Handcross’s story
5 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Handcross’ built-up area.
27% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HandcrossWest Sussex
Population 1,399: a village in West Sussex, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Paul Gillett · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,399
Census 2021 · Mid Sussex council
Median home
£418K
67 sales in 3 years
Median age
41.6
17% are 65+ · West Sussex 23%
Degree level
33%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Handcross a good place to live?
School results are strong (A−): primary results beat 76% of towns in England. Getting around depends on the car: 9% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. It takes 5.9 years of household income in the Mid Sussex council area to buy the median home, at £417,500. Crime is the sore point: 28.8 violent and sexual offences and 10.5 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. Among UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has less crime per resident than 18%. Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B for health and B− for jobs & income.
Figures: commuting, Census 2021 · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP. Handcross is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
How Handcross grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Handcross is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Handcross is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 76% of towns in EnglandA−Open →SafetyMore crime than in most townsC+Open →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesBOpen →HealthLife expectancy 78.8 for men, 83.2 for womenBOpen →Jobs & income2.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →Outdoors58% live within 400 m of a park; 87% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeBOpen →Civic life2.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Handcross stand out
The 3 things Handcross does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.5 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Handcross.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Work tends to be further away for Handcross: 13% commute under 5 km, below West Sussex’s towns and England’s towns
9%walk, cycle or ride
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 37% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
8% of commuters who live in Handcross also work there. The car took nine in ten commuters, above both West Sussex’s towns (75%) and England’s towns (70%). Household income averages £72K a year before tax.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot5%
Train2%
Bus1%
13%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
37%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£72K
mean household income, before tax
2.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 15% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
SchoolsA−
Results at Handcross’s schools beat 80% of towns in England
A−School Grade
The town has one school, shown below. Two thirds of pupils at the 3 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Its one primary school teaches 238 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handcross Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 238 | A |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
For a town of its size, Handcross records a lot of crime: more per resident than four in five of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
28.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Police figures for Handcross’s built-up area: 62 crimes and 30 anti-social behaviour reports in the 12 months to August 2026. There were 18.1 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above both West Sussex’s towns (11.5) and England’s towns (7.8). Of all the crimes, 42% were violence and sexual offences.
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 18% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual26
Public order8
Drugs7
Other crime7
Damage & arson6
Other theft5
Vehicle crime2
Weapons1
Anti-social30
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.
28.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
18.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
62
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 B
Handcross earns a B for cost of living grade
£418Kmedian sale
Half of the 67 standard sales inside Handcross’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £417,500. Social housing holds 18% of households, above West Sussex’s towns (13%) and close to England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,423 a month across the Mid Sussex council area.
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Handcross£418K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £600,000 | 15 |
| Semi-detached | £447,500 | 16 |
| Terraced | £395,000 | 22 |
| Flat or maisonette | £186,500 | 14 |
62%
of households own their home · England 61%
18%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,423
average private rent a month, Mid Sussex council area
£2,480
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 Handcross than in West Sussex’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.9% of residents
84%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
At the census, 84% of people in Handcross called their health good or very good, above West Sussex’s towns (83%) and England’s towns (82%) alike. 15% of residents in Handcross live with a disability. The nearest A&E to Handcross is Princess Royal Hospital, 6.5 miles away. One GP practice serves the town; three quarters of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey.
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Handcross | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.9% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 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 · 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.
History
Old homes shape Handcross: 27% were built before 1919, more than in West Sussex’s towns and across England’s towns
5listed buildingsB−History Grade
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Historic England’s list names 5 listed buildings in Handcross, every one Grade II. One registered park or garden lies in the town. Per 10,000 residents, Handcross counts 36 listed buildings.
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II5
0
scheduled monuments
1
registered park and garden
27%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
36
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
A town of families: 21% of people in Handcross are under 15, more than in West Sussex’s towns and across England’s towns
41.6median age
People aged 15 to 24 make up 8.9% of the town. 17% of residents are 65 or over, lower than West Sussex’s towns (23%) and near England’s towns (18%). Line up the people of Handcross by age and the one in the middle is 41.6.
HandcrossWest SussexEngland
Ages · share of residents
17%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar21%
Degree level33%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 89 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Handcross | West Sussex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.9% | 9.8% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 17% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 33% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Sussex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Handcross
14pages on Handcross
The big questions
SafetyC+28.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingBMedian home £418K · rent £1,423 a monthHousing22 sold in 12 months · busiest street High StreetSchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 78.8 (men), 83.2 (women)Work & commuteB−56% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All attractions →NT Nymans Gardens and 7 more in and around Handcross
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Handcross. Best known first.
Garden · National TrustNT Nymans Gardens100 m outside town, to the southeast
Historic houseBrantridge Park2 km outside town, to the east
MuseumWings Museum1.7 km outside town, to the eastZooZooTilgate Zoo3.4 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionGo Ape3.2 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionGo Ape Crawley3.8 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 (3)
- NT Nymans Gardens: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Brantridge Park: CyberCop, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Wings Museum: Shazz, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Handcross
Village in West Sussex, England
Handcross is a built-up area of 1,399 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
- 1,399 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Mid Sussex
- County
- West Sussex
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006045
Handcross’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Pease PottageBalcombeMannings HeathCrawleyCuckfieldHorshamArdinglyHandcross
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handcross | 1,399 | — | — | B | C+ | B |
| Pease Pottage | 1,688 | 2.2 | — | C+ | C− | B |
| Balcombe | 1,445 | 3.1 | — | C | A− | B− |
| Mannings Heath | 1,137 | 3.6 | — | C− | A | A+ |
| Crawley | 120,567 | 4.1 | C− | C− | D | C+ |
| Cuckfield | 3,767 | 4.1 | A+ | C | B+ | A |
| Horsham | 50,211 | 5.1 | A | C+ | C+ | A− |
| Ardingly | 1,646 | 5.3 | — | C+ | A | A+ |
Pease Pottage, Balcombe, Mannings Heath and Ardingly have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Handcross
How many listed buildings are there in Handcross?
That is 1.5 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Handcross safe?
Burglary was rare, with 0 reports in the year.
Are schools in Handcross good?
Primary results beat 76% 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 Handcross expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £417,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £186,500, terraced houses £395,000, semi-detached houses £447,500 and detached houses £600,000. Household incomes are higher than in 92% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades B.
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.