Upper Denby’s story
4 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Upper Denby’s built-up area.
45% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Upper DenbyWest Yorkshire
668 residents make their home in this village in West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Chris Morgan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
668
Census 2021 · Kirklees council
Median home
£345K
28 sales in 3 years
Median age
55
29% are 65+ · West Yorkshire 17%
Degree level
40%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Upper Denby a good place to live?
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Upper Denby is too small for fair grades, though the figures on this page are real. 8% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. 45% of homes were built before 1919. 56% of households own their home outright.
What makes Upper Denby stand out
The 3 things Upper Denby 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%)
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Own outright
Housing
56% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Upper Denby.
Work & commute
The car carries 92% of commuters in Upper Denby, more than in both West Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 28% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Short trips to work, under 5 km: 28%, lower than both West Yorkshire’s towns (46%) and England’s towns (45%). For every resident in work, Upper Denby has 1.1 jobs. Of the commuters living locally, 3% work in the town itself. Before tax, the average household brings in £57K a year.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot5%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
28%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
28%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£57K
mean household income, before tax
2%
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 Upper Denby
There is one school here; it is shown below. The town’s primary school has 52 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denby Church of England Voluntary Aided First SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 52 | – |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
More households own their home in Upper Denby than in West Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 88%
Social renters account for 4% of households. 8% rent privately, below both West Yorkshire’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (21%). The £345,000 median rests on 28 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
£345Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Upper Denby£345K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £385,000 | 15 |
| Terraced | £252,500 | 10 |
88%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
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
Safety
Upper Denby records less violent crime per resident than West Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns, at 15 per 1,000 a year
Burglary and damage came to 7.5 per 1,000 residents a year, below West Yorkshire’s towns (12.7) and England’s towns (9.4) alike. Police recorded 21 crimes inside Upper Denby’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 67% of recorded crime.
15violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual14
Burglary2
Damage & arson1
Public order1
Other theft1
Drugs1
Vehicle crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social0
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.
15
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
0.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
21
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
Bad health is less common in Upper Denby than in West Yorkshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.3% of residents
15% of residents have a disability, below both West Yorkshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (17%). Self-reported good health: 85% of Upper Denby’s residents. This West Yorkshire town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.2 miles away.
85%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Upper Denby | West Yorkshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 81% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 18% | 17% |
80
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Upper Denby keeps more of its old housing than West Yorkshire’s towns or England’s towns: 45% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II covers all 4 listed buildings that Historic England records here. Conservation areas cover 38% of Upper Denby’s land, between West Yorkshire’s towns (72%) and England’s towns (7%). Scaled to its population, that is 60 listed buildings for every 10,000 people locally.
4listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II4
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
45%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
60
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
Upper Denby skews older, with 29% of residents 65 or over, more than in both West Yorkshire’s towns and England’s towns
Degrees are held by 40% of adults, above both West Yorkshire’s towns (30%) and England’s towns (34%). Line up the people of Upper Denby by age and the one in the middle is 55.
55median age
Upper DenbyWest YorkshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
29%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level40%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Upper Denby | West Yorkshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 13% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 6.5% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 16% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 35% | 25% | 25% |
| 65+ | 29% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 21% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.8% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 40% | 30% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Yorkshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Cannon Hall and 3 more in and around Upper Denby
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Upper Denby. Best known first.
MuseumCannon Hall4 km outside town, to the eastHeritage railwayHeritage railwayWhistlestop Valley4.6 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumDe Morgan Museum4 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumSkelmanthorpe Textile Heritage Centre3 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Cannon Hall: Dave Gorman, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Upper Denby
13pages on Upper Denby
The big questions
Safety15 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £345K · rent £782 a monthHousing9 sold in 12 months · busiest street Denby LaneSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 80 (men), 82.9 (women)Work & commute50% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Upper Denby’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Denby DaleSkelmanthorpeThurlstoneMillhouse GreenHoylandswaineShepleyClayton West and ScissettUpper Denby
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Denby | 668 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Denby Dale | 2,734 | 0.8 | A− | B | B | B− |
| Skelmanthorpe | 4,458 | 2.2 | B | B | C+ | C+ |
| Thurlstone | 1,003 | 2.3 | — | C+ | B− | C+ |
| Millhouse Green | 1,249 | 2.5 | — | C− | A− | C+ |
| Hoylandswaine | 1,038 | 2.5 | — | D | A | A |
| Shepley | 2,515 | 2.7 | A | B | A | A− |
| Clayton West and Scissett | 4,382 | 3 | B | B | C | B− |
Thurlstone, Millhouse Green and Hoylandswaine have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Upper Denby
How many listed buildings are there in Upper Denby?
That is 2.5 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Upper Denby expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £345,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £252,500 and detached houses £385,000. Private rents in the Kirklees council area averaged £782 a month in August 2026.
How much is council tax in Upper Denby?
Band D council tax in Upper Denby is £2,476 for 2026–27, more than in 58% 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 Upper Denby
Village in West Yorkshire, England
Upper Denby is a built-up area of 668 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
- 668 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Kirklees
- County
- West Yorkshire
- Region
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63001158
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.