Holt’s story
46 listed buildings, 2 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Holt’s built-up area.
32% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
HoltWiltshire
The village, home to 1,704 people, lies in Wiltshire, South West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: My another account · Public domain
Population
1,704
Census 2021 · Wiltshire council
Median home
£400K
75 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.9
27% are 65+ · Wiltshire 19%
Degree level
44%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
13%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Holt a good place to live?
Holt’s strongest is safety (A+): police record 7.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 3.3 home and vehicle crimes. Add health to its strengths: men here can expect to live to 83.9, women to 86.8. Schools lag (C): primary results beat 30% of towns in England. Buying the median home, at £400,000, takes 6.7 years of household income in the Wiltshire council area.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · life expectancy and incomes, ONS · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Holt has its subject grades alone.
What makes Holt stand out
The 3 things Holt does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
2 Grade II*, including Church of St Katherine; 11.1 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
96%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
13% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
How Holt grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Holt is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA+Open →HealthAmong the best of the towns comparedAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 30% of towns in EnglandCOpen →Jobs & income1.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →Cost of livingAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →Outdoors45% live within 400 m of a park; 2% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeDOpen →Civic life4.7 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Holt.
Safety
Holt has less crime per resident than 98% of UK towns
In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 32 crimes and 7 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Holt’s built-up area. For its size, Holt records less crime per resident than 96% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 2.7 reports per 1,000, below Wiltshire’s towns (8) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. Violence and sexual offences were 59% of the crimes.
7.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 96% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual19
Damage & arson4
Public order2
Burglary2
Other crime2
Other theft1
Vehicle crime1
Weapons1
Anti-social7
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.
7.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
32
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.
SchoolsC
Exam results at Holt’s schools trail 74% of towns in England
58% of pupils at the 7 primary schools within 3 km met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Below is its only school. Its one primary school teaches 146 pupils.
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holt Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 146 | C |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Health
Holt’s life expectancy beats 95% of UK towns
Seeing a GP means leaving Holt: the nearest practice is 2.3 miles away. The nearest A&E to Holt is Royal United Hospital Bath, 8.6 miles away. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 4.2% of the town.
84%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Holt | Wiltshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 84% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 4.2% | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
83.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.8
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · 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.
History
Holt is rich in listed buildings: 270 per 10,000 residents, more than Wiltshire’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.
32% of its homes were built before 1919, higher than both Wiltshire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (16%). Holt has 46 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 2 Grade II*. The register of parks and gardens lists one locally.
46listed buildingsAHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*2
Grade II44
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Katherine Grade II*
- The Courts Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
1
registered park and garden
32%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
270
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−
More households own their home in Holt than in Wiltshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 73%
13% live in social housing, below Wiltshire’s towns (16%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Private rents average £1,082 a month across the Wiltshire council area. The median sale, £400,000, comes from 75 standard sales inside Holt’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026.
£400Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Holt£400K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £560,000 | 35 |
| Semi-detached | £342,500 | 17 |
| Terraced | £299,157 | 16 |
| Flat or maisonette | £250,000 | 7 |
73%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,082
average private rent a month, Wiltshire council area
£2,429
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 B+
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Holt than in Wiltshire’s towns or England’s towns: 13%
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 43% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car took 83% of commuters, above both Wiltshire’s towns (77%) and England’s towns (70%). 38% of commuters travelled under 5 km to work. Of the commuters living in Holt, 10% work in the town itself. Before tax, the average household brings in £68K a year.
13%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving83%
On foot9%
Bicycle2%
Train2%
Bus1%
38%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
43%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£68K
mean household income, before tax
1.9%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 47% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Degrees are more common in Holt than in Wiltshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 44% of adults
Retirement age and beyond: 27% of residents are 65 or older. The 15-to-24 age group: 7.2%, below both Wiltshire’s towns (10%) and England’s towns (12%). The median resident of Holt is 49.9 years old. Under-15s account for 17% of the population.
49.9median age
HoltWiltshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
27%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications13%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level44%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Holt | Wiltshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.2% | 10% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 27% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.1% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 44% | 31% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Wiltshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →The Courts Garden and 5 more in and around Holt
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Holt. Best known first.
Garden · National TrustThe Courts Gardenin town
Historic house · National TrustGreat Chalfield Manor800 m outside town, to the north
MuseumTrowbridge Museum3.4 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumBradford on Avon Museum3 km outside town, to the westAttractionAttractionWiltshire Music Centre3.7 km outside town, to the westMuseumMuseumIron Duke2.9 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)
- The Courts Garden: Nessy-Pic, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Great Chalfield Manor: Trish Steel, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Trowbridge Museum: MuseumTrowbridge, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Holt
14pages on Holt
The big questions
SafetyA+7.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB−Median home £400K · rent £1,082 a monthHousing28 sold in 12 months · busiest street The TannerySchoolsC1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 83.9 (men), 86.8 (women)Work & commuteB+59% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Holt’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BerryfieldBradford-on-AvonAtworthTrowbridgeMelkshamBowerhillWinsleyHolt
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holt | 1,704 | — | — | B− | A+ | A |
| Berryfield | 1,094 | 2.3 | — | B | D | B+ |
| Bradford-on-Avon | 9,864 | 2.3 | A | C+ | B | A |
| Atworth | 1,293 | 2.4 | — | B− | B+ | A− |
| Trowbridge | 43,753 | 2.6 | C+ | A− | C | C+ |
| Melksham | 18,277 | 3.1 | C+ | A− | C | C |
| Bowerhill | 3,976 | 3.2 | A− | B+ | B+ | A− |
| Winsley | 1,365 | 3.8 | — | C+ | A+ | A+ |
Berryfield, Atworth and Winsley have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Holt
How many listed buildings are there in Holt?
That is 11.1 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Holt good?
Primary results trail 70% of towns in England (Department for Education, Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Wiltshire council.
Is Holt expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £400,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £250,000, terraced houses £299,157, semi-detached houses £342,500 and detached houses £560,000. Household incomes are higher than in 85% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades B−.
About Holt
Village in Wiltshire, England
Holt is a built-up area of 1,704 people, in the Wiltshire 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
- 1,704 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Wiltshire
- County
- Wiltshire
- Region
- South West
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005297
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.