Scholes (Leeds)’s story
No listed buildings inside Scholes (Leeds)’s built-up area
8% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Scholes (Leeds)West Yorkshire
12% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. It is a village of 2,270 residents in West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Mtaylor848 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,270
Census 2021 · Leeds council
Median home
£338K
97 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.6
30% are 65+ · West Yorkshire 17%
Degree level
34%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Scholes (Leeds) a good place to live?
Where it does best is jobs & income (A) — the mean household earns £59,714 a year. Health is a strength too (A) — life expectancy is 81.2 for men and 87.9 for women. Buying in is costly: homes sell for a median £338,000, about 6.7 times local household income. Natural hazards are less of a worry than in most UK towns (A). School results trail most towns: primary results beat just over a third of towns in England; secondary results beat 2% of towns in England.
Figures: income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · flood risk, Environment Agency. Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Scholes (Leeds) has its subject grades alone.
What makes Scholes (Leeds) stand out
The 3 things Scholes (Leeds) does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Secondary results, towns in England
Schools
Secondary results trail 98%
of towns in England, on GCSE results (Attainment 8, English and maths)
Primary results beat 34%. Department for Education.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
30% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
How Scholes (Leeds) grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Scholes (Leeds) is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Scholes (Leeds) has its subject grades alone.
Jobs & income1.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsAOpen →Cost of livingRent £1,145 a monthDOpen →HealthAmong the healthiest places comparedAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 34% of towns in England; secondary results beat 2% of towns in EnglandDOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →SafetyAbove the middle of the towns comparedA−Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsD−Open →Outdoors0% live within 400 m of a park; 0 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsDOpen →Civic life3.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 85% live within 1 km of a libraryAOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Scholes (Leeds).
Who lives here
An older town: 30% of people in Scholes (Leeds) are 65 or over, more than in both West Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
The share aged 15 to 24 is 8.5%. Children under 15 make up 14%, lower than both West Yorkshire’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (18%). Scholes (Leeds) has a median age of 51.6.
51.6median age
Scholes (Leeds)West YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications17%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level34%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Scholes (Leeds) | West Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.5% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 17% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 8.2% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 34% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsD
Scholes (Leeds)’s schools fall behind 87% of towns in England on results
GCSE results at the 3 secondary schools within 3 km: 25% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 34.5. Its only school is listed below. At the 17 primary schools within 3 km, nearly three in five pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average).
DSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scholes (Elmet) Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 340 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
Much of Scholes (Leeds) is a conservation area: 100% of its land, more than in both West Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
The pre-1919 share of homes is 8%. Historic England’s list has no building inside Scholes (Leeds)’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsD−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
8%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
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 D
Most households in Scholes (Leeds) own their home: 87%, more than in both West Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
7% live in social housing, below both West Yorkshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (18%). The private rented sector houses 6% of households. Also worth knowing: the median sale, £338,000, comes from 97 standard sales inside Scholes (Leeds)’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£338Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Scholes (Leeds)£338K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £370,000 | 33 |
| Semi-detached | £315,000 | 55 |
| Terraced | £240,000 | 9 |
87%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,145
average private rent a month, Leeds council area
£2,297
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
Life expectancy in Scholes (Leeds) is longer than in 81% of UK towns
Nearly a fifth of residents have a disability, higher than both West Yorkshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (17%). Seeing a GP means leaving Scholes (Leeds): the nearest practice is 0.9 miles away. The nearest A&E to Scholes (Leeds) is St James's University Hospital, 4.1 miles away.
81%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 81%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 5%
| Census 2021 | Scholes (Leeds) | West Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 81% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
81.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
87.9
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.
Safety
Scholes (Leeds) records less violent crime per resident than West Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 13.5 per 1,000 a year
There were 2.9 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below both West Yorkshire’s towns (7.1) and England’s towns (7.8). A year of reports to August 2026 adds up to 67 offences in Scholes (Leeds) and 8 cases of nuisance behaviour. Burglary and damage come to 9 per 1,000 residents a year. Violence and sexual offences made up 43% of the total.
13.5violent 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 & sexual29
Burglary11
Damage & arson8
Other theft6
Vehicle crime5
Public order4
Other crime2
Shoplifting1
Anti-social8
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.
13.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
67
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 A
Long commutes are the norm in Scholes (Leeds): just 25% travel under 5 km, below West Yorkshire’s towns and 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.
Scholes (Leeds) counts 0.9 jobs per working resident. 85% of commuters drove, above both West Yorkshire’s towns (74%) and England’s towns (70%). Working from home was the norm for nearly two in five workers at the census. About 7% of its commuters stay in Scholes (Leeds) for work.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
On foot6%
Bus4%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
25%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
39%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£60K
mean household income, before tax
1.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 41% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Temple Newsam House and 6 more in and around Scholes (Leeds)
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Scholes (Leeds). Best known first.
MuseumTemple Newsam House4.5 km outside town, to the southwest
Historic houseBramham Park4.4 km outside town, to the northeast
ZooTropical World4.9 km outside town, to the westTheme parkTheme parkGo Ape - Treetop Adventure4 km outside town, to the southAttractionAttractionAmphitheatre4.5 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumColton Medieval Village3.9 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Temple Newsam House: Sirenuk, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bramham Park: Stephen Richards, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tropical World: Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Scholes (Leeds)
14pages on Scholes (Leeds)
The big questions
SafetyA−13.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingDMedian home £338K · rent £1,145 a monthHousing34 sold in 12 months · busiest street Main StreetSchoolsD1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 81.2 (men), 87.9 (women)Work & commuteA57% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Scholes (Leeds)’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Barwick in ElmetThornerShadwellScarcroftGarforthAberfordSwillingtonScholes (Leeds)
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scholes (Leeds) | 2,270 | — | — | D | A− | A |
| Barwick in Elmet | 2,180 | 1.3 | — | D | B+ | A− |
| Thorner | 1,397 | 2.2 | — | D | B+ | A− |
| Shadwell | 1,452 | 2.6 | — | D− | A− | A+ |
| Scarcroft | 1,634 | 3 | — | D− | A | A+ |
| Garforth | 15,148 | 3.2 | A− | C | B− | B |
| Aberford | 1,551 | 3.5 | — | D | A | A− |
| Swillington | 3,077 | 4.2 | B− | C+ | C | C |
Barwick in Elmet, Thorner, Shadwell, Scarcroft and Aberford have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Scholes (Leeds)
Are schools in Scholes (Leeds) good?
One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Leeds council.
Is Scholes (Leeds) safe?
Against all UK towns, it grades A−.
About Scholes (Leeds)
Village in West Yorkshire, England
Scholes (Leeds) is a built-up area of 2,270 people, in the Leeds 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
- 2,270 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Leeds
- County
- West Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000756
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.