Old Stratford’s story
8 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Old Stratford’s built-up area.
7% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Old StratfordNorthamptonshire
Population 2,427: a village in Northamptonshire, East Midlands.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Mr Biz · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,427
Census 2021 · West Northamptonshire council
Median home
£375K
91 sales in 3 years
Median age
41.1
17% are 65+ · Northamptonshire 17%
Degree level
39%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Old Stratford a good place to live?
Old Stratford’s strongest subject is jobs & income (A): mean household income £63,504; 1.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. The weak point is walkability (C−) — on the way to work, 10% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. Cost of living is weaker too: homes sell for a median £375,000, about 6.7 times local household income. The rest of its grades are middling: C+ for schools and B− for hazard risk.
Figures: income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. Old Stratford is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Old Stratford stand out
The 2 things Old Stratford does most differently from other towns.
How Old Stratford grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Old Stratford is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Old Stratford is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedAOpen →SafetyIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesC−Open →HealthLife expectancy 82.2 for men, 86 for womenB+Open →Cost of livingRent £1,084 a monthCOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 67% of towns in England; secondary results beat 23% of towns in EnglandC+Open →Hazard risk0.2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryLess recorded history than most townsC−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 9.8 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsAOpen →Civic life1.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 19% live within 1 km of a libraryC+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Old Stratford.
Safety
Old Stratford has less crime per resident than 85% of UK towns
Violence and sexual offences were 45% of the crimes. Violent crime ran at 11.5 per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Northamptonshire’s towns (18.4) and England’s towns (22). The 12 months to August 2026 brought 51 recorded crimes inside Old Stratford’s built-up area, and 24 reports of anti-social behaviour. For its size, Old Stratford records less crime per resident than 72% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people.
11.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 72% 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 & sexual23
Burglary7
Damage & arson5
Vehicle crime5
Public order4
Other theft4
Drugs1
Weapons1
Anti-social24
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.
11.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
51
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.
SchoolsC+
On exam results, Old Stratford’s schools trail 57% of towns in England
Secondary results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 42.4, with 36% at grade 5 or above in English and maths. Old Stratford Primary School’s results beat 75% of schools in England like it. Its only school is listed below. At the 6 primary schools within 3 km, nearly two thirds of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
C+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Stratford Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 162 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
All 8 of Old Stratford’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Homes from before 1919 make up 7% of the total, below Northamptonshire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. Relative to its size, Old Stratford keeps 33 listed buildings per 10,000 residents.
8listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II8
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
7%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
33
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 A
Fewer commuters in Old Stratford work nearby than in Northamptonshire’s towns or England’s towns: 17% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 46% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Working mainly from home: 46% of workers, above both Northamptonshire’s towns (26%) and England’s towns (31%); what’s more, at the census, 87% of commuters went by car. Work in town: 2% of resident commuters. Old Stratford counts 0.5 jobs per working resident.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot5%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
Bus1%
17%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
46%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£64K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 22% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Just 3.3% of people in Old Stratford say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in both Northamptonshire’s towns and England’s towns
At the census, 13% of people here had a disability, lower than both Northamptonshire’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (17%). Old Stratford has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 0.7 miles away. Women here live to 86 on average and men to 82.2 (2019–23). The nearest A&E to Old Stratford is Milton Keynes Hospital, 6.1 miles away.
86%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Old Stratford | Northamptonshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.3% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
82.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade C
Old Stratford is a town of owners: 75% of households own their home, above Northamptonshire’s towns and England’s towns
Private tenants account for 13% of households. 8% live in social housing, lower than both Northamptonshire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). Also worth knowing: from September 2023 to August 2026, 91 homes sold inside Old Stratford’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £375,000.
£375Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Old Stratford£375K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £535,000 | 35 |
| Semi-detached | £364,250 | 28 |
| Terraced | £330,000 | 16 |
| Flat or maisonette | £193,000 | 12 |
75%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,084
average private rent a month, West Northamptonshire council area
£2,481
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
More people in Old Stratford hold a degree than in Northamptonshire’s towns or England’s towns: 39%
9.7% of residents are aged 15 to 24. The age that splits Old Stratford in two is 41.1. The under-15s are 19% of the population here.
41.1median age
Old StratfordNorthamptonshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
17%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level39%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 96 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Old Stratford | Northamptonshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.7% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 27% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 17% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7% | 6% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 39% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Northamptonshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Milton Keynes Museum and 3 more in and around Old Stratford
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Old Stratford. Best known first.
MuseumMilton Keynes Museum3.8 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumMilton Keynes City Discovery Centre4.8 km outside town, to the eastHistoric shipHistoric shipWey3.8 km outside town, to the eastHistoric siteHistoric sitetrain3.9 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 (1)
- Milton Keynes Museum: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Old Stratford
14pages on Old Stratford
The big questions
SafetyA11.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £375K · rent £1,084 a monthHousing26 sold in 12 months · busiest street Blackhorse DriveSchoolsC+1 state schoolHealthB+Life expectancy 82.2 (men), 86 (women)Work & commuteA57% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Old Stratford’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
DeanshangerPotterspuryCastlethorpeYardley GobionHanslopeMilton KeynesNewport PagnellOld Stratford
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Stratford | 2,427 | — | — | C | A | B+ |
| Deanshanger | 4,128 | 1.2 | B | C+ | A− | B+ |
| Potterspury | 1,637 | 1.8 | — | C+ | B− | B+ |
| Castlethorpe | 1,112 | 2.4 | — | C+ | B+ | A− |
| Yardley Gobion | 1,283 | 2.4 | — | C | A+ | B |
| Hanslope | 2,161 | 3.9 | — | C+ | C | A− |
| Milton Keynes | 197,328 | 4.8 | C+ | B− | D | C |
| Newport Pagnell | 15,250 | 6 | B | B− | B− | B |
Potterspury, Castlethorpe, Yardley Gobion and Hanslope have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Old Stratford
Is Old Stratford expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £375,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £193,000, terraced houses £330,000, semi-detached houses £364,250 and detached houses £535,000.
How much is council tax in Old Stratford?
Band D council tax in Old Stratford is £2,481 for 2026–27, more than in 60% 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 Old Stratford
Village in Northamptonshire, England
Old Stratford is a built-up area of 2,427 people, in the West Northamptonshire 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
- 2,427 (Census 2021)
- Council
- West Northamptonshire
- County
- Northamptonshire
- Region
- East Midlands
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003810
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.