Ashford Common’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Ashford Common’s built-up area.
5% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Ashford CommonSurrey
A town in Surrey, South East, home to 8,333 people.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: James Emmans · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
8,333
Census 2021 · Spelthorne council
Median home
£441K
326 sales in 3 years
Median age
41.3
18% are 65+ · Surrey 19%
Degree level
28%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
17%
of commuters · England 27%
TownGrade
B+
#48 of 65 in Surrey
Is Ashford Common a good place to live?
The everyday basics are strong; the price of a home is the catch. Where it does best is jobs & income: the mean household earns £63,713 a year. At B+ overall, Ashford Common is better than 71% of UK towns and ranks #48 of 65 in Surrey. Buying in is costly: the median home sold for £441,000, 6.7 years of area income. Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B for safety, B for health, B for walkability and B for hazard risk.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021 · flood risk, Environment Agency.
What makes Ashford Common stand out
The 2 things Ashford Common does most differently from other towns.
How Ashford Common grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Ashford Common is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Cost of livingRent £1,696 a monthC−Open →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 67% of towns in England; secondary results beat 77% of towns in EnglandA−Open →WalkabilityEasier than most to get around on footBOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaBOpen →HealthLife expectancy 79.9 for men, 85.1 for womenBOpen →SafetyNear typical for the towns comparedBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingD−Open →Outdoors62% live within 400 m of a park; 0.8 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsDOpen →Civic life0.2 local charities per 1,000 residents; 14% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Thorpe Park and 19 more in and around Ashford Common
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Ashford Common. Best known first.
Theme parkBig drawTheme parkThorpe Park4.5 km outside town, to the southwest · 1.6M visitors a year (2024)
Historic houseOatlands Palace3.6 km outside town, to the south
AttractionColossus4.5 km outside town, to the southwest
Abbey or prioryChertsey Abbey4.1 km outside town, to the southwest
AttractionHyperia4.5 km outside town, to the southwest
AttractionThe Swarm4.5 km outside town, to the west
Historic houseOatlands Palace3.6 km outside town, to the southAttractionColossus4.5 km outside town, to the southwestAbbey or prioryChertsey Abbey4.1 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionHyperia4.5 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionThe Swarm4.5 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)
- Oatlands Palace: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Colossus: Stefan Scheer, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chertsey Abbey: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hyperia: Suntooooth, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Swarm: Mitchellh1234, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ashford Common.
History
Ashford Common’s one listed building is Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
For its size, Ashford Common has the fewest listed buildings of the towns in Surrey. Homes from before 1919 make up 5% of the total, below both Surrey’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (16%).
1listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
5%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
1
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsA−
School results in Ashford Common are better than in 77% of towns in England
Its only school is listed below. Key Stage 2 results at the 24 primary schools within 3 km: 65% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). GCSE results at the 8 secondary schools within 3 km: 53% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 50.7.
A−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meadhurst Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 470 | D |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Ashford Common sell for £441K at the median, against £535K in Surrey’s towns and £308K in England’s towns
Private renters make up 16% of households, lower than both Surrey’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (21%). The social rented sector houses 8% of households. Just over three quarters of households are owner-occupiers.
£441Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Ashford Common£441K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £545,000 | 43 |
| Semi-detached | £470,000 | 150 |
| Terraced | £410,000 | 65 |
| Flat or maisonette | £280,000 | 68 |
76%
of households own their home · England 61%
16%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,696
average private rent a month, Spelthorne council area
£2,526
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
The car carries 80% of commuters in Ashford Common, more than in Surrey’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 33% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Jobs per working resident: 0.9. At the census, 17% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, below both Surrey’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (27%). Unemployment benefit claims reached 2.9% of 16 to 64s in 2026. About 3% of its commuters stay in Ashford Common for work.
17%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving80%
On foot5%
Bus5%
Bicycle3%
Train3%
Underground, tram1%
39%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
33%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£64K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B
Walkability: more walkable than 64% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Good or very good health: 85% of Ashford Common’s residents
There is no GP practice in Ashford Common: the nearest is 0.6 miles off. 13% of residents in Ashford Common live with a disability. Men in Ashford Common can expect to live to 79.9, women to 85.1 (2019–23).
85%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Ashford Common | Surrey | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 87% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.8% | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
79.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Read these answers with age in mind: they aren’t adjusted, so younger places do better. The Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them.
Safety
Fewer crimes per resident in Ashford Common than in 56% of UK towns
Just over a third of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 420 crimes and 69 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Ashford Common’s built-up area. Burglary and damage came to 10.8 per 1,000 residents a year, close to Surrey’s towns (10.5) and above England’s towns (9.4).
19.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearBSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 58% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual142
Shoplifting84
Damage & arson41
Other theft38
Public order34
Vehicle crime22
Burglary17
Drugs16
Anti-social69
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.
19.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
420
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.
Who lives here
Fewer people in Ashford Common hold a degree than in Surrey’s towns or England’s towns: 28%
Half of Ashford Common is older than 41.3, half younger. Young adults of 15 to 24 are 9.1% of the population. Children under 15 make up 18% of residents.
41.3median age
Ashford CommonSurreyEngland
Ages · share of residents
18%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level28%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Ashford Common | Surrey | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.1% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 28% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 18% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 13% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.7% | 4.2% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 28% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Surrey and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ashford Common
14pages on Ashford Common
The big questions
SafetyB19.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £441K · rent £1,696 a monthHousing82 sold in 12 months · busiest street Chertsey RoadSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 79.9 (men), 85.1 (women)Work & commuteA−51% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Ashford Common’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
AshfordSunbury-on-ThamesUpper HallifordShepperton GreenSheppertonLalehamStaines-upon-ThamesAshford Common
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashford Common | 8,333 | — | B+ | C− | B | B |
| Ashford | 22,823 | 1.2 | B | C− | C | B+ |
| Sunbury-on-Thames | 21,476 | 1.2 | B− | D | C− | B |
| Upper Halliford | 2,337 | 1.4 | — | D | B− | B |
| Shepperton Green | 4,358 | 1.7 | B | D | B | B |
| Shepperton | 5,917 | 1.9 | A− | D | C+ | A+ |
| Laleham | 2,521 | 2.3 | B | D | B | A− |
| Staines-upon-Thames | 21,327 | 2.4 | C+ | C− | D | B+ |
Upper Halliford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Ashford Common
Is Ashford Common expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £441,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £280,000, terraced houses £410,000, semi-detached houses £470,000 and detached houses £545,000.
Are schools in Ashford Common good?
Primary results beat 67%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Surrey council.
How much is council tax in Ashford Common?
Band D council tax in Ashford Common is £2,526 for 2026–27, more than in 70% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Ashford Common
Town in Surrey, England
Ashford Common is a built-up area of 8,333 people, in the Spelthorne 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
- 8,333 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Spelthorne
- County
- Surrey
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi (2 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005108
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.