Cookley’s story
5 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Cookley’s built-up area.
12% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CookleyWorcestershire
A village of 1,971 in Worcestershire, West Midlands. 44% of households own their home with no mortgage.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Philip Halling · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,971
Census 2021 · Wyre Forest council
Median home
£273K
63 sales in 3 years
Median age
49.2
25% are 65+ · Worcestershire 22%
Degree level
27%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Cookley a good place to live?
Hazard risk is low (A). The weak point is jobs & income — households earn a mean £52,169 a year, and 3.9% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Buying the median home, at £273,000, takes 5.8 years of household income in the Wyre Forest council area. Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work: on the way to work, 9% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for safety and B for health.
Figures: flood risk, Environment Agency · income and life expectancy, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021 · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Cookley has its subject grades alone.
What makes Cookley stand out
The 3 things Cookley 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
25% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
Own outright
Housing
44% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (England’s towns 32%)
How Cookley grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Cookley is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Below 2,500 residents there is no overall grade, so Cookley has its subject grades alone.
Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityNear the bottom of the towns comparedC−Open →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workC−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 38% of towns in England; secondary results beat 22% of towns in EnglandCOpen →Cost of livingHomes are harder to afford than in most townsCOpen →HealthLife expectancy 81.2 for men, 84.4 for womenBOpen →SafetyNear typical for the towns comparedBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageC−Open →Outdoors52% live within 400 m of a park; 2.3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsDOpen →Civic life2.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Cookley.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Under 5 km to work: 31% in Cookley, fewer than in Worcestershire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 25% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
89% of commuters drove, above both Worcestershire’s towns (82%) and England’s towns (70%). The 2026 claimant rate among 16 to 64s was 3.9%. There are 0.6 jobs in Cookley for each resident in work.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot7%
Bus1%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
31%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
25%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£52K
mean household income, before tax
3.9%
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
SchoolsC
School results in Cookley are weaker than in 74% of towns in England
Key Stage 2 results at the 9 primary schools within 3 km: 59% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Below is its only school. Attainment 8 at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km averages 42.5, and 36% of pupils get grade 5 or above in English and maths.
CSchool Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookley Sebright Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 230 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Who lives here
Older residents shape Cookley: 25% are 65 or over, above Worcestershire’s towns and England’s towns
Degrees are held by 27% of adults, below Worcestershire’s towns (32%) and England’s towns (34%) alike. Under-15s account for 15% of the population. Ages in Cookley split evenly at 49.2: half are older, half younger. Nearly one in ten residents are aged 15 to 24.
49.2median age
CookleyWorcestershireEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications21%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level27%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Cookley | Worcestershire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 16% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.4% | 10% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 27% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 22% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 21% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.6% | 5.8% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 27% | 32% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Worcestershire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
History
All 5 of Cookley’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Just over a tenth of its homes were built before 1919, lower than both Worcestershire’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (16%). Per 10,000 residents, Cookley counts 25 listed buildings.
5listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II5
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
12%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
25
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
Few households rent privately in Cookley: 11%, fewer than in Worcestershire’s towns and across England’s towns
73% of households own their home, higher than both Worcestershire’s towns (67%) and England’s towns (61%). Half of the 63 standard sales inside Cookley’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £273,000. Private rents average £825 a month across the Wyre Forest council area.
£273Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Cookley£273K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £410,000 | 7 |
| Semi-detached | £300,000 | 35 |
| Terraced | £205,000 | 21 |
73%
of households own their home · England 61%
11%
rent privately · England 21%
£825
average private rent a month, Wyre Forest council area
£2,485
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
More people in Cookley live with a disability than in Worcestershire’s towns or across England’s towns: 20%
There is no GP practice in Cookley: the nearest is 1.2 miles off. 80% of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, lower than both Worcestershire’s towns (82%) and England’s towns (82%). The nearest A&E to Cookley is Russells Hall Hospital, 7.4 miles away.
80%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Cookley | Worcestershire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.7% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
81.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.4
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.
Safety
Cookley records less crime per resident than 57% of UK towns
Reported offences in Cookley came to 87 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 11. 55% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Per 1,000 residents, 10 burglaries and acts of damage are recorded a year.
19.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearBSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 36% 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 & sexual48
Public order9
Other theft8
Shoplifting7
Vehicle crime5
Damage & arson3
Other crime3
Drugs2
Anti-social11
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.
19.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
87
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.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Severn Valley Railway and 6 more in and around Cookley
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Cookley. Best known first.
Heritage railwaySevern Valley Railway3.3 km outside town, to the south
FortDrakelow Tunnels1.3 km outside town, to the west
MuseumKidderminster Railway Museum3.3 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumMilitary Wireless Museum in the Midlands3.3 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumMuseum of Carpet3.4 km outside town, to the southAttractionAttraction · National TrustHoly Austin Rock Houses2.8 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 (3)
- Severn Valley Railway: Duncan Harris, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Drakelow Tunnels: Joesaphine, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kidderminster Railway Museum: Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cookley
15pages on Cookley
The big questions
SafetyB19.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £273K · rent £825 a monthHousing17 sold in 12 months · busiest street Castle RoadSchoolsC1 state schoolHealthBLife expectancy 81.2 (men), 84.4 (women)Work & commuteC−46% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Cookley’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
WolverleyKinverBlakedownKidderminsterHagleyStourbridgeBewdleyCookley
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookley | 1,971 | — | — | C | B | B |
| Wolverley | 1,208 | 1.6 | — | C− | B− | B |
| Kinver | 4,651 | 2.3 | B | C+ | B− | B |
| Blakedown | 1,448 | 2.4 | — | D | B− | B+ |
| Kidderminster | 57,567 | 2.5 | D | B− | D | C− |
| Hagley | 7,012 | 3.7 | A+ | B | A− | A+ |
| Stourbridge | 56,961 | 4.4 | C+ | B | C− | C |
| Bewdley | 8,285 | 4.7 | C− | C | C+ | B− |
Wolverley and Blakedown have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Cookley
Are schools in Cookley good?
GCSE results trail 78% of towns in England, and primary results trail 62% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Worcestershire council.
Does Cookley flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Cookley
Village in Worcestershire, England
Cookley is a built-up area of 1,971 people, in the Wyre Forest 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
- 1,971 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Wyre Forest
- County
- Worcestershire
- Region
- West Midlands
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- E63002990
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.