Sharlston’s story
1 listed building
Historic England lists them inside Sharlston’s built-up area.
23% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
SharlstonWest Yorkshire
A village of 2,163 in West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Steve Partridge · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,163
Census 2021 · Wakefield council
Median home
£210K
45 sales in 3 years
Median age
45.8
20% are 65+ · West Yorkshire 17%
Degree level
22%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
12%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Sharlston a good place to live?
Sharlston has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is hazard risk (A): 0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea. Its weakest is health (D): life expectancy 76.9 for men, 79.9 for women. The median home sold for £210,000 in the last three years, 4.6 times what households in the Wakefield council area earn in a year.
What makes Sharlston stand out
The 3 things Sharlston 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%)
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (England’s towns 34%)
West Yorkshire 30%.
Life expectancy, against UK towns
Health
79.9 and 76.9 years
Life expectancy at birth, women and men: shorter than in 91% of UK towns
OHID Fingertips, 2019–23.
How Sharlston grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Sharlston is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthDOpen →Hazard riskAOpen →SafetyC−Open →Jobs & incomeMean household income £47,079; 3.6% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsCOpen →Cost of livingrent £806 a monthBOpen →WalkabilityC+Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 30% of towns in England; secondary results beat 61% of towns in EnglandC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingC−Open →Outdoors93% live within 400 m of a park; 4.9 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB+Open →Civic life0.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Sharlston.
Who lives here
Degrees are less common in Sharlston than in West Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 22% of adults
Sharlston sits below both West Yorkshire’s towns (30%) and England’s towns (34%) on this measure. 17% of residents are children under 15. Half the people of Sharlston are older than 45.8.
45.8median age
SharlstonWest YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
20%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications27%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level22%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Sharlston | West Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 20% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 27% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.8% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 22% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsC+
Results at Sharlston’s schools trail 55% of towns in England
Its one school is below.
C+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharlston Community SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 239 | B− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Disability is more common in Sharlston than in West Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 23% of residents
That puts Sharlston above both West Yorkshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (17%). Women here live to 79.9 on average and men to 76.9 (2019–23). These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
76%good or very good healthDHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 76%Fair 16%Bad or very bad 8%
| Census 2021 | Sharlston | West Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 76% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.8% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 23% | 18% | 17% |
76.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
79.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
Safety
Violent crime runs high in Sharlston: 41.8 per 1,000 residents a year, above West Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
On this, Sharlston is above both West Yorkshire’s towns (31.4) and England’s towns (22). Police recorded 144 crimes inside Sharlston’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 15 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 57% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
41.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 7% 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 & sexual82
Damage & arson19
Public order10
Other theft8
Burglary8
Other crime7
Drugs4
Vehicle crime3
Anti-social15
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.
41.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.8
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
144
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
History
Much of Sharlston is a conservation area: 100% of its land, more than West Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Of Sharlston’s land, 100% lies in conservation areas, above both West Yorkshire’s towns (48%) and England’s towns (7%). Homes from before 1919 make up 23% of the total. Sharlston has 1 listed building on Historic England’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*.
1listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
23%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
5
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 B
Few households rent privately in Sharlston: 6%, fewer than in West Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
In the comparison, Sharlston comes below both West Yorkshire’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (21%). 32% of households live in social housing.
£210Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Sharlston£210K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £280,000 | 19 |
| Semi-detached | £160,000 | 17 |
| Terraced | £115,000 | 9 |
62%
of households own their home · England 61%
6%
rent privately · England 21%
£806
average private rent a month, Wakefield council area
£2,307
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Fewer commuters in Sharlston work nearby than in West Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 24% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 21% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
For Sharlston, that is below both West Yorkshire’s towns (46%) and England’s towns (45%). At the census, 12% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train.
12%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving85%
Bus6%
On foot4%
Bicycle1%
Train1%
24%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
21%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£47K
mean household income, before tax
3.6%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C+
Walkability: more walkable than 42% 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 →Sandal Castle and 3 more in and around Sharlston
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Sharlston. Best known first.
CastleSandal Castle4.4 km outside town, to the west
Historic house · National TrustNostell Priory1.6 km outside town, to the southeast
Art galleryThe Hepworth Wakefield4.5 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumWest Yorkshire History Centre4.7 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Sandal Castle: Abcdef123456 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nostell Priory: Wehha, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Hepworth Wakefield: Mike Kirby, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sharlston
15pages on Sharlston
The big questions
SafetyC−41.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingBMedian home £210K · rent £806 a monthHousing20 sold in 12 monthsSchoolsC+1 state schoolHealthDLife expectancy 76.9 (men), 79.9 (women)Work & commuteC41% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Sharlston
9 notable people were born in Sharlston.
R
Reginald AllenEnglish County cricketer (1893-1950)N
Neil FoxEnglish rugby league footballer and coach · born 1939D
Don FoxEnglish rugby league footballer and coach (1935–2008)J
Jonty ParkinEnglish rugby league footballer and administrator (1894-197…P
Peter FoxEnglish rugby league footballer and coach (1933–2019)D
Danny GrimshawEnglish rugby league footballer · born 1986Sharlston’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
StreethouseCroftonNormantonFeatherstoneWaltonFitzwilliam and KinsleyHavercroft and RyhillSharlston
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharlston | 2,163 | — | — | B | C− | D |
| Streethouse | 1,691 | 0.7 | — | B+ | D− | D |
| Crofton | 6,127 | 1 | B | B− | C+ | C+ |
| Normanton | 21,976 | 2.1 | C+ | B+ | D | C− |
| Featherstone | 11,657 | 2.4 | D | B+ | D− | D |
| Walton | 3,266 | 2.4 | B | C | B | B |
| Fitzwilliam and Kinsley | 4,993 | 3.1 | D− | B | D− | D− |
| Havercroft and Ryhill | 5,204 | 3.1 | C | B+ | D | D |
Streethouse has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Sharlston
Who lives in Sharlston?
At the 2021 Census, 11% of Sharlston’s 2,163 residents were 15 to 24 and 20% were 65 or over, against 12% and 18% across England’s towns.
Is Sharlston expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £210,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £115,000, semi-detached houses £160,000 and detached houses £280,000.
About Sharlston
Village in West Yorkshire, England
Sharlston is a built-up area of 2,163 people, in the Wakefield 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
- 2,163 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Wakefield
- County
- West Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000991
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.