) and England’s towns (34%). Young adults of 15 to 24 are 7.3% of the population. The median resident of Embsay is 49.3 years old.
49.3median age
EmbsayNorth YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications10%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level48%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 91 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.
| Embsay | North Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.3% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 9.8% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.8% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 48% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · North Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway and 7 more in and around Embsay
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Embsay. Best known first.
Heritage railwayHeritage railwayEmbsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railwayin town
CastleSkipton Castle1.6 km outside town, to the southwest
Historic houseBarden Tower4.9 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumCraven Museum1.7 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionCanal trips2 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionSkipton Boat Trips2.1 km outside town, to the southwest
CastleSkipton Castle1.6 km outside town, to the southwestHistoric houseBarden Tower4.9 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumCraven Museum1.7 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionCanal trips2 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionSkipton Boat Trips2.1 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 (3)
- Skipton Castle: Davegill70, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Barden Tower: Peter Church, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Craven Museum: JHillCDC, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Embsay
15pages on Embsay
The big questions
SafetyA+6.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £355K · rent £849 a monthHousing34 sold in 12 months · busiest street Tannery LaneSchoolsB+1 state schoolHealthA+Life expectancy 83.7 (men), 85.2 (women)Work & commuteB+55% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC1.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Embsay’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
SkiptonLow BradleyCarleton-in-CravenGargraveAddinghamSilsdenCross HillsEmbsay
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embsay | 1,723 | — | — | D | A+ | A+ |
| Skipton | 15,050 | 1.6 | B | C+ | C | C+ |
| Low Bradley | 1,203 | 3.2 | — | C− | A+ | B− |
| Carleton-in-Craven | 1,060 | 3.2 | — | B+ | A | A |
| Gargrave | 1,502 | 4.5 | — | C+ | A | A− |
| Addingham | 3,247 | 5 | A | C− | A− | A+ |
| Silsden | 8,392 | 5.1 | B | B | C | C+ |
| Cross Hills | 4,809 | 5.4 | B | B− | B | B− |
Low Bradley, Carleton-in-Craven and Gargrave have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Embsay
How many listed buildings are there in Embsay?
That is 3.3 times the typical UK town for its size.
Does Embsay flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Is Embsay expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £355,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £189,950, terraced houses £236,000, semi-detached houses £355,000 and detached houses £476,000.
About Embsay
Village in North Yorkshire, England
Embsay is a built-up area of 1,723 people, in the Craven 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
- 1,723 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Craven
- County
- North Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000607
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.