Puriton’s story
4 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Puriton’s built-up area.
12% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PuritonSomerset
In Somerset, South West, this village has 2,265 residents. Mortgage-free owners make up 45% of households.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: P.R. Clarke · Public domain
Population
2,265
Census 2021 · Sedgemoor council
Median home
£265K
107 sales in 3 years
Median age
47.5
26% are 65+ · Somerset 23%
Degree level
26%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Puriton a good place to live?
Puriton’s best grade is for safety (B+): 19.6 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 6 home and vehicle crimes. At a median £265,000, a home costs 5.3 times the yearly income of households in the Sedgemoor council area. Getting around depends on the car: on the way to work, 8% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for schools, B for health and B− for jobs & income.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Puriton has subject grades but no overall one.
ONS publishes one rent for all of Somerset, so this town's Cost Grade uses house prices and council tax only.
WeakestDWalkability
What makes Puriton stand out
The 3 things Puriton 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%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
26% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Own outright
Housing
45% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Puriton grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Puriton is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Puriton has subject grades but no overall one.
WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carDOpen →SafetyAhead of most towns comparedB+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →Cost of livingRent £1,016 a monthC+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 55% of towns in EnglandBOpen →HealthLife expectancy 81 for men, 86.2 for womenBOpen →Jobs & income1.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageC−Open →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 0.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsD−Open →Civic life3.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 61% live within 1 km of a libraryAOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Puriton.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Work tends to be further away for Puriton: 30% commute under 5 km, below Somerset’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 23% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car took nine in ten commuters, above both Somerset’s towns (76%) and England’s towns (70%). Home was the main workplace for nearly a quarter of workers at the census. Work in town: 4% of resident commuters. Household income averages £48K a year before tax.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot3%
Bicycle3%
Bus2%
30%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
23%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£48K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 12% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
SchoolsB
Puriton’s schools outperform 56% of towns in England on results
At the 5 primary schools within 3 km, 62% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The one school in town appears below. 200 pupils attend Puriton’s one primary school.
BSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puriton Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 200 | B+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Who lives here
Degrees are less common in Puriton than in Somerset’s towns or across England’s towns: 26% of adults
Over-65s are just over a quarter of the population. Children under 15 make up 15%, below both Somerset’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%); what’s more, people aged 15 to 24 are 9.4% of the population. Half the people of Puriton are older than 47.5.
47.5median age
PuritonSomersetEngland
Ages · share of residents
26%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar21%
Degree level26%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Puriton | Somerset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.4% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 26% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.6% | 6.1% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 21% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 26% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Somerset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
History
Among Puriton’s 4 listed buildings: the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Grade I
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 12% of the total, lower than both Somerset’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (16%). Puriton’s listed buildings include the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Grade I. Scaled to its population, that is 18 listed buildings for every 10,000 people here.
4listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II3
Among them · Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
12%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
18
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Puriton records less crime per resident than 68% of UK towns
69 crimes and 12 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Puriton’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Of all the crimes, 59% were violence and sexual offences.
19.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 48% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual41
Damage & arson6
Burglary6
Other theft5
Public order3
Drugs2
Vehicle crime2
Weapons2
Anti-social12
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.
19.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
69
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.
HousingCost of living grade C+
Puriton is a town of owners: 81% of households own their home, above Somerset’s towns and England’s towns
One in ten households rent privately. Social housing holds 8% of households, below Somerset’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Behind the median of £265,000: 107 standard sales inside Puriton’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026.
£265Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Puriton£265K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £367,000 | 35 |
| Semi-detached | £255,000 | 52 |
| Terraced | £229,500 | 20 |
81%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,016
average private rent a month, Somerset council area
£2,467
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Health
Lifespans in Puriton run longer than in 73% of UK towns
The nearest A&E to Puriton is Weston General Hospital, 10.7 miles away. 16% of residents in Puriton live with a disability. The town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.5 miles away.
83%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Puriton | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 18% | 17% |
81
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.2
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.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Somerset Brick and Tile Museum and 2 more in and around Puriton
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Puriton. Best known first.
MuseumSomerset Brick and Tile Museum4.1 km outside town, to the south
MuseumThe Admiral Blake Museum4.5 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumBrick & Tile Museum3.8 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 (2)
- Somerset Brick and Tile Museum: Ken Grainger, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Admiral Blake Museum: Rodw, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Puriton
14pages on Puriton
The big questions
SafetyB+19.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £265K · rent £1,016 a monthHousing30 sold in 12 months · busiest street Orchard CloseSchoolsB1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 81 (men), 86.2 (women)Work & commuteB−42% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Puriton’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
WoolavingtonBridgwaterWembdonHighbridgeCanningtonWestonzoylandBurnham-on-SeaPuriton
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puriton | 2,265 | — | — | C+ | B+ | B |
| Woolavington | 2,324 | 1.6 | — | C | C− | B− |
| Bridgwater | 47,846 | 3.1 | D− | C+ | D− | C− |
| Wembdon | 1,772 | 3.2 | — | D | A | B+ |
| Highbridge | 5,366 | 3.7 | D− | C+ | D− | D |
| Cannington | 2,315 | 4.1 | — | C | B+ | B |
| Westonzoyland | 1,463 | 4.6 | — | B− | B+ | B |
| Burnham-on-Sea | 16,317 | 4.8 | D | C | C− | C− |
Woolavington, Wembdon, Cannington and Westonzoyland have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Puriton
Is Puriton safe?
Against all UK towns, it grades B+.
Does Puriton flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Puriton
Village in Somerset, England
Puriton is a built-up area of 2,265 people, in the Sedgemoor 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
- 2,265 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Sedgemoor
- County
- Somerset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005789
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.