Heslington’s story
21 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Heslington’s built-up area.
15% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HeslingtonNorth Yorkshire
In North Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber, this village has 1,787 residents.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: DS Pugh · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,787
Census 2021 · York council
Median home
£200K
18 sales in 3 years
Median age
19.8
10% are 65+ · North Yorkshire 22%
Degree level
25%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
49%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Heslington a good place to live?
Crime is low (A+): 9.1 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 3.2 home and vehicle crimes. Add jobs & income to its strengths (A+) — households earn a mean £63,047 a year, and 0.2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Buying the median home, at £200,137, takes 3.7 years of household income in the York council area. Hazard risk is lower than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Heslington has its subject grades alone.
What makes Heslington stand out
The 3 things Heslington does most differently from other towns.
Residents aged 15 to 24
Who lives here
1 in 2 is 15 to 24
65% of residents, against 12% across England’s towns
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including The Little Hall; 4.8 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
94%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
How Heslington grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Heslington is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityNear the top of the towns comparedA+Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentA+Open →SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 87% of towns in England; secondary results beat 91% of towns in EnglandAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areA−Open →Cost of livingRent £1,199 a monthBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History15% of homes built before 1919BOpen →Outdoors80% live within 400 m of a park; 6.3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsA−Open →Civic life0 local charities per 1,000 residents; 100% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →York Minster and 40 more in and around Heslington
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Heslington. Best known first.
ChurchYork Minster2.7 km outside town, to the northwest
Castle · English HeritageClifford's Tower2.2 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumYorkshire Museum3 km outside town, to the northwest · 164K visitors a year (2019)
MuseumYork Castle Museum2 km outside town, to the northwest · 284K visitors a year (2013)
FortYork city walls2.2 km outside town, to the northwest
Art galleryYork Art Gallery3 km outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- York Minster: MatzeTrier, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Clifford's Tower: Francis Place (1647-1728), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Yorkshire Museum: Tim Green from Bradford, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- York Castle Museum: Jitka Erbenová (cheva), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- York city walls: Jhsteel, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- York Art Gallery: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Heslington.
Who lives here
Children make up only 5.3% of Heslington, fewer than in North Yorkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
25% of adults hold a degree. Young adults of 15 to 24 are 65% of residents, above North Yorkshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Over-65s are 9.9% of the population. Half the people of Heslington are older than 19.8.
19.8median age
HeslingtonNorth YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
65%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications3%
Apprenticeship2%
A levels or similar65%
Degree level25%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 88 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Heslington is a campus town: students living in halls or boarding houses count as residents.
| Heslington | North Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 5.3% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 65% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 11% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 8.2% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 9.9% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 2.9% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 1.5% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 65% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 25% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · North Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
More commuters in Heslington walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in North Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 49%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 45% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
47% of commuters drove, lower than both North Yorkshire’s towns (74%) and England’s towns (70%). The census counted 45% of workers working mainly from home. For every resident in work, Heslington has 2.6 jobs.
49%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving47%
On foot25%
Bicycle11%
Bus6%
Underground, tram3%
Train3%
50%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
45%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£63K
mean household income, before tax
0.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
A+
Walkability: more walkable than almost every UK town
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Per resident, Heslington sees less crime than 97% of UK towns
Police recorded 35 crimes inside Heslington’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 18 reports of anti-social behaviour. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Heslington has less crime per resident than 94% of them. 54% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
9.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 94% 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
Bicycle theft4
Other theft3
Damage & arson2
Public order2
Burglary2
Shoplifting1
Vehicle crime1
Anti-social18
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.
9.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.2
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
35
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
Just 1.4% of people in Heslington say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in North Yorkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
There is no GP practice in Heslington: the nearest is 1 miles off. Asked at the census, 88% of residents of Heslington said they were in good or very good health. At the census, 16% of people here had a disability, lower than both North Yorkshire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (17%). Life expectancy here is 85.5 for women and 82.3 for men (2019–23).
88%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 88%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 1%
| Census 2021 | Heslington | North Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 88% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.4% | 5.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 19% | 17% |
82.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Census health answers are raw, so younger towns score better on them; for the Health Grade we use age-adjusted figures like life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Much of Heslington is a conservation area: 46% of its land, more than in North Yorkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Scaled to its population, Heslington has 118 listed buildings per 10,000 people, above both North Yorkshire’s towns (58) and England’s towns (39). Grade II* covers 1 of them. Historic England’s list names 21 listed buildings locally: 1 Grade II*.
21listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II20
Among them · Grade II*
- The Little Hall Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
1
registered park and garden
15%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
118
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B
Heslington is a renters’ town: 37% of households rent privately, more than in North Yorkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
11% of households live in social housing. Owners make up 50% of households, lower than both North Yorkshire’s towns (65%) and England’s towns (61%). The median sale, £200,137, comes from 18 standard sales inside Heslington’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£200Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Heslington£200K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | £182,500 | 6 |
| Flat or maisonette | £158,000 | 6 |
50%
of households own their home · England 61%
37%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,199
average private rent a month, York council area
£2,334
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Heslington
14pages on Heslington
The big questions
SafetyA+9.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingBMedian home £200K · rent £1,199 a monthHousing6 sold in 12 months · busiest street Peel CloseSchoolsAHealthA−Life expectancy 82.3 (men), 85.5 (women)Work & commuteA+54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Heslington’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
OsbaldwickYorkBishopthorpeDunningtonHuntingtonCopmanthorpeStockton on the ForestHeslington
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heslington | 1,787 | — | — | B | A+ | A− |
| Osbaldwick | 2,313 | 1.2 | — | C− | B | B− |
| York | 141,696 | 1.9 | B− | C | C− | C |
| Bishopthorpe | 3,333 | 2.6 | A | D | A+ | A |
| Dunnington | 3,256 | 3.2 | A+ | D | A+ | B+ |
| Huntington | 12,420 | 3.3 | B− | C | B− | C+ |
| Copmanthorpe | 3,671 | 4.1 | A | C− | A+ | A |
| Stockton on the Forest | 1,018 | 4.2 | — | C | B− | B |
Osbaldwick and Stockton on the Forest have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Heslington
How many listed buildings are there in Heslington?
That is 4.8 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Heslington good?
GCSE results beat 91% of towns in England, and primary results beat 87% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Places are handled by York council.
About Heslington
Village in North Yorkshire, England
Heslington is a built-up area of 1,787 people, in the York 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
- 1,787 (Census 2021)
- Council
- York
- County
- North Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000622
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.