Shipham’s story
8 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Shipham’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
20% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
ShiphamSomerset
A village of 1,104 in Somerset, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Roger Cornfoot · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,104
Census 2021 · Sedgemoor council
Median home
£470K
47 sales in 3 years
Median age
53.1
30% are 65+ · Somerset 23%
Degree level
47%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Shipham a good place to live?
Shipham has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A+): 6.3 violent and sexual offences and 3.9 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is cost of living (D): median sale £470,000, 9.5 years of area income; rent £1,016 a month.
ONS publishes one rent for all of Somerset, so this town's Cost Grade uses house prices and council tax only.
What makes Shipham stand out
The 3 things Shipham does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
31% of commuters travel under 5 km.
97%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 97%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
How Shipham grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Shipham is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyA+Open →Cost of livingDOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 94% of towns in England; secondary results beat 76% of towns in EnglandAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Jobs & incomeMean household income £58,348; 1.2% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsA−Open →HealthLife expectancy 81.5 for men, 84.9 for womenA−Open →WalkabilityCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryBOpen →Outdoors63% live within 400 m of a park; 55% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeB−Open →Civic life4.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Gough's Cave and 9 more in and around Shipham
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Shipham. Best known first.
AttractionGough's Cave3.5 km outside town, to the southeast
Fort · National TrustDolebury Hill Fort1.1 km outside town, to the north
Museum · National TrustKing John's Hunting Lodge (Axbridge Museum)2.5 km outside town, to the southwest
CastleBanwell Castle4.1 km outside town, to the westAttractionAttractionCox's Cave and The Crystal Quest3.3 km outside town, to the southeastHistoric siteHistoric site · National TrustDolebury Warren inner wall1.1 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Gough's Cave: Rwendland, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dolebury Hill Fort: John Thorn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- King John's Hunting Lodge (Axbridge Museum): NotFromUtrecht, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Banwell Castle: This file was derived from: Banwell Castle - geograph.org.uk - 1126175.jpg, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Shipham.
Safety
Shipham has less crime per resident than 98% of UK towns
Violent crime ran at 6.3 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Somerset’s towns (27.3) and England’s towns (22). Police recorded 23 crimes inside Shipham’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 1 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 52% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
6.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 97% 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 & sexual12
Burglary3
Vehicle crime3
Damage & arson2
Other crime2
Other theft1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Anti-social1
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.
6.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
0.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
23
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
SchoolsA
Results at Shipham’s schools beat 89% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
ASchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipham Church of England First SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 82 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade D
More households own their home in Shipham than in Somerset’s towns or across England’s towns: 89%
In the comparison, Shipham comes above both Somerset’s towns (67%) and England’s towns (61%). 3% of households live in social housing.
£470Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Shipham£470K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £506,750 | 38 |
| Semi-detached | £358,500 | 6 |
89%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,016
average private rent a month, Somerset council area
£2,396
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
Bad health is less common in Shipham than in Somerset’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.1% of residents
For Shipham, that is below both Somerset’s towns (5.1%) and England’s towns (5.2%). Shipham has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.5 miles away. These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
85%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Shipham | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.1% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 18% | 17% |
81.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Fewer commuters in Shipham walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Somerset’s towns or England’s towns: 11%
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.
Shipham sits below both Somerset’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (27%) on this measure. The car carried 88% of commuters at the census.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot9%
Bicycle1%
Train1%
31%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
45%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£58K
mean household income, before tax
1.2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 35% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
8 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Shipham has 8 listed buildings inside its built-up area on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*. 20% of its homes were built before 1919.
8listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II8
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
20%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
72
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
Shipham is a graduates’ town: 47% hold a degree, more than in Somerset’s towns or England’s towns
That puts Shipham above both Somerset’s towns (32%) and England’s towns (34%). People 65 and over make up 30% of the town. Half the people of Shipham are older than 53.1.
53.1median age
ShiphamSomersetEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level47%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Shipham | Somerset | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.6% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 17% | 23% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.5% | 6.1% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 47% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Somerset and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Shipham
14pages on Shipham
The big questions
SafetyA+6.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £470K · rent £1,016 a monthHousing14 sold in 12 months · busiest street Beech RoadSchoolsA1 state schoolHealthA−Life expectancy 81.5 (men), 84.9 (women)Work & commuteA−65% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Shipham’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ChurchillWinscombe and SandfordAxbridgeCheddarWringtonBanwellBlagdonShipham
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shipham | 1,104 | — | — | D | A+ | A− |
| Churchill | 1,989 | 1.6 | — | D | C | A |
| Winscombe and Sandford | 4,605 | 1.7 | B+ | D | B+ | A |
| Axbridge | 1,998 | 2.2 | — | D | B | B |
| Cheddar | 5,841 | 2.7 | C | D | C | B+ |
| Wrington | 1,997 | 3.4 | — | C− | B | A+ |
| Banwell | 2,178 | 3.4 | — | C | C+ | B |
| Blagdon | 1,056 | 3.4 | — | D | A− | A |
Churchill, Axbridge, Wrington, Banwell and Blagdon have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Shipham
How many listed buildings are there in Shipham?
That is 3 times the typical UK town for its size. It also has 1 scheduled monument.
Are schools in Shipham good?
GCSE results beat 76% of towns in England, and primary results beat 94% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Somerset council.
Is Shipham expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £470,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £358,500 and detached houses £506,750.
About Shipham
Village in Somerset, England
Shipham is a built-up area of 1,104 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
- 1,104 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Sedgemoor
- County
- Somerset
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005418
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.