Ipswich grades C overall against UK towns: better than 33% of UK towns, and #30 of 34 in Suffolk. Its strongest subject is walkability (A): 25% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Its weakest is safety (C−): 41 violent and sexual offences and 14.9 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Among UK towns and cities of 50,000 or more, it has less crime per resident than 63%. The median home sold for £245,000 in the last three years, 4.7 times what households in the Ipswich council area earn in a year.

StrongestAWalkabilityWeakestC⁻Safety C⁻Schools

What makes Ipswich stand out

The 2 things Ipswich does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Listed buildings per 10,000 residents

History

11 Grade I, including Christchurch Mansion; 1.3 times the typical UK town for its size

Historic England’s list, October 2026.

Claimant rate, against UK towns

Work

of 16 to 64s in 2026: more than in 90% of UK towns

DWP claimant count, January to August 2026.

How Ipswich grades

Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Ipswich is from typical. American towns are graded separately.

How grading works

WalkabilityAOpen →SafetyC⁻Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 27% of towns in England; secondary results beat 29% of towns in EnglandC⁻Open →HealthLife expectancy 79.4 for men, 83 for womenCOpen →Jobs & incomeMean household income £53,519C⁺Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaBOpen →Cost of livingrent £987 a monthBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

History18% of homes built before 1919B⁺Open →Outdoors79% live within 400 m of a park; 12% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA⁻Open →Civic life2.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 52% live within 1 km of a libraryB⁺Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Auction of Chequers Public House with Bowling Green, Ten-pin and Skittle grounds - Ipswich Journal, c. 1828 · Photo: Auction advertiser for The Ipswich Journal , a newspaper in 1828 England · Public domain

Ipswich’s story

Ipswich in pictures

Historic England lists 464 buildings inside Ipswich’s built-up area, 11 of them Grade I, and 8 scheduled monuments.

18% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.

The archive holds 4 old photos and postcards going back to 1828 and a map from c. 1867.

1881Ipswich New Museum, 1881
c. 1890Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich c 1890
c. 1897Harry Walters (1897) Unicorn Hotel

Explore the history →

Ipswich’s American namesake

Ipswich, Massachusetts, is named after Ipswich.

USUS edition

Massachusetts, USAIpswichSettled in 1633 · 14,131 people

Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0

Ipswich, Massachusetts, settled in 1633, takes its name from this city.

Ipswich, Suffolk3,290 miles · Ipswich, MA

People14,131151,566 here

Typical home$847,000£245,000 here

Settled163332 places on the National Register

TownGradeAagainst U.S. towns#59 of 282 in Massachusetts · here C against UK towns

Explore Ipswich, MA

Named after: each U.S. town’s Wikipedia article. Grades compare each town with towns in its own country, so they aren’t a head-to-head.

Nearby attractions

Christchurch Mansion and 12 more in and around Ipswich

Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Ipswich. Best known first.

All attractions →

MuseumChristchurch Mansionin town

MuseumIpswich Museumin town

MuseumIpswich Transport Museumin town MuseumMuseumClifford Road Tunnelsin town AttractionAttractionChantry Walled Gardenin town MuseumMuseumIpswich Maritime Trust Window Museumin town

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (3)

Christchurch Mansion: Rowland Shaw, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Ipswich Museum: Oxyman, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Ipswich Transport Museum: Nowell87, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ipswich.

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C⁺

More people aged 16 to 64 in Ipswich claim unemployment benefits than in Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns: 4.2%

The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 26% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.

Ipswich sits above both Suffolk’s towns (2.2%) and England’s towns (2.3%) on this measure. For 58% of commuters, work was under 5 km away.

25%walk, cycle or ride

How commuters got to work · March 2021

Driving72%

On foot14%

Bus5%

Bicycle4%

Train1%

58%

of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%

26%

worked mainly from home in March 2021

£54K

mean household income, before tax

4.2%

of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)

Walkability: more walkable than 89% of UK towns

Full pageIpswich’s work & commute pageOpen the page

Jobs based here77,900 jobs based here · Health and social care is the biggest, 18%Commute map25% walk, cycle or ride Household income£54K a year · Mean household income Getting to work58% go under 5 km · Short trips to work

ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL

SchoolsC⁻

Results at Ipswich’s schools trail 76% of towns in England

St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Ipswich’s results beat 94% of schools in England like it. Three of its 53 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

C⁻School Grade

School	Level	Pupils	Letter
Sidegate Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary	Primary	649	C⁻
Copleston High SchoolLargest secondary schoolSecondary	Secondary	1,930	B
St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, IpswichTop results in townPrimary	Primary	212	A

Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsSee all 53 schools →

Safety

Ipswich has more crime per resident than 85% of UK towns

Town centres with shops, stations and nightlife record more crime per resident: police.uk counts crimes where they happen, not where victims live.

