Rufforth’s story
4 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Rufforth’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
RufforthNorth Yorkshire
652 people live in this village in North Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Mtaylor848 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
652
Census 2021 · York council
Median home
£435K
27 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.9
25% are 65+ · North Yorkshire 22%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Rufforth a good place to live?
Rufforth is below the 1,000 residents fair grades need, but every figure on this page is real. 6% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. It has 4 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I. 56% of households own their home with no mortgage.
What makes Rufforth stand out
The 3 things Rufforth 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
0 Grade II*; 2.5 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Own outright
Housing
56% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
Nearby attractions
All attractions →National Railway Museum and 4 more in and around Rufforth
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Rufforth. Best known first.
MuseumBig drawMuseumNational Railway Museum4.9 km outside town, to the east · 808K visitors a year
Fort · English HeritageYork Cold War Bunker3.6 km outside town, to the east
Garden · National TrustGoddards Garden4.7 km outside town, to the eastZooZooAskham Bryan Wildlife and Conservation Park3 km outside town, to the southeastAttractionAttractionHolgate Windmill3.9 km outside town, to the east
Fort · English HeritageYork Cold War Bunker3.6 km outside town, to the eastGarden · National TrustGoddards Garden4.7 km outside town, to the eastZooZooAskham Bryan Wildlife and Conservation Park3 km outside town, to the southeastAttractionAttractionHolgate Windmill3.9 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)
- York Cold War Bunker: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Goddards Garden: Bob Cantwell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Rufforth.
Work & commute
Under 5 km to work: 21% in Rufforth, fewer than in both North Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 43% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car carried 91% of commuters at the census; what’s more, 43% of workers worked mainly from home, higher than both North Yorkshire’s towns (27%) and England’s towns (31%). The average household earns £66K a year before tax. About 4% of its commuters stay in Rufforth for work.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving91%
On foot2%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
Bus1%
21%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
43%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£66K
mean household income, before tax
0.6%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Schools
The schools around Rufforth
Rufforth Primary School’s results beat 81% of schools in England like it. Below is its only school. GCSE results at the one secondary school within 3 km: two in five pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 38.8.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rufforth Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 103 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
Buying in Rufforth costs more than in both North Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns: the median sale is £435K
7% rent privately, below North Yorkshire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. Social renters account for 6% of households. Home ownership stands at 86% of households.
£435Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Rufforth£435K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £449,975 | 22 |
86%
of households own their home · England 61%
7%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,199
average private rent a month, York council area
£2,301
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 Rufforth than in North Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.1 per 1,000 residents a year
Each year, 13.8 violent crimes are recorded per 1,000 residents. Police recorded 19 crimes inside Rufforth’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 4 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 58% of recorded crime.
13.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual11
Public order2
Other theft2
Burglary2
Damage & arson1
Drugs1
Shoplifting0
Vehicle crime0
Anti-social4
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.
13.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
19
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
Is Rufforth a healthy place? 86% of its people say their health is good, above North Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
3.7% of residents report bad or very bad health. Rufforth has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.8 miles away. At the census, 17% of people here had a disability, lower than North Yorkshire’s towns (19%) and near England’s towns (17%).
86%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Rufforth | North Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.7% | 5.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 19% | 17% |
82
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.7
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them, do allow for age.
History
Rufforth keeps more of its old housing than North Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 23% 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 61 listed buildings for every 10,000 people in Rufforth.
4listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II4
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
61
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
Rufforth is a graduates’ town: 44% hold a degree, more than in both North Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
Retirement age and beyond: a quarter of residents are 65 or older. 15% are under 15, below both North Yorkshire’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%). Young adults of 15 to 24 are 9.4% of the population. Residents of Rufforth have a median age of 51.9.
51.9median age
RufforthNorth YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar13%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Rufforth | North Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.4% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 17% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 33% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.4% | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · North Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rufforth
13pages on Rufforth
The big questions
Safety13.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £435K · rent £1,199 a monthHousing9 sold in 12 months · busiest street Wetherby RoadSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 82 (men), 84.7 (women)Work & commute56% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Rufforth’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Upper PoppletonCopmanthorpeTockwithSkelton (York)YorkBishopthorpeTadcasterRufforth
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rufforth | 652 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Upper Poppleton | 3,520 | 2.6 | A | D | A+ | A− |
| Copmanthorpe | 3,671 | 3.8 | A | C− | A+ | A |
| Tockwith | 1,788 | 3.8 | — | C | C+ | A |
| Skelton (York) | 1,380 | 3.9 | — | C− | A | B |
| York | 141,696 | 4.4 | B− | C | C− | C |
| Bishopthorpe | 3,333 | 4.8 | A | D | A+ | A |
| Tadcaster | 6,339 | 5.7 | B | B− | B− | B− |
Tockwith and Skelton (York) have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Rufforth
How many listed buildings are there in Rufforth?
That is 2.5 times the typical UK town for its size. 23% of Rufforth’s homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Is Rufforth expensive to live in?
Private rents in the York council area averaged £1,199 a month in August 2026.
How much is council tax in Rufforth?
Band D council tax in Rufforth is £2,301 for 2026–27, less than in 75% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Rufforth
Village in North Yorkshire, England
Rufforth is a built-up area of 652 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
- 652 (Census 2021)
- Council
- York
- County
- North Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000621
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.