Cavendish’s story
51 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Cavendish’s built-up area.
40% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CavendishSuffolk
A village of 568 in Suffolk, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: John H Darch · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
568
Census 2021 · West Suffolk council
Median home
£325K
26 sales in 3 years
Median age
59.2
42% are 65+ · Suffolk 23%
Degree level
30%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Cavendish a good place to live?
Cavendish has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Cavendish stand out
The 3 things Cavendish does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade I, including Church of St Mary; 36.8 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
42% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cavendish.
Who lives here
An older town: 42% of people in Cavendish are 65 or over, more than in Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns
In the comparison, Cavendish comes above both Suffolk’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (18%). Children are 9.7% of the town. Half the people of Cavendish are older than 59.2.
59.2median age
CavendishSuffolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
42%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level30%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 92 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Cavendish | Suffolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 9.7% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.6% | 10% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 14% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 42% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.1% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 30% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Suffolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Work & commute
Commuters in Cavendish travel far: only 16% go under 5 km, fewer than in Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 31% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For Cavendish, that is below both Suffolk’s towns (44%) and England’s towns (45%). At the census, 9% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot7%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
31%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£53K
mean household income, before tax
2.1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Housing
Most households in Cavendish own their home: 76%, more than in Suffolk’s towns or across England’s towns
Cavendish sits above both Suffolk’s towns (64%) and England’s towns (61%) on this measure. 9% of households live in social housing.
£325Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Cavendish£325K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £460,000 | 9 |
| Semi-detached | £375,000 | 9 |
| Terraced | £251,600 | 7 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,183
average private rent a month, West Suffolk council area
£2,319
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
Cavendish records more violent crime per resident than Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns, at 45.2 per 1,000 a year
That puts Cavendish above both Suffolk’s towns (19) and England’s towns (22). Police recorded 43 crimes inside Cavendish’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 2 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 70% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
45.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual30
Public order5
Damage & arson3
Burglary2
Other theft1
Bicycle theft1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social2
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.
45.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
43
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Health
Only 73% of people in Cavendish say their health is good or very good, fewer than in Suffolk’s towns and England’s towns
On this, Cavendish is below both Suffolk’s towns (81%) and England’s towns (82%). Cavendish has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.4 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.
73%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 73%Fair 20%Bad or very bad 7%
| Census 2021 | Cavendish | Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 73% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.9% | 5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 23% | 18% | 17% |
81.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
History
More buildings in Cavendish are listed than in Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns: 898 per 10,000 residents
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Cavendish’s listed buildings include Church of St Mary, Grade I. Cavendish has 51 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade I, 1 Grade II*. 40% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Suffolk’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (16%).
51listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*1
Grade II49
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St Mary Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
40%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
898
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Clare Castle and 3 more in and around Cavendish
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Cavendish. Best known first.
CastleClare Castle3.3 km outside town, to the west
Historic houseKentwell Hall4.9 km outside town, to the east
MuseumThe Ancient House Museum3.4 km outside town, to the westArt galleryArt galleryTelephone Kiosk3.4 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 (3)
- Clare Castle: Evelyn Simak, https://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/14840, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kentwell Hall: Achilver, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- The Ancient House Museum: Kognos, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cavendish
13pages on Cavendish
The big questions
Safety45.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £325K · rent £1,183 a monthHousing7 sold in 12 months · busiest street High StreetSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 81.8 (men), 87 (women)Work & commute56% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards6.3% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Cavendish’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
GlemsfordClareLong MelfordActonSudburyGreat YeldhamKedingtonCavendish
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavendish | 568 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Glemsford | 3,693 | 1.7 | A | A | B+ | B+ |
| Clare | 2,278 | 2.3 | — | C− | B+ | A− |
| Long Melford | 3,895 | 3.7 | B+ | B | A− | B+ |
| Acton | 1,666 | 5.7 | — | A− | A | B+ |
| Sudbury | 23,922 | 5.8 | B− | A | C− | C |
| Great Yeldham | 1,824 | 5.8 | — | B− | B− | A− |
| Kedington | 1,778 | 6.1 | — | C | A | B+ |
Clare, Acton, Great Yeldham and Kedington have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Cavendish
How many listed buildings are there in Cavendish?
That is 36.8 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is Church of St Mary.
How much is council tax in Cavendish?
Band D council tax in Cavendish is £2,319 for 2026–27, less than in 72% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Cavendish
Village in Suffolk, England
Cavendish is a built-up area of 568 people, in the West Suffolk 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
- 568 (Census 2021)
- Council
- West Suffolk
- County
- Suffolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003684
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.