Great Waldingfield’s story
20 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Great Waldingfield’s built-up area.
10% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Great WaldingfieldSuffolk
In Suffolk, East of England, this village has 1,377 residents.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Robert Edwards · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,377
Census 2021 · Babergh council
Median home
£348K
58 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.1
30% are 65+ · Suffolk 23%
Degree level
23%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Great Waldingfield a good place to live?
Great Waldingfield is a safe place by the numbers (B+): police record 20.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 3.6 home and vehicle crimes. The median home sold for £347,500, 6.2 times what households in the Babergh council area earn in a year. Its weakest subject is walkability: 6% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. Natural hazards are less of a worry than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes, ONS · flood risk, Environment Agency. Great Waldingfield is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Great Waldingfield stand out
The 3 things Great Waldingfield does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
6% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 6 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
30% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Great Waldingfield grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Great Waldingfield is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Great Waldingfield is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carD−Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 37% of towns in England; secondary results beat 21% of towns in EnglandC−Open →SafetyAbove the middle of the towns comparedB+Open →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesB+Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.8 for men, 84.6 for womenB+Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £57,016C+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 2 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsCOpen →Civic life0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Great Waldingfield.
Who lives here
An older town: 30% of people in Great Waldingfield are 65 or over, more than in Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns
Degrees are held by 23% of adults. Young adults of 15 to 24 are 8.4% of residents, below Suffolk’s towns (10%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Great Waldingfield has a median age of 51.1 years. The under-15s are 16% of the population here.
51.1median age
Great WaldingfieldSuffolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications21%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level23%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 93 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.
| Great Waldingfield | Suffolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.4% | 10% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 21% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.4% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 23% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Suffolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsC−
School results in Great Waldingfield are weaker than in 76% of towns in England
Attainment 8 at the one secondary school within 3 km averages 43.2, and 34% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths. Below is its only school. Key Stage 2 results at the 5 primary schools within 3 km: nearly three in five pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
C−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Waldingfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 203 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Great Waldingfield is a driving town: 93% of commuters go by car, above Suffolk’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 24% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
In 2026, 3.5% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits. 38% of commuters travelled under 5 km, below both Suffolk’s towns (44%) and England’s towns (45%). Jobs per working resident: 0.7.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving93%
On foot3%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
38%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
24%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£57K
mean household income, before tax
3.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 3% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Per resident, Great Waldingfield sees less crime than 73% of UK towns
There were 2.2 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below Suffolk’s towns (4) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. 48 crimes and 2 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Great Waldingfield’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence and sexual offences were two thirds of the crimes.
20.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 55% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual32
Damage & arson3
Public order3
Drugs3
Other theft2
Vehicle crime2
Other crime2
Burglary1
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.
20.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.6
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)
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.
HousingCost of living grade B+
Private renting is less common in Great Waldingfield than in Suffolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 8%
Home ownership stands at 77% of households. Private rents average £965 a month across the Babergh council area. Council and housing-body homes hold 15% of households.
£348Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Great Waldingfield£348K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £370,000 | 41 |
| Semi-detached | £332,500 | 11 |
| Terraced | £238,000 | 6 |
77%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£965
average private rent a month, Babergh council area
£2,329
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
Good or very good health: 81% of Great Waldingfield’s residents
There is no GP practice in Great Waldingfield: the nearest is 1.4 miles off. The nearest A&E to Great Waldingfield is Colchester General Hospital, 11.3 miles away. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 4.7% of the town.
81%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 81%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Great Waldingfield | Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 81% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.7% | 5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 18% | 17% |
79.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.6
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
History
Great Waldingfield is rich in listed buildings: 145 per 10,000 residents, more than Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The pre-1919 share of homes is 10%. Historic England’s list names 20 listed buildings in Great Waldingfield, every one Grade II.
20listed buildingsB−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II20
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
10%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
145
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 →Melford Hall and 2 more in and around Great Waldingfield
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Great Waldingfield. Best known first.
Historic house · National TrustMelford Hall4.1 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumGainsborough's House3.2 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumSudbury Heritage Centre and Museum3 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Melford Hall: PAUL FARMER, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gainsborough's House: Oxyman, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Great Waldingfield
14pages on Great Waldingfield
The big questions
SafetyB+20.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £348K · rent £965 a monthHousing12 sold in 12 months · busiest street Bantocks RoadSchoolsC−1 state schoolHealthB+Life expectancy 79.8 (men), 84.6 (women)Work & commuteC+49% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Great Waldingfield’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ActonSudburyLong MelfordLavenhamGlemsfordBuresBildestonGreat Waldingfield
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Waldingfield | 1,377 | — | — | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| Acton | 1,666 | 1.1 | — | A− | A | B+ |
| Sudbury | 23,922 | 2.1 | B− | A | C− | C |
| Long Melford | 3,895 | 3 | B+ | B | A− | B+ |
| Lavenham | 1,224 | 3.7 | — | B | B− | A |
| Glemsford | 3,693 | 5.6 | A | A | B+ | B+ |
| Bures | 1,183 | 5.7 | — | B− | B− | B+ |
| Bildeston | 1,096 | 6.5 | — | A− | A− | A− |
Acton, Lavenham, Bures and Bildeston have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Great Waldingfield
How many listed buildings are there in Great Waldingfield?
That is 6 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Great Waldingfield good?
GCSE results trail 79% of towns in England, and primary results trail 63% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Suffolk council.
Is Great Waldingfield expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £347,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £238,000, semi-detached houses £332,500 and detached houses £370,000.
About Great Waldingfield
Village in Suffolk, England
Great Waldingfield is a built-up area of 1,377 people, in the Babergh 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
- 1,377 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Babergh
- County
- Suffolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003759
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.