Sharpthorne’s story
3 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Sharpthorne’s built-up area.
37% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
SharpthorneWest Sussex
Some 705 people live in this village, in West Sussex, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: The Voice of Hassocks · Public domain
Population
705
Census 2021 · Mid Sussex council
Median home
£508K
22 sales in 3 years
Median age
52.1
28% are 65+ · West Sussex 23%
Degree level
36%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Sharpthorne a good place to live?
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Sharpthorne is too small for fair grades, though the figures on this page are real. Pre-1919 homes make up 37% of the housing. 13% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median sale price is £508,000.
What makes Sharpthorne stand out
The 3 things Sharpthorne does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.8 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 Sharpthorne.
Work & commute
Long commutes are the norm in Sharpthorne: just 15% travel under 5 km, below West Sussex’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 43% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Households had £71K a year before tax, above both West Sussex’s towns (£63K) and England’s towns (£55K). 86% of commuters took the car to work at the census. Unemployment benefit claims reached 1.8% of 16 to 64s in 2026.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving86%
On foot7%
Train5%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
15%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
43%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£71K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Schools
The schools around Sharpthorne
Key Stage 2 results at the one primary school within 3 km: 48% 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 99 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Hoathly CofE Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 99 | C− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
Few households rent privately in Sharpthorne: 8%, fewer than in West Sussex’s towns and across England’s towns
The social rented sector houses 2% of households. Nine in ten households own their home, higher than both West Sussex’s towns (68%) and England’s towns (61%). Private rents average £1,423 a month across the Mid Sussex council area.
£508Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Sharpthorne£508K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £508,000 | 13 |
| Semi-detached | £509,000 | 8 |
90%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,423
average private rent a month, Mid Sussex council area
£2,490
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
Crime recorded by police in Sharpthorne
Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 4.3 reports per 1,000, below both West Sussex’s towns (11.6) and England’s towns (7.8). Over the year to August 2026, 22 offences were reported in Sharpthorne, along with 5 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 64% of the crimes.
17.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual14
Damage & arson2
Other theft2
Public order1
Burglary1
Drugs1
Weapons1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social5
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.
17.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
22
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.
Health
Fewer people in Sharpthorne live with a disability than in West Sussex’s towns or across England’s towns: 13%
2.6% of residents report bad or very bad health. At the census, 87% of people in Sharpthorne called their health good or very good, above both West Sussex’s towns (83%) and England’s towns (82%). There is no GP practice here: the nearest is 3.6 miles off.
87%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Sharpthorne | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.6% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 13% | 17% | 17% |
84.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.5
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Self-reported health favours young towns, since these answers ignore age; the Health Grade leans on age-adjusted measures such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
All 3 of Sharpthorne’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
3listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II3
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
37%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
43
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
Fewer children live in Sharpthorne than in West Sussex’s towns or England’s towns: 13% are under 15
Among adults, 36% have a degree. 28% of residents are 65 or over, higher than both West Sussex’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (18%). Aged 15 to 24: 8% of residents. Typical age in Sharpthorne: 52.1, the median.
52.1median age
SharpthorneWest SussexEngland
Ages · share of residents
28%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications12%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level36%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Sharpthorne | West Sussex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8% | 9.8% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 28% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 12% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 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 →Wakehurst and 8 more in and around Sharpthorne
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Sharpthorne. Best known first.
Garden · National TrustWakehurst3 km outside town, to the west
Heritage railwayBluebell Railway4.4 km outside town, to the south
Historic houseSaint Hill Manor2.9 km outside town, to the north
Museum · National TrustStanden2.6 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumPriest House400 m outside town, to the west
MuseumEast Grinstead Museum4.9 km outside town, to the northeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Wakehurst: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bluebell Railway: Les Chatfield from Brighton, England, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Saint Hill Manor: Martyn Davies, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Standen: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Priest House: Meagainreally, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- East Grinstead Museum: OrangeStarling1997, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sharpthorne
13pages on Sharpthorne
The big questions
Safety17.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £508K · rent £1,423 a monthHousing7 sold in 12 months · busiest street Hamsey RoadSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 84.1 (men), 87.5 (women)Work & commute63% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Sharpthorne’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
ArdinglyHorsted KeynesCrawley DownForest RowAshurst WoodEast GrinsteadBalcombeSharpthorne
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpthorne | 705 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ardingly | 1,646 | 2.6 | — | C+ | A | A+ |
| Horsted Keynes | 1,121 | 3 | — | C | A | A+ |
| Crawley Down | 5,775 | 3.4 | A+ | B− | A | A |
| Forest Row | 3,881 | 3.6 | C+ | D− | B− | A+ |
| Ashurst Wood | 1,508 | 3.8 | — | B− | A− | A |
| East Grinstead | 26,350 | 3.9 | A− | B | B− | A− |
| Balcombe | 1,445 | 4.1 | — | C | A− | B− |
Ardingly, Horsted Keynes, Ashurst Wood and Balcombe have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Sharpthorne
How many listed buildings are there in Sharpthorne?
3 on Historic England’s list. That is 1.7 times the typical UK town for its size.
How much is council tax in Sharpthorne?
Band D council tax in Sharpthorne is £2,490 for 2026–27, more than in 62% of UK towns (council, county, police and fire, plus the parish or town council). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Sharpthorne
Village in West Sussex, England
Sharpthorne is a built-up area of 705 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
- 705 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Mid Sussex
- County
- West Sussex
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005992
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.