Trefonen’s story
Old homes in Trefonen: 44% built before 1919
44% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
TrefonenShropshire
A village of 745 in Shropshire, West Midlands.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: John Haynes · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
745
Census 2021 · Shropshire council
Median home
£310K
34 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.1
29% are 65+ · Shropshire 21%
Degree level
37%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Trefonen a good place to live?
Trefonen has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Trefonen stand out
The 3 things Trefonen does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Homes built before 1919
History
44% of homes built before 1919
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
29% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Trefonen.
Who lives here
Trefonen skews older, with 29% of residents 65 or over, more than Shropshire’s towns or England’s towns
The share of residents under 15 is 15%. The 15-to-24 age group: 9.3%, lower than both Shropshire’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Half the people of Trefonen are older than 51.1. Degrees are held by 37% of adults.
51.1median age
TrefonenShropshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
29%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications15%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level37%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Trefonen | Shropshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.3% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 29% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 15% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.6% | 5.9% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 37% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Shropshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Trefonen
Nearly half of pupils at the 2 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The one school in town appears below. Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 38.1, and 27% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trefonen CofE Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 120 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Trefonen than in Shropshire’s towns or England’s towns: 8%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 30% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
1.9% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, below Shropshire’s towns (2.4%) and England’s towns (2.3%) alike. At the census, nearly nine in ten commuters went by car. About 5% of its commuters stay in Trefonen for work. For 33% of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot5%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
33%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
30%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£53K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
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
Housing
More households own their home in Trefonen than in Shropshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 76%
Social renters account for just over one in ten households. 10% rent privately, lower than both Shropshire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (21%). The median sale, £310,000, comes from 34 standard sales inside Trefonen’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£310Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Trefonen£310K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £370,000 | 19 |
| Semi-detached | £240,000 | 15 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£823
average private rent a month, Shropshire council area
£2,433
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
Violent crime runs low in Trefonen: 10.3 per 1,000 residents a year, under Shropshire’s towns and England’s towns
Violence and sexual offences were 50% of the crimes. Homes saw 2.7 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year, below Shropshire’s towns (8.7) and England’s towns (9.4) alike. Reported offences in Trefonen came to 14 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 3.
10.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual7
Bicycle theft2
Public order1
Burglary1
Drugs1
Weapons1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social3
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.
10.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
14
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 3.1% of people in Trefonen say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in Shropshire’s towns and England’s towns
The nearest A&E to Trefonen is Wrexham Maelor Hospital, 15.2 miles away. At the census, 16% of people here had a disability, lower than both Shropshire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (17%). There is no GP practice here: the nearest is 2.8 miles off.
83%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Trefonen | Shropshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 19% | 17% |
81.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Trefonen keeps more of its old housing than Shropshire’s towns or England’s towns: 44% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Trefonen has one scheduled monument. Historic England’s list has no building inside the town’s built-up area.
0listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
44%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Sycharth Castle and 6 more in and around Trefonen
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Trefonen. Best known first.
CastleSycharth Castle4.8 km outside town, to the west
CastleOswestry Castle3.8 km outside town, to the northeast
Heritage railwayCambrian Heritage Railways3.5 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumCambrian Railways Museum3.9 km outside town, to the northeastRuinsRuinsGrand Stand (remains)3.1 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumOswestry Town Museum3.8 km outside town, to the northeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Sycharth Castle: Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Oswestry Castle: Jaggery, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cambrian Heritage Railways: Cambrian Railways Trust, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Trefonen
14pages on Trefonen
The big questions
Safety10.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £310K · rent £823 a monthHousing7 sold in 12 months · busiest street School LaneSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 81.9 (men), 85.1 (women)Work & commute48% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Trefonen’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
MordaOswestryPantLlanymynechWhittingtonGobowenFour CrossesTrefonen
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trefonen | 745 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Morda | 1,976 | 2 | — | B+ | A− | C+ |
| Oswestry | 17,500 | 2.9 | C+ | A | C | C |
| Pant | 1,173 | 2.9 | — | B− | A | A− |
| Llanymynech | 1,040 | 3.7 | — | A | B | A− |
| Whittington | 1,618 | 4.9 | — | B+ | B− | B |
| Gobowen | 3,046 | 5.2 | C− | A | C | C |
| Four Crosses | 1,469 | 5.2 | — | B− | A+ | B+ |
Morda, Pant, Llanymynech, Whittington and Four Crosses have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Trefonen
Is Trefonen expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £310,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £240,000 and detached houses £370,000. Private rents in the Shropshire council area averaged £823 a month in August 2026.
How much is council tax in Trefonen?
Band D council tax in Trefonen is £2,433 for 2026–27, less than in 52% 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 Trefonen
Village in Shropshire, England
Trefonen is a built-up area of 745 people, in the Shropshire 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
- 745 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Shropshire
- County
- Shropshire
- Region
- West Midlands
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002197
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.