Kentford’s story
8 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Kentford’s built-up area.
19% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
KentfordSuffolk
A village of 1,124 in Suffolk, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Christopher Hilton · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,124
Census 2021 · West Suffolk council
Median home
£396K
54 sales in 3 years
Median age
39.9
19% are 65+ · Suffolk 23%
Degree level
39%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Kentford a good place to live?
Kentford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is jobs & income (A−): mean household income £62,789; 1.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Its weakest is walkability (D−): 6% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £396,250 in the last three years, 7.2 times what households in the West Suffolk council area earn in a year.
What makes Kentford stand out
The 3 things Kentford 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
1 Grade II*, including Church of St Mary; 2.9 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.4 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
How Kentford grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Kentford is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityD−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →HealthLife expectancy 82.1 for men, 83.1 for womenA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 67% of towns in EnglandB+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →Safety21.1 violent and sexual offences and 7.1 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026BOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryB−Open →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 1.9 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsD−Open →Civic life3.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Kentford.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
More commuters in Kentford drive than in Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns: 92%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 38% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Working mainly from home: 38% of workers, above Suffolk’s towns (25%) and England’s towns (31%) alike. The 2026 claimant rate among 16 to 64s was 1.3%. 2% of commuters who live in Kentford also work there. There are 0.9 jobs in Kentford for each resident in work.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot3%
Bus1%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
6%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
38%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£63K
mean household income, before tax
1.3%
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
HousingCost of living grade C−
Few households rent privately in Kentford: 16%, fewer than in Suffolk’s towns and England’s towns
14% live in social housing, lower than both Suffolk’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%). From September 2023 to August 2026, 54 homes sold inside Kentford’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £396,250. Private rents average £1,183 a month across the West Suffolk council area.
£396Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Kentford£396K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £510,000 | 31 |
| Semi-detached | £245,000 | 10 |
| Terraced | £252,500 | 11 |
66%
of households own their home · England 61%
16%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,183
average private rent a month, West Suffolk council area
£2,284
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
Bad health is less common in Kentford than in Suffolk’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.9% of residents
85% of people in Kentford rate their own health good or very good. There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 2.4 miles off. The nearest A&E to Kentford is West Suffolk Hospital, 9.5 miles away.
85%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Kentford | Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.9% | 5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 18% | 17% |
82.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.1
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.
Safety
Fewer crimes per resident in Kentford than in 60% of UK towns
57% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. The 12 months to August 2026 brought 54 recorded crimes inside Kentford’s built-up area, and 4 reports of anti-social behaviour. There were 2.7 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below both Suffolk’s towns (4) and England’s towns (7.8).
21.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearBSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 39% 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 & sexual31
Public order5
Other theft5
Burglary4
Other crime3
Damage & arson2
Vehicle crime2
Weapons1
Anti-social4
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.
21.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.1
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
54
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.
History
Among Kentford’s 8 listed buildings: the Church of St Mary, Grade II*
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Nearly a fifth of its homes were built before 1919, above Suffolk’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. Per 10,000 residents, Kentford counts 71 listed buildings.
8listed buildingsB−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II7
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Mary Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
19%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
71
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
More people in Kentford hold a degree than in Suffolk’s towns or England’s towns: 39%
Those aged 15 to 24 account for 9.1% of residents. Half of Kentford is older than 39.9, half younger. People 65 and over make up nearly a fifth of the town. Children under 15 make up 18%, above Suffolk’s towns (16%) and close to England’s towns (18%).
39.9median age
KentfordSuffolkEngland
Ages · share of residents
19%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level39%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
About 87 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Kentford | Suffolk | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.1% | 10% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 30% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 24% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 19% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.7% | 6.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 39% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Suffolk and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kentford
14pages on Kentford
The big questions
SafetyB21.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £396K · rent £1,183 a monthHousing15 sold in 12 months · busiest street Old Stable LaneSchoolsB+HealthA−Life expectancy 82.1 (men), 83.1 (women)Work & commuteA−50% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Kentford’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Red LodgeNewmarketBarrowFordhamMildenhallExningIslehamKentford
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentford | 1,124 | — | — | C− | B | A− |
| Red Lodge | 5,771 | 2.3 | C+ | B− | C | A− |
| Newmarket | 18,857 | 4.2 | B− | B− | C− | B− |
| Barrow | 1,961 | 4.2 | — | C | A | B+ |
| Fordham | 2,566 | 5.3 | B+ | B+ | B− | B |
| Mildenhall | 9,684 | 5.4 | C− | B | C− | C |
| Exning | 2,049 | 5.4 | — | D | C | B |
| Isleham | 2,287 | 6 | — | B+ | B+ | B+ |
Barrow, Exning and Isleham have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Kentford
How many listed buildings are there in Kentford?
That is 2.9 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Kentford expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £396,250, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £252,500, semi-detached houses £245,000 and detached houses £510,000.
How much is council tax in Kentford?
Band D council tax in Kentford is £2,284 for 2026–27, less than in 77% 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 Kentford
Village in Suffolk, England
Kentford is a built-up area of 1,124 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
- 1,124 (Census 2021)
- Council
- West Suffolk
- County
- Suffolk
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63003263
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.