Thurlstone’s story
13 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Thurlstone’s built-up area.
33% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
ThurlstoneSouth Yorkshire
Home to 1,003 people, this village lies in South Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber. 44% of households own their home with no mortgage.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Dave Bevis · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,003
Census 2021 · Barnsley council
Median home
£238K
72 sales in 3 years
Median age
47.9
20% are 65+ · South Yorkshire 18%
Degree level
40%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Thurlstone a good place to live?
Thurlstone’s strongest is schools: primary results beat 72% of towns in England; secondary results beat 85% of towns in England. The weak point is walkability: just over one in ten commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. A median £237,500 buys a home here, 5.6 times what households in the Barnsley council area earn in a year. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety, C+ for health, B− for jobs & income and C+ for hazard risk.
Figures: commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes and life expectancy, ONS · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · claimants, DWP · flood risk, Environment Agency. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Thurlstone has subject grades but no overall one.
StrongestA−Schools
What makes Thurlstone stand out
The 3 things Thurlstone does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 5.3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Own outright
Housing
44% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Thurlstone grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Thurlstone is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Thurlstone has subject grades but no overall one.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 72% of towns in England; secondary results beat 85% of towns in EnglandA−Open →WalkabilityBelow the middle of the towns comparedC+Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.8 for men, 83.5 for womenC+Open →Cost of livingRent £696 a monthC+Open →Hazard risk0.4% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaC+Open →SafetyClose to the middle of the towns comparedB−Open →Jobs & income1.8% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History33% of homes built before 1919A−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 13% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA−Open →Civic life1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Thurlstone.
SchoolsA−
Exam results at Thurlstone’s schools top 83% of towns in England
At the 5 primary schools within 3 km, 66% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). There is one school here; it is shown below. Secondary results at the one secondary school within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 51.4, with 59% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurlstone Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 182 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
Thurlstone keeps more of its old housing than South Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 33% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Its heritage register entries (13 listed buildings) are all Grade II. Scaled to its population, Thurlstone has 130 listed buildings per 10,000 people, above South Yorkshire’s towns (10) and England’s towns (39) alike.
13listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II13
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
33%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
130
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 B−
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Thurlstone than in South Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 12%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 32% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Average household income comes to £55K a year before tax. The car took 88% of commuters, above South Yorkshire’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. Nearly a quarter of commuters travelled under 5 km to work. Work in town: 2% of resident commuters.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot9%
Train1%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
23%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
32%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£55K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 37% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Good or very good health: 81% of Thurlstone’s residents
Thurlstone has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 0.9 miles away. 18% of residents have a disability, lower than South Yorkshire’s towns (21%) yet higher than England’s towns (17%). The nearest A&E to Thurlstone is Barnsley Hospital, 6.6 miles away.
81%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 81%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Thurlstone | South Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 81% | 79% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.3% | 6.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 21% | 17% |
79.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Self-reported health favours young towns, since these answers ignore age; the Health Grade leans on age-adjusted measures such as life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade C+
Thurlstone is a town of owners: 76% of households own their home, above South Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
14% rent privately, below South Yorkshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. Council and housing-body homes hold 10% of households. Behind the median of £237,500: 72 standard sales inside Thurlstone’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026.
£238Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Thurlstone£238K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £409,000 | 29 |
| Semi-detached | £220,000 | 17 |
| Terraced | £178,000 | 23 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
14%
rent privately · England 21%
£696
average private rent a month, Barnsley council area
£2,377
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 Thurlstone than in South Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 7.3 per 1,000 residents a year
Violent crime ran at 23.6 per 1,000 residents a year, between South Yorkshire’s towns (33) and England’s towns (22). A year of reports to August 2026 adds up to 48 offences in Thurlstone and 7 cases of nuisance behaviour. Violence and sexual offences made up 77% of the total.
23.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 33% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual37
Burglary4
Vehicle crime3
Public order2
Other theft2
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Drugs0
Anti-social7
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.
23.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.6
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
48
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.
Who lives here
More people in Thurlstone hold a degree than in South Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 40%
Residents of Thurlstone have a median age of 47.9. The share aged 15 to 24 is 8%. People 65 and over make up a fifth of the town, higher than both South Yorkshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (18%).
47.9median age
ThurlstoneSouth YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
20%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level40%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
About 107 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Thurlstone | South Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 34% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 20% | 18% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 22% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.2% | 6.2% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 40% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · South Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Thurlstone
14pages on Thurlstone
The big questions
SafetyB−23.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £238K · rent £696 a monthHousing19 sold in 12 months · busiest street Manchester RoadSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthC+Life expectancy 79.8 (men), 83.5 (women)Work & commuteB−46% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC+0.4% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Thurlstone’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Millhouse GreenPenistoneHoylandswaineOxspringDenby DaleSilkstoneSilkstone CommonThurlstone
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurlstone | 1,003 | — | — | C+ | B− | C+ |
| Millhouse Green | 1,249 | 0.7 | — | C− | A− | C+ |
| Penistone | 8,541 | 1.1 | B+ | C+ | B− | C+ |
| Hoylandswaine | 1,038 | 1.9 | — | D | A | A |
| Oxspring | 1,196 | 2.3 | — | C− | A+ | B− |
| Denby Dale | 2,734 | 3.1 | A− | B | B | B− |
| Silkstone | 1,682 | 3.7 | — | C− | A− | A− |
| Silkstone Common | 1,278 | 3.8 | — | C | A+ | A |
Millhouse Green, Hoylandswaine, Oxspring, Silkstone and Silkstone Common have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Thurlstone
How many listed buildings are there in Thurlstone?
That is 5.3 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Thurlstone good?
Secondary schools stand out: GCSE results beat 85% of towns in England. Primary results beat 72%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Barnsley council.
Is Thurlstone safe?
Against all UK towns, it grades B−.
About Thurlstone
Village in South Yorkshire, England
Thurlstone is a built-up area of 1,003 people, in the Barnsley 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
- 1,003 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Barnsley
- County
- South Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63001215
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.