Rawnsley’s story
No listed buildings inside Rawnsley’s built-up area
10% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
RawnsleyStaffordshire
A village in Staffordshire, West Midlands, home to 2,470 people.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Geoff Pick · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,470
Census 2021 · Cannock Chase council
Median home
£211K
92 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.5
18% are 65+ · Staffordshire 21%
Degree level
24%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Rawnsley a good place to live?
Buying a home costs less than in most towns: the median home sold for £211,247, 4.4 years of area income. Its weakest is health (C−) — life expectancy is 77.5 for men and 80 for women. It lags on walkability as well: 8% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for safety and B− for jobs & income.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · life expectancy and income, ONS · commuting, Census 2021 · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · claimants, DWP. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Rawnsley has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Rawnsley stand out
The 2 things Rawnsley does most differently from other towns.
How Rawnsley grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Rawnsley is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →HealthIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 52% of towns in England; secondary results beat 14% of towns in EnglandCOpen →Cost of livingRent £867 a monthB+Open →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentB−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £55,725; 2.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 36% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA+Open →Civic life0.4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Rawnsley.
History
Rawnsley has fewer old homes than Staffordshire’s towns or England’s towns: 10% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Historic England’s list has no building inside Rawnsley’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
10%
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
SchoolsC
On exam results, Rawnsley’s schools trail 71% of towns in England
Key Stage 2 results at the 12 primary schools within 3 km: 62% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The town has one school, shown below. Attainment 8 at the 3 secondary schools within 3 km averages 42.7, and 30% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazel Slade Primary AcademyLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 199 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Rawnsley is a driving town: 90% of commuters go by car, above Staffordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 21% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
There are 0.3 jobs in Rawnsley for each resident in work. 34% of commuters travelled under 5 km, lower than both Staffordshire’s towns (43%) and England’s towns (45%). Work in town: 3% of resident commuters.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot4%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
Train1%
34%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
21%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£56K
mean household income, before tax
2.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 10% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Rawnsley’s life expectancy trails 88% of UK towns
One GP practice serves the town; 74% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey. 21% of residents have a disability, higher than both Staffordshire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (17%). The nearest A&E to Rawnsley is Manor Hospital, 8.8 miles away. Asked at the census, 77% of residents of Rawnsley said they were in good or very good health.
77%good or very good healthC−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 77%Fair 17%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Rawnsley | Staffordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 77% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.2% | 6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 21% | 19% | 17% |
77.5
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
80
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
HousingCost of living grade B+
Rawnsley’s grade for cost of living grade: a B+
16% rent privately, close to Staffordshire’s towns (16%) and below England’s towns (21%). From September 2023 to August 2026, 92 homes sold inside Rawnsley’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £211,247. Households that own their home make up 67%.
£211Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Rawnsley£211K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £312,000 | 19 |
| Semi-detached | £230,000 | 45 |
| Terraced | £175,000 | 21 |
| Flat or maisonette | £122,000 | 7 |
67%
of households own their home · England 61%
16%
rent privately · England 21%
£867
average private rent a month, Cannock Chase council area
£2,345
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
Rawnsley records less burglary and damage per resident than Staffordshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 6.9 per 1,000 a year
55% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Police recorded 119 crimes inside Rawnsley’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 37 reports of anti-social behaviour. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Rawnsley has more crime per resident than 69% of them.
24.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 31% 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 & sexual66
Public order13
Damage & arson11
Other theft10
Vehicle crime8
Other crime4
Weapons3
Shoplifting1
Anti-social37
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.
24.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
119
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
Degrees are less common in Rawnsley than in Staffordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 24% of adults
Half of Rawnsley is older than 43.5, half younger. The share aged 15 to 24 is 10%. People 65 and over make up 18% of the town, about level with England’s towns (18%) and below Staffordshire’s towns (21%).
43.5median age
RawnsleyStaffordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
18%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications21%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level24%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Rawnsley | Staffordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 18% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 21% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.4% | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 24% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Staffordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Hawkesyard Priory and 4 more in and around Rawnsley
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Rawnsley. Best known first.
Abbey or prioryHawkesyard Priory4.7 km outside town, to the northeast
Heritage railwayChasewater Railway3.6 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumMuseum of Cannock Chase900 m outside town, to the westAttractionAttractionGo Ape!3.9 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionBirches Valley Forest Centre3.9 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 (2)
- Hawkesyard Priory: Rev Steve Walters, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chasewater Railway: Chris Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rawnsley
14pages on Rawnsley
The big questions
SafetyB−24.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £211K · rent £867 a monthHousing24 sold in 12 months · busiest street Littleworth RoadSchoolsC1 state schoolHealthC−Life expectancy 77.5 (men), 80 (women)Work & commuteB−41% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Rawnsley’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CannockNorton CanesBurntwoodHuntingtonRugeleyGreat Wyrley and Cheslyn HayHandsacre and ArmitageRawnsley
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rawnsley | 2,470 | — | — | B+ | B− | C− |
| Cannock | 63,057 | 1.9 | C− | B | C− | C− |
| Norton Canes | 8,155 | 2.5 | C | B− | C− | C− |
| Burntwood | 27,891 | 2.8 | B− | A− | C+ | C |
| Huntington | 4,715 | 2.9 | C+ | A | C+ | C |
| Rugeley | 26,149 | 3.6 | C | B | C− | C− |
| Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay | 17,647 | 4.1 | B− | A− | C+ | C |
| Handsacre and Armitage | 4,837 | 4.7 | B− | A− | B− | C |
People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Rawnsley
Are schools in Rawnsley good?
GCSE results trail 86% of towns in England, and primary results beat 52% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Staffordshire council.
Is Rawnsley expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £211,247, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £122,000, terraced houses £175,000, semi-detached houses £230,000 and detached houses £312,000.
Does Rawnsley flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Rawnsley
Village in Staffordshire, England
Rawnsley is a built-up area of 2,470 people, in the Cannock Chase 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
- 2,470 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Cannock Chase
- County
- Staffordshire
- Region
- West Midlands
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002454
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.