Violent crime ran at 41 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Suffolk’s towns (18.9) and England’s towns (22). Police recorded 13,552 crimes inside Ipswich’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 969 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 43% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.

41violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC⁻Safety Grade

Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 63% of the 207 UK towns and cities of 50,000 or more: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.

More crimeLess crime

Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026

Violence & sexual5,875

Shoplifting2,442

Damage & arson1,112

Other theft954

Public order892

Vehicle crime683

Drugs376

Burglary341

Anti-social969

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.

violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026

14.9

burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026

7.4

anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)

13,552

crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026

Full pageIpswich’s safety reportOpen the page

Safety Grade41 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 · Ipswich has more crime per resident than 85% of UK towns Crime by typeViolence & sexual leads Vs. the neighboursAhead of 1 of its 7 graded neighbours Questions“Is Ipswich safe?”

data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL

History

464 listed buildings, 11 of them Grade I

The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.

Ipswich has 464 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 11 Grade I, 29 Grade II*. Ipswich’s listed buildings include Christchurch Mansion, Grade I. For its size, Ipswich has 31 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, below Suffolk’s towns (92) and close to England’s towns (39).

464listed buildingsB⁺History Grade

Listed buildings by grade · Historic England

Grade I11

Grade II*29

Grade II424

Among them · Grade I

Christchurch Mansion Grade I
Church of St Margaret Grade I
Church of St Mary at Stoke Grade I
Gateway to Wolsey's College of St Mary Grade I

scheduled monuments

registered parks and gardens

18%

of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%

listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24

Full pageIpswich’s history pageOpen the page

Listed buildings464 listed buildings Homes by age18% built before 1919 · Older homes Vs. the neighboursAhead of 6 of its 7 graded neighbours Questions“How many listed buildings are there in Ipswich?”

Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL

Health

82% of residents say their health is good or very good

82% of Ipswich’s residents described their health as good or very good in 2021, against 81% across Suffolk’s towns. 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.

82%good or very good healthCHealth Grade

General health, self-reported

Good or very good 82%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 5%

Census 2021	Ipswich	Suffolk	England
Good or very good health	82%	81%	82%
Bad or very bad health	4.9%	5%	5.2%
Disabled (Equality Act)	18%	18%	17%

79.4

life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)

life expectancy at birth, women

Full pageIpswich’s health pageOpen the page

Health GradeLife expectancy: women 83, men 79.4 Getting care1.7 miles to A&E · Ipswich Hospital GP practices12 GP practices · 78% rate their practice good Census health82% in good health

ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL

HousingCost of living grade B

Ipswich gets a B for cost of living grade

The median sale price was £245K, below both Suffolk’s towns (£310K) and England’s towns (£308K). Owners make up 57% of households.

£245Kmedian sale

Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026

Ipswich£245K

Typical UK town£277K

By type	Median	Sales
Detached	£380,000	932
Semi-detached	£260,000	1,954
Terraced	£207,500	1,412
Flat or maisonette	£130,000	657

57%

of households own their home · England 61%

22%

rent privately · England 21%

£987

average private rent a month, Ipswich council area

£2,456

council tax, Band D, 2026–27

Full pageIpswich’s housing & cost pageOpen the page

House pricesMedian sale £245,000 Renting£987 a month · Average private rent Council tax£2,456 Band D · Council tax, 2026–27 Owners and renters57% own their home

HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL

Who lives here

Children make up 18% of Ipswich, above Suffolk’s towns and England’s towns

That puts Ipswich above both Suffolk’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%). 17% of residents are 65 or over.

39median age

IpswichSuffolkEngland

SuffolkEngland

Ages · share of residents

11%

Qualifications · residents 16 and older

No qualifications21%

Apprenticeship6%

A levels or similar17%

Degree level27%

Women and men · all residents

50% women, 50% men

About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.

