Small Dole’s story
3 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Small Dole’s built-up area.
26% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Small DoleWest Sussex
A village of 785 in West Sussex, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Charlesdrakew · Public domain
Population
785
Census 2021 · Horsham council
Median home
£515K
31 sales in 3 years
Median age
53.8
29% are 65+ · West Sussex 23%
Degree level
31%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Small Dole a good place to live?
Small Dole is below the 1,000 residents fair grades need, but every figure on this page is real. 8% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £515,000. Pre-1919 homes make up just over a quarter of the housing.
What makes Small Dole stand out
The 3 things Small Dole does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.9 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Homes built before 1919
History
26% of homes built before 1919
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Bramber Castle and 13 more in and around Small Dole
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Small Dole. Best known first.
Castle · English HeritageBramber Castle2.9 km outside town, to the southwest
CastleMotte and Bailey2.5 km outside town, to the southeastPark or estatePark or estate · National TrustSouthwick Hill4.9 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumHenfield Museum1.2 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumSteyning Museum3.4 km outside town, to the southwestRuinsRuinsBronze Age Bowl Barrow3.4 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Bramber Castle: Michael Coppins, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Motte and Bailey: Simon Carey, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Small Dole.
Work & commute
Only 22% of Small Dole’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in West Sussex’s towns or England’s towns
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.
Households take home £61K a year before tax, on average. The car took nearly nine in ten commuters, higher than both West Sussex’s towns (75%) and England’s towns (70%). Working from home was the norm for 39% of workers at the census. 6% of commuters who live in Small Dole also work there.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot5%
Bus2%
22%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
39%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£61K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
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
Housing
More households own their home in Small Dole than in West Sussex’s towns or across England’s towns: 82%
Social housing holds 4% of households, lower than both West Sussex’s towns (13%) and England’s towns (18%). The private rented sector houses 14% of households. From September 2023 to August 2026, 31 homes sold inside Small Dole’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £515,000.
£515Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Small Dole£515K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £676,750 | 14 |
| Semi-detached | £460,000 | 11 |
82%
of households own their home · England 61%
14%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,474
average private rent a month, Horsham council area
£2,529
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
Violence is recorded more often in Small Dole than in West Sussex’s towns or across England’s towns: 28 per 1,000 residents a year
Burglary and damage came to 12.3 per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both West Sussex’s towns (9.9) and England’s towns (9.4). Over the year to August 2026, 43 offences were reported in Small Dole, along with 2 incidents of anti-social behaviour. 53% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
28violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual23
Burglary7
Other theft6
Damage & arson4
Weapons2
Theft from person1
Shoplifting0
Public order0
Anti-social2
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
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
43
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
83% of people in Small Dole rate their health good or very good
Small Dole has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.1 miles away. The nearest A&E to Small Dole is Worthing Hospital, 7.3 miles away.
83%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Small Dole | West Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 83% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 17% | 17% | 17% |
81
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.6
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.
History
Small Dole keeps more of its old housing than West Sussex’s towns or England’s towns: 26% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Its heritage register entries (3 listed buildings) are all Grade II. For its size, Small Dole has 38 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, below West Sussex’s towns (50) and close to England’s towns (39).
3listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II3
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
26%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
38
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
An older town: 29% of people in Small Dole are 65 or over, more than in West Sussex’s towns or England’s towns
Those aged 15 to 24 account for 7% of residents. 14% are under 15, below both West Sussex’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%). The median resident of Small Dole is 53.8 years old.
53.8median age
Small DoleWest SussexEngland
Ages · share of residents
29%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level31%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Small Dole | West Sussex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7% | 9.8% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 29% | 23% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.9% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 31% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Sussex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Small Dole
13pages on Small Dole
The big questions
Safety28 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £515K · rent £1,474 a monthHousing6 sold in 12 months · busiest street New Hall LaneSchoolsHealthLife expectancy 81 (men), 84.6 (women)Work & commute61% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Small Dole’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Upper BeedingHenfieldSteyningPartridge GreenShoreham-by-SeaSouthwickHassocks and HurstpierpointSmall Dole
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Dole | 785 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Upper Beeding | 3,100 | 1.9 | A− | B− | A | A |
| Henfield | 5,630 | 2 | C+ | C− | B | B+ |
| Steyning | 5,513 | 2.6 | B+ | C− | A− | A |
| Partridge Green | 1,911 | 4.1 | — | C+ | A | B+ |
| Shoreham-by-Sea | 23,659 | 4.8 | B− | D− | B− | B |
| Southwick | 12,242 | 4.9 | C | D− | C | C |
| Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint | 14,216 | 5.5 | A+ | C+ | B+ | A |
Partridge Green has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Small Dole
How many listed buildings are there in Small Dole?
3 on Historic England’s list. That is 1.6 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Small Dole expensive to live in?
By type: semi-detached houses £460,000 and detached houses £676,750. Private rents in the Horsham council area averaged £1,474 a month in August 2026.
How much is council tax in Small Dole?
Band D council tax in Small Dole is £2,529 for 2026–27, more than in 71% 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 Small Dole
Village in West Sussex, England
Small Dole is a built-up area of 785 people, in the Horsham 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
- 785 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Horsham
- County
- West Sussex
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- E63006398
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.