Emley’s story
2 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
Historic England lists them inside Emley’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
19% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
EmleyWest Yorkshire
41% of households own their home with no mortgage. A village of 1,433 in West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Kevin Waterhouse · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,433
Census 2021 · Kirklees council
Median home
£310K
81 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.6
29% are 65+ · West Yorkshire 17%
Degree level
38%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Emley a good place to live?
Schools do well (B+): primary results beat 53% of towns in England; secondary results beat 86% of towns in England. Crime is low: 18.4 violent and sexual offences and 6.5 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. Homes sell for a median £310,000, about 6.5 years of what households in the Kirklees council area earn. The weak point is walkability: on the way to work, 9% walk, cycle or take a bus or train.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes, ONS. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Emley is graded subject by subject only.
What makes Emley stand out
The 3 things Emley 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%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
29% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Own outright
Housing
41% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Emley grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Emley is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Emley is graded subject by subject only.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 53% of towns in England; secondary results beat 86% of towns in EnglandB+Open →Jobs & incomeBehind most towns comparedCOpen →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentB+Open →Cost of livingAbout average among the towns comparedC+Open →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History2 listed buildings, 1 Grade IC+Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 2.6 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB+Open →Civic life4.2 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryBOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Emley.
Who lives here
An older town: 29% of people in Emley are 65 or over, more than in West Yorkshire’s towns and across England’s towns
People aged 15 to 24 are nearly a tenth of the population. Children under 15 make up 14%, below West Yorkshire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Residents of Emley have a median age of 50.6. Among adults, 38% have a degree.
50.6median age
EmleyWest YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
29%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level38%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Emley | West Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.3% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 29% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.6% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 38% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsB+
On exam results, Emley’s schools beat 74% of towns in England
The town has one school, shown below. 62% of pupils at the one primary school within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). 137 pupils attend Emley’s one primary school.
B+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emley First SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 137 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Long commutes are the norm in Emley: just 16% travel under 5 km, below West Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 36% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The average household earns £50K a year before tax. 89% of commuters drove, higher than both West Yorkshire’s towns (74%) and England’s towns (70%). Unemployment benefit claims reached 2.7% of 16 to 64s in 2026.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot4%
Bus3%
Bicycle1%
Train1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
36%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£50K
mean household income, before tax
2.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 17% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
Fewer crimes per resident in Emley than in 70% of UK towns
Reported offences in Emley came to 43 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 1. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 1.4 reports per 1,000, below West Yorkshire’s towns (7.1) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. Of all the crimes, 58% were violence and sexual offences.
18.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 50% 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 & sexual25
Other crime4
Public order3
Drugs3
Damage & arson2
Other theft2
Vehicle crime2
Burglary1
Anti-social1
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.
18.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1.4
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.
History
Among Emley’s 2 listed buildings: the Church of St Michael, Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Emley’s listed buildings include the Church of St Michael, Grade I. Homes from before 1919 make up nearly a fifth of the total, below West Yorkshire’s towns (21%) but above England’s towns (16%). The national list protects one ancient monument in the town.
2listed buildingsC+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I1
Grade II*0
Grade II1
Among them · Grade I
- Church of St Michael Grade I
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
19%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
14
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C+
Private renting is less common in Emley than in West Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 10%
The owner-occupied share of households is 72%. Behind the median of £310,000: 81 standard sales inside Emley’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026. Private rents average £782 a month across the Kirklees council area.
£310Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Emley£310K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £390,499 | 44 |
| Semi-detached | £271,000 | 24 |
| Terraced | £190,000 | 13 |
72%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£782
average private rent a month, Kirklees council area
£2,476
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
In Emley, 80% say their health is good or very good
The nearest A&E to Emley is Dewsbury and District Hospital, 6.2 miles away. This West Yorkshire town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 1.8 miles away. Life expectancy here is 83 for women and 79.7 for men (2019–23).
80%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Emley | West Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
79.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83
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.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Yorkshire Sculpture Park and 3 more in and around Emley
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Emley. Best known first.
MuseumYorkshire Sculpture Park3.7 km outside town, to the east · 300K visitors a year
MuseumNational Coal Mining Museum2.8 km outside town, to the northHeritage railwayHeritage railwayWhistlestop Valley1.9 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumSkelmanthorpe Textile Heritage Centre2.2 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Yorkshire Sculpture Park: Nigel Homer, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- National Coal Mining Museum: Ian M, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Emley
15pages on Emley
The big questions
SafetyB+18.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC+Median home £310K · rent £782 a monthHousing14 sold in 12 months · busiest street Siderite CloseSchoolsB+1 state schoolHealthC+Life expectancy 79.7 (men), 83 (women)Work & commuteC51% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Emley’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
FlocktonClayton West and ScissettSkelmanthorpeGrange MoorMiddlestown and OvertonNetherton (Wakefield)Denby DaleEmley
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emley | 1,433 | — | — | C+ | B+ | C+ |
| Flockton | 1,732 | 1.3 | — | B | B− | B− |
| Clayton West and Scissett | 4,382 | 1.5 | B | B | C | B− |
| Skelmanthorpe | 4,458 | 1.7 | B | B | C+ | C+ |
| Grange Moor | 1,118 | 2.3 | — | B+ | B+ | B |
| Middlestown and Overton | 2,409 | 2.7 | — | B− | C+ | C+ |
| Netherton (Wakefield) | 2,331 | 2.9 | — | B− | B+ | B− |
| Denby Dale | 2,734 | 3 | A− | B | B | B− |
Flockton, Grange Moor, Middlestown and Overton and Netherton (Wakefield) have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Emley
Does Emley flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
Are schools in Emley good?
Secondary schools stand out: GCSE results beat 86% of towns in England. Primary results are closer to the middle, beating 53%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Kirklees council.
About Emley
Village in West Yorkshire, England
Emley is a built-up area of 1,433 people, in the Kirklees 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
- 1,433 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Kirklees
- County
- West Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- E63001070
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.