Ages and qualifications in Ipswich
	Ipswich	Suffolk	England
Under 15	18%	16%	18%
15–24	11%	10%	12%
25–44	28%	24%	27%
45–64	25%	26%	25%
65+	17%	23%	18%
No qualifications	21%	20%	18%
Apprenticeship	6.3%	6.5%	5.3%
A levels or similar	17%	17%	17%
Degree level	27%	27%	34%

Full pageIpswich’s Who lives here pageOpen the page

Ages39 median age · 17% are 65 or over Households64,511 households · 57% own their home Where people were born17% born outside the UK Questions“What is the population of Ipswich?”

ONS Census 2021 · Suffolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Ipswich

15pages on Ipswich

The big questions

SafetyC⁻41 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 Cost of livingBMedian home £245K · rent £987 a month Housing1,450 sold in 12 months · busiest street Bramford Road SchoolsC⁻53 state schools HealthCLife expectancy 79.4 (men), 83 (women)Work & commuteC⁺77% of working residents work in the town Flood & hazardsB0% of homes at high or medium flood risk

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻79% live within 400 m of a park AttractionsClimateJuly highs of 23°C (73°F), 609 mm of rain a year Weather

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 39 · 151,566 people HistoryB⁺464 listed buildings, 11 Grade I Town Hall & politicsCouncil area: Ipswich Famous people250 born here, among them Ralph Fiennes

Landmarks

464 listed buildings in Ipswich, 11 of them Grade I.

All landmarks →

The Willis BuildingGrade I listed

The Ancient HouseGrade I listed

Church of St MargaretGrade I listed

Swan InnGrade II listed

Photo credits

The Willis Building: Photo: Unknown photographer · CC BY-SA 2.0 · The Ancient House: Photo: Unknown photographer · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Church of St Margaret: Photo: Keith Evans · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Swan Inn: Photo: Sumitsurai · CC BY-SA 4.0

Famous people from Ipswich

250 notable people were born in Ipswich.

See all 250 →

Ralph FiennesEnglish actor, director and producer (born 1962)

Thomas WolseyEnglish political figure, archbishop of York and cardinal-p…

Kieron DyerEnglish footballer (born 1978)

Richard WrightEnglish footballer (born 1977)

Titus BrambleEnglish former professional footballer · born 1981

Joe MorrellWelsh association football player (born 1997)

Photo credits

Ralph Fiennes: Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY 2.0 · Kieron Dyer: Egghead06, CC BY 3.0 · Richard Wright: Just-an-Ipswich-fan at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Titus Bramble: Rach from Tadcaster, York, England, CC BY 2.0 · Joe Morrell: Rogan200, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ipswich’s neighbours

The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →

All towns in Suffolk →

BramfordKesgraveClaydonGreat BlakenhamMartlesham HeathHolbrookMartleshamIpswich

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	Miles	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Ipswich	151,566	—	C	B	C⁻	C
Bramford	2,335	3	—	A⁻	B	B⁻
Kesgrave	14,947	3.6	A⁺	B⁺	A	A⁻
Claydon	3,140	4.1	A⁻	A	A⁻	B⁻
Great Blakenham	2,188	4.7	—	A	B	B⁻
Martlesham Heath	2,730	5	B⁺	B	D	A⁻
Holbrook	2,146	5	—	B⁺	A	A
Martlesham	1,976	5.2	—	B⁻	C⁺	A⁻

Bramford, Great Blakenham, Holbrook and Martlesham have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.

Questions about Ipswich

Is Ipswich safe?

About the middle for its size: 37% of the 207 UK towns and cities of 50,000 or more report less crime per resident. Against all UK towns, most of them far smaller, it grades C−.

How many listed buildings are there in Ipswich?

That is 1.3 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I buildings include Christchurch Mansion. It also has 8 scheduled monuments.

Are schools in Ipswich good?

GCSE results trail 71% of towns in England, and primary results trail 74% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2).

About Ipswich

City in Suffolk, England

Ipswich is a built-up area of 151,566 people, in the Ipswich 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: 151,566 (Census 2021)
Council: Ipswich (mostly)
County: Suffolk
Region: East of England
Area: 15.1 sq mi (39.1 km²)
ONS code: E63003736

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.