Balcombe’s story
23 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Balcombe’s built-up area.
39% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BalcombeWest Sussex
A village of 1,445 in West Sussex, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
The Parish Church of St Mary · Photo: Charlesdrakew · Public domain
Population
1,445
Census 2021 · Mid Sussex council
Median home
£645K
41 sales in 3 years
Median age
46.4
23% are 65+ · West Sussex 23%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
17%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Balcombe a good place to live?
Where it does best is jobs & income — households earn a mean £71,861 a year, and 1.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Add safety to its strengths — police record 10.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 10.2 home and vehicle crimes. Homes are dear: the median home sold for £644,800, 9.2 years of area income. Its schools fall short: primary results beat 36% of towns in England. Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B− for health and B for walkability.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021. Balcombe has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
How Balcombe grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Balcombe is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Balcombe has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedA+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA−Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnCOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 36% of towns in EnglandCOpen →WalkabilityEasier than most to get around on footBOpen →HealthLife expectancy 78.8 for men, 83.2 for womenB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History39% of homes built before 1919AOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 90% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeAOpen →Civic life3.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Balcombe stand out
The 3 things Balcombe does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
23 listed buildings
1 Grade I, including The Parish Church of St Mary; 6.5 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.3 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Household income, against UK towns
Work
Mean, before tax: higher than in 92% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Balcombe.
History
Balcombe keeps more of its old housing than West Sussex’s towns or England’s towns: 39% built before 1919
23listed buildingsAHistory Grade
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Conservation areas cover just over two fifths of Balcombe’s land, higher than both West Sussex’s towns (4%) and England’s towns (7%). The town’s listed buildings include The Parish Church of St Mary, Grade I. Relative to its size, Balcombe keeps 159 listed buildings per 10,000 residents. The top grade, Grade I, goes to 1 of them.
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II22
Among them · Grade I
- The Parish Church of St Mary Grade I
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
39%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
159
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
SchoolsC
Balcombe’s schools fall behind 67% of towns in England on results
CSchool Grade
Key Stage 2 results at the 2 primary schools within 3 km: 59% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its one school is below. The town’s primary school has 140 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balcombe Cofe Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 140 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Balcombe records less crime per resident than four in five UK towns
10.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Over the year to August 2026, 36 offences were reported in Balcombe, along with 16 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Nearly two fifths of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. There were 7.4 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both West Sussex’s towns (11.7) and England’s towns (7.8).
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 65% 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 & sexual14
Other theft6
Damage & arson5
Public order4
Burglary3
Other crime2
Drugs1
Vehicle crime1
Anti-social16
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.
10.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.2
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)
36
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 C
For cost of living grade, Balcombe gets a C
£645Kmedian sale
Private rents average £1,423 a month across the Mid Sussex council area. Owners make up 67% of households, about level with West Sussex’s towns (68%) and above England’s towns (61%). Also worth knowing: half of the 41 standard sales inside Balcombe’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £644,800.
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Balcombe£645K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £862,500 | 20 |
| Semi-detached | £555,000 | 10 |
| Terraced | £381,000 | 6 |
| Flat or maisonette | £140,000 | 5 |
67%
of households own their home · England 61%
18%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,423
average private rent a month, Mid Sussex council area
£2,469
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+
Fewer commuters in Balcombe work nearby than in West Sussex’s towns or England’s towns: 15% travel under 5 km
17%walk, cycle or ride
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 52% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
At the census, 17% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, lower than both West Sussex’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (27%). 52% of workers did their job mainly from home at the census. Jobs per working resident: 0.5.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving81%
Train9%
On foot7%
Bicycle1%
15%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
52%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£72K
mean household income, before tax
1.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B
Walkability: more walkable than 65% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Most people in Balcombe (83%) report good or very good health
83%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
A disability affects 19% of people in Balcombe. This West Sussex town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 3.1 miles away. The nearest A&E to Balcombe is Princess Royal Hospital, 4.9 miles away.
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Balcombe | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.7% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
78.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.2
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.
Who lives here
More people in Balcombe hold a degree than in West Sussex’s towns or England’s towns: 44%
46.4median age
Aged 15 to 24: 7% of residents. 20% are under 15, higher than both West Sussex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). Over-65s are nearly a quarter of the population. Half the people of Balcombe are older than 46.4.
BalcombeWest SussexEngland
Ages · share of residents
23%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications11%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Balcombe | West Sussex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7% | 9.8% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 23% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 11% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.8% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Sussex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Balcombe
14pages on Balcombe
The big questions
SafetyA−10.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £645K · rent £1,423 a monthHousing15 sold in 12 months · busiest street Haywards Heath RoadSchoolsC1 state schoolHealthB−Life expectancy 78.8 (men), 83.2 (women)Work & commuteA+65% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Wakehurst and 9 more in and around Balcombe
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Balcombe. Best known first.
Garden · National TrustWakehurst2.4 km outside town, to the east
Historic houseBrantridge Park1.8 km outside town, to the west
Garden · National TrustNT Nymans Gardens4.1 km outside town, to the west
MuseumWings Museum2.2 km outside town, to the westGardenGardenBorde Hill3.9 km outside town, to the southZooZooTilgate Zoo4.8 km outside town, to the northwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- Wakehurst: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Brantridge Park: CyberCop, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- NT Nymans Gardens: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Wings Museum: Shazz, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Balcombe
Village in West Sussex, England
Balcombe is a built-up area of 1,445 people, in the Mid Sussex 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
- 1,445 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Mid Sussex
- County
- West Sussex
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006042
Balcombe’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ArdinglyHandcrossCuckfieldPease PottageHaywards HeathCrawleyHorsted KeynesBalcombe
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balcombe | 1,445 | — | — | C | A− | B− |
| Ardingly | 1,646 | 2.2 | — | C+ | A | A+ |
| Handcross | 1,399 | 3.1 | — | B | C+ | B |
| Cuckfield | 3,767 | 3.3 | A+ | C | B+ | A |
| Pease Pottage | 1,688 | 3.7 | — | C+ | C− | B |
| Haywards Heath | 40,186 | 4.3 | A+ | B | B | A− |
| Crawley | 120,567 | 4.6 | C− | C− | D | C+ |
| Horsted Keynes | 1,121 | 4.7 | — | C | A | A+ |
Ardingly, Handcross, Pease Pottage and Horsted Keynes have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Balcombe
Is Balcombe expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £644,800, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £140,000, terraced houses £381,000, semi-detached houses £555,000 and detached houses £862,500.
How many listed buildings are there in Balcombe?
That is 6.5 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I building is The Parish Church of St Mary.
Is Balcombe safe?
Against all UK towns, it grades A−.
Are schools in Balcombe good?
Primary results trail 64% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by West Sussex council.
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.