Fernhurst’s story
19 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Fernhurst’s built-up area.
19% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
FernhurstWest Sussex
The village, home to 1,830 people, lies in West Sussex, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Dave Spicer · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,830
Census 2021 · Chichester council
Median home
£535K
78 sales in 3 years
Median age
48.9
27% are 65+ · West Sussex 23%
Degree level
36%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Fernhurst a good place to live?
Crime is low: 14.6 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 7.8 home and vehicle crimes. Buying in is costly: homes sell for a median £535,000, about 9.3 times local household income. Schools are weaker too (C−): primary results beat 21% of towns in England. Its other grades sit near the middle: B for health and B− for jobs & income.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · life expectancy and income, ONS · claimants, DWP. Fernhurst is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
What makes Fernhurst stand out
The 3 things Fernhurst does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% 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 The White House; 4.3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.9 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
How Fernhurst grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Fernhurst is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Fernhurst is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 21% of towns in EnglandC−Open →SafetyAbove the middle of the towns comparedA−Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesCOpen →HealthLife expectancy 76.7 for men, 88.2 for womenBOpen →Jobs & incomeMean household income £73,283; 3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History19% of homes built before 1919B+Open →Outdoors37% live within 400 m of a park; 92% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeBOpen →Civic life6 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 Fernhurst.
HousingCost of living grade D
Private renting is less common in Fernhurst than in West Sussex’s towns or across England’s towns: 9%
24% live in social housing, above both West Sussex’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,333 a month across the Chichester council area. From September 2023 to August 2026, 78 homes sold inside Fernhurst’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £535,000.
£535Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Fernhurst£535K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £725,000 | 39 |
| Semi-detached | £535,000 | 17 |
| Terraced | £270,500 | 14 |
| Flat or maisonette | £135,500 | 8 |
64%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,333
average private rent a month, Chichester council area
£2,439
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
SchoolsC−
Fernhurst’s schools fall behind 85% of towns in England on results
55% of pupils at the one primary school within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its only school is listed below. The town’s primary school has 121 pupils.
C−School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernhurst Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 121 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Per resident, Fernhurst sees less crime than three in four UK towns
Violence and sexual offences accounted for 49% of recorded crime. 47 crimes and 26 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Fernhurst’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 9.7 reports per 1,000, between West Sussex’s towns (11.7) and England’s towns (7.8).
14.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 60% 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 & sexual23
Other theft6
Damage & arson5
Public order5
Burglary2
Drugs2
Vehicle crime2
Theft from person1
Anti-social26
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.
14.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
47
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Fewer commuters in Fernhurst work nearby than in West Sussex’s towns or England’s towns: 24% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 39% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Jobs per working resident: 0.8. 11% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, below both West Sussex’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (27%). Home was the main workplace for nearly two in five workers at the census. Work in town: 7% of resident commuters.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot7%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
Train1%
24%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
39%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£73K
mean household income, before tax
3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 31% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
Listed buildings in Fernhurst: 19
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Fernhurst has 104 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents. Grade II* covers 1 of them.
19listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II18
Among them · Grade II*
- The White House Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
19%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
104
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
Just 3.8% of people in Fernhurst say their health is bad or very bad, fewer than in both West Sussex’s towns and England’s towns
The nearest A&E to Fernhurst is Royal Surrey County Hospital, 14.1 miles away. There is no GP practice locally: the nearest is 3 miles off. 84% of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, about level with West Sussex’s towns (83%) and above England’s towns (82%).
84%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Fernhurst | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.8% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 17% | 17% |
76.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
88.2
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy and early deaths among them, do allow for age.
Who lives here
An older town: 27% of people in Fernhurst are 65 or over, more than in both West Sussex’s towns and England’s towns
The age that splits Fernhurst in two is 48.9. 8.7% of the population is aged 15 to 24, below West Sussex’s towns (9.8%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Degrees are held by 36% of adults.
48.9median age
FernhurstWest SussexEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications15%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level36%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 92 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.
| Fernhurst | West Sussex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.7% | 9.8% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.4% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 36% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Sussex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Haslemere Educational Museum and 2 more in and around Fernhurst
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Fernhurst. Best known first.
MuseumHaslemere Educational Museum4.2 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionHollycombe Steam Collection3.5 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumHaslemere Education Museum4.2 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Haslemere Educational Museum: David960, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fernhurst
14pages on Fernhurst
The big questions
SafetyA−14.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £535K · rent £1,333 a monthHousing23 sold in 12 months · busiest street West CloseSchoolsC−1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 76.7 (men), 88.2 (women)Work & commuteB−62% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Fernhurst’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HaslemereEasebourneLiphookMidhurstHindheadChiddingfoldHeadley Down and HeadleyFernhurst
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernhurst | 1,830 | — | — | D | A− | B |
| Haslemere | 11,897 | 2.6 | A | C+ | B | B |
| Easebourne | 1,396 | 3.7 | — | D | A− | B+ |
| Liphook | 7,128 | 3.9 | A | B | B− | A− |
| Midhurst | 5,366 | 4.8 | B− | D | B+ | B+ |
| Hindhead | 6,444 | 5.1 | A | B− | B+ | B+ |
| Chiddingfold | 2,160 | 5.9 | — | C | A+ | A |
| Headley Down and Headley | 4,935 | 6 | B+ | B− | A− | A− |
Easebourne and Chiddingfold have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Fernhurst
How many listed buildings are there in Fernhurst?
That is 4.3 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Fernhurst expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £535,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £135,500, terraced houses £270,500, semi-detached houses £535,000 and detached houses £725,000.
Are schools in Fernhurst good?
Primary results trail 79% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by West Sussex council.
Is Fernhurst safe?
About the middle for its size: 40% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people report less crime per resident. Against all UK towns, it grades A−.
About Fernhurst
Village in West Sussex, England
Fernhurst is a built-up area of 1,830 people, in the Chichester 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
- 1,830 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Chichester
- County
- West Sussex
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006085
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.