Whittington’s story
16 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Whittington’s built-up area.
18% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
WhittingtonStaffordshire
Some 2,477 people live in this village, in Staffordshire, West Midlands. Mortgage-free owners make up 45% of households.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Bs0u10e01 · CC BY 3.0
Population
2,477
Census 2021 · Lichfield council
Median home
£375K
85 sales in 3 years
Median age
46.3
24% are 65+ · Staffordshire 21%
Degree level
40%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
19%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Whittington a good place to live?
Whittington’s strongest is schools: primary results beat 92% of towns in England; secondary results beat 92% of towns in England. Work and incomes are strong (A): the mean household earns £69,220 a year. At a median £375,000, a home costs 6.6 times the yearly income of households in the Lichfield council area. Natural hazards weigh less here than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Whittington has subject grades but no overall one.
What makes Whittington stand out
The 3 things Whittington does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Whittington Old Hall; 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Secondary results, towns in England
Schools
Secondary results beat 92%
of towns in England, on GCSE results (Attainment 8, English and maths)
Primary results beat 92%. Department for Education.
Own outright
Housing
45% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Whittington grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Whittington is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
With fewer than 2,500 residents, Whittington has subject grades but no overall one.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 92% of towns in England; secondary results beat 92% of towns in EnglandA+Open →Jobs & income1.6% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA−Open →WalkabilityAbove the middle of the towns comparedB+Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.9 for men, 83.4 for womenBOpen →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryAbout average among the towns comparedBOpen →Outdoors77% live within 400 m of a park; 7.5 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsCOpen →Civic life3.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Staffordshire Regiment Museum and 7 more in and around Whittington
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Whittington. Best known first.
MuseumStaffordshire Regiment Museumin town
CathedralLichfield Cathedral3.6 km outside town, to the west
MuseumThe Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum3.3 km outside town, to the west · 16K visitors a year
Historic houseErasmus Darwin House3.7 km outside town, to the west
MuseumLichfield Heritage Centre3.3 km outside town, to the westRuinsRuins · English HeritageLetocetum Roman Baths and Museum4.9 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Staffordshire Regiment Museum: WarMagician at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lichfield Cathedral: Bs0u10e01, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum: Bs0u10e01, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Erasmus Darwin House: Bs0u10e01, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lichfield Heritage Centre: Bs0u10e01, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Whittington.
Safety
Whittington records less violent crime per resident than Staffordshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 10.9 per 1,000 a year
52% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Police figures for Whittington’s built-up area: 56 crimes and 5 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. Also worth knowing: there were 2.2 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Staffordshire’s towns (7.4) and England’s towns (7.8).
10.9violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 69% 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 & sexual29
Other theft7
Damage & arson6
Vehicle crime6
Public order3
Shoplifting1
Burglary1
Drugs1
Anti-social5
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.
10.9
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
56
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
In Whittington, 19% of commuters go on foot, by bike or by public transport, against 15% in Staffordshire’s towns and 27% in England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 41% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car carried four in five commuters at the census. Working mainly from home: just over two in five workers, above both Staffordshire’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (31%). 37% of commuters travelled under 5 km to work. Work in town: 20% of resident commuters.
19%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving80%
On foot15%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
37%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
41%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£69K
mean household income, before tax
1.6%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B+
Walkability: more walkable than 75% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Whittington than in Staffordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.4% of residents
Seeing a GP means leaving Whittington: the nearest practice is 2.6 miles away. At the census, 86% of people in Whittington called their health good or very good, above both Staffordshire’s towns (80%) and England’s towns (82%). A disability affects 16% of people here. The nearest A&E to Whittington is Good Hope Hospital, 7.6 miles away.
86%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Whittington | Staffordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.4% | 6% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 19% | 17% |
79.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.4
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Census health answers are raw, so younger towns score better on them; for the Health Grade we use age-adjusted figures like life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade C+
More households own their home in Whittington than in Staffordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 74%
7% of households rent from a council or housing body. Private rents average £1,103 a month across the Lichfield council area. Half of the 85 standard sales inside Whittington’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £375,000.
£375Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Whittington£375K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £520,000 | 39 |
| Semi-detached | £332,500 | 26 |
| Terraced | £317,500 | 14 |
| Flat or maisonette | £144,500 | 6 |
74%
of households own their home · England 61%
18%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,103
average private rent a month, Lichfield council area
£2,360
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
16 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.
Whittington has 65 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents, above Staffordshire’s towns (25) and England’s towns (39) alike. Grade II* covers 1 of them. 18% of homes were built before 1919.
16listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II15
Among them · Grade II*
- Whittington Old Hall Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
18%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
65
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
Degrees are more common in Whittington than in Staffordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 40% of adults
Children under 15 count for 16% of the people here. The middle age in Whittington is 46.3. The 15-to-24 age group: 11%, near Staffordshire’s towns (11%) and lower than England’s towns (12%).
46.3median age
WhittingtonStaffordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level40%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Whittington | Staffordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 24% | 21% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.3% | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 40% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Staffordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Whittington
15pages on Whittington
The big questions
SafetyA−10.9 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £375K · rent £1,103 a monthHousing20 sold in 12 months · busiest street Main StreetSchoolsA+HealthBLife expectancy 79.9 (men), 83.4 (women)Work & commuteA60% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Whittington’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
StreethayLichfieldFradleyShenstoneAlrewasFazeleyTamworthWhittington
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whittington | 2,477 | — | — | C+ | A− | B |
| Streethay | 2,166 | 2 | — | C+ | C− | B+ |
| Lichfield | 32,586 | 2.8 | B+ | B | C− | C+ |
| Fradley | 3,609 | 3.1 | B | B− | C+ | B+ |
| Shenstone | 2,196 | 4 | — | C | C | B+ |
| Alrewas | 2,831 | 4.2 | B+ | C+ | B+ | B+ |
| Fazeley | 7,571 | 4.5 | B− | A | C | C+ |
| Tamworth | 76,074 | 4.9 | C− | B | C− | C− |
Streethay and Shenstone have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Whittington
Are schools in Whittington good?
Among the strongest in England: GCSE results beat 92% of towns in England, and primary results beat 92% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). Places are handled by Staffordshire council.
How many listed buildings are there in Whittington?
That is 2.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Whittington expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £375,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £144,500, terraced houses £317,500, semi-detached houses £332,500 and detached houses £520,000.
About Whittington
Village in Staffordshire, England
Whittington is a built-up area of 2,477 people, in the Lichfield 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
- 2,477 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Lichfield
- County
- Staffordshire
- Region
- West Midlands
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1.2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002549
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.