West Horsley’s story
23 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside West Horsley’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
West HorsleySurrey
Walking, cycling and public transport carry 10% of commuters. This village in Surrey, South East has a population of 1,378.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Peter Trimming · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,378
Census 2021 · Guildford council
Median home
£1.1M
39 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.3
25% are 65+ · Surrey 19%
Degree level
53%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · England 27%
Is West Horsley a good place to live?
Where it does best is schools: primary results beat 100% of towns in England. Residents are healthier than most: life expectancy is 84.3 for men and 85.9 for women. Prices are high against local incomes: homes sell for a median £1,050,000, about 14.6 times local household income. Natural hazards are less of a worry than in most UK towns (A).
Figures: life expectancy, ONS · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so West Horsley is graded subject by subject only.
What makes West Horsley stand out
The 3 things West Horsley does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
3.8 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
10% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
23 listed buildings
0 Grade II*; 6.8 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
How West Horsley grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far West Horsley is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 100% of towns in EnglandA+Open →HealthIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA+Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentA+Open →Cost of livingRent £1,736 a monthDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyVery little crime by comparisonAOpen →WalkabilityBelow the middle of the towns comparedCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryBased on listed places, the town’s age and notable peopleA−Open →Outdoors74% live within 400 m of a park; 40% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeAOpen →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 West Horsley.
Health
Lifespans in West Horsley run longer than in 91% of UK towns
At the census, 89% of people in West Horsley called their health good or very good, above both Surrey’s towns (87%) and England’s towns (82%). A disability affects just over a tenth of people here. Seeing a GP means leaving West Horsley: the nearest practice is 1.2 miles away. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 3.2% of the town.
89%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 8%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | West Horsley | Surrey | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 89% | 87% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.2% | 3.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 12% | 14% | 17% |
84.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade D
West Horsley is a town of owners: 83% of households own their home, above Surrey’s towns and England’s towns
7% live in social housing, lower than both Surrey’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (18%). Private renters make up 9% of households. The median sale, £1,050,000, comes from 39 standard sales inside West Horsley’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£1.1Mmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
West Horsley£1.1M
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £1,162,500 | 28 |
| Semi-detached | £790,000 | 10 |
83%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,736
average private rent a month, Guildford council area
£2,572
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
Violent crime runs low in West Horsley: 10.6 per 1,000 residents a year, under Surrey’s towns and England’s towns
Over the year to August 2026, 29 offences were reported in West Horsley, along with 4 incidents of anti-social behaviour. For its size, West Horsley records less crime per resident than 72% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people. There were 2.9 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below both Surrey’s towns (7.5) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences accounted for 52% of recorded crime.
10.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 72% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual15
Other theft5
Shoplifting2
Damage & arson2
Burglary2
Public order1
Vehicle crime1
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.
10.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
29
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
More buildings in West Horsley are listed than in Surrey’s towns or England’s towns: 167 per 10,000 residents
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 23%. Of West Horsley’s land, 12% lies in conservation areas, above both Surrey’s towns (4%) and England’s towns (7%).
23listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II23
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
167
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Households in West Horsley earn more than in Surrey’s towns or across England’s towns: £89K a year
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 55% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car took 87% of commuters, higher than both Surrey’s towns (74%) and England’s towns (70%). 25% of commuters travelled under 5 km to work. Also worth knowing: of the commuters living in West Horsley, 6% work in the town itself. Unemployment benefit claims reached 1% of 16 to 64s in 2026.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot6%
Bicycle2%
Train2%
25%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
55%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£89K
mean household income, before tax
1%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 29% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Degrees are more common in West Horsley than in Surrey’s towns or across England’s towns: 53% of adults
25% of residents are 65 or over. The 15-to-24 age group: 9.5%, below both Surrey’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). At 49.3, the median resident of West Horsley sits in the middle of the age range.
49.3median age
West HorsleySurreyEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications10%
Apprenticeship3%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level53%
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.
| West Horsley | Surrey | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 17% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 9.7% | 13% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 2.8% | 4.2% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 53% | 42% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Surrey and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Hatchlands and 7 more in and around West Horsley
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near West Horsley. Best known first.
Historic house · National TrustHatchlands800 m outside town, to the southwest
Garden · National TrustClandon Park3.3 km outside town, to the west
GardenRHS Garden, Wisley4.6 km outside town, to the north
Historic houseWest Horsley Place500 m outside town, to the eastPark or estatePark or estate · National TrustHatchlands Park700 m outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumShere Museum3.5 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Hatchlands: Martinvl, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Clandon Park: Murraypaul at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- RHS Garden, Wisley: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- West Horsley Place: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Horsley
15pages on West Horsley
The big questions
SafetyA10.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £1.1M · rent £1,736 a monthHousing7 sold in 12 months · busiest street Shere RoadSchoolsA+HealthA+Life expectancy 84.3 (men), 85.9 (women)Work & commuteA+67% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from West Horsley
3 notable people were born in West Horsley.
D
David OgilvyBritish advertising executive (1911-1999)G
George WallerRecipient of the Victoria Cross · 1827–1877Photo credits
Johnny Byrne: Hilton Teper, CC BY-SA 3.0
West Horsley’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
East HorsleyWest ClandonRipleyGomshallSendGreat Bookham and FetchamWestcottWest Horsley
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Horsley | 1,378 | — | — | D | A | A+ |
| East Horsley | 5,843 | 1.3 | A+ | D | A | A+ |
| West Clandon | 1,233 | 2.1 | — | D | A− | A |
| Ripley | 1,714 | 3.1 | — | D | B | A |
| Gomshall | 1,378 | 3.2 | — | D | B | A |
| Send | 4,094 | 3.4 | A− | C− | B+ | A |
| Great Bookham and Fetcham | 21,655 | 3.8 | A | C− | A− | A+ |
| Westcott | 2,275 | 4.5 | — | C+ | C+ | A− |
West Clandon, Ripley, Gomshall and Westcott have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about West Horsley
Is West Horsley expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £1,050,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £790,000 and detached houses £1,162,500.
Are schools in West Horsley good?
Primary results beat almost all towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). Places are handled by Surrey council.
How many listed buildings are there in West Horsley?
That is 6.8 times the typical UK town for its size.
About West Horsley
Village in Surrey, England
West Horsley is a built-up area of 1,378 people, in the Guildford 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
- 1,378 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Guildford
- County
- Surrey
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005533
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.