Retford North
Bassetlaw 005 · 4 sub-areas · 6,917 residents
Bassetlaw 005 is a largely settled, owner-occupied corner of Bassetlaw in the East Midlands, home to around 6,900 people. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £648 a month — well under half the UK median for a 2-bed — and the area skews noticeably older than the district average, with more than a quarter of residents aged 65 or over.
Retford North is a commuter neighbourhood within Bassetlaw — train into Sheffield runs in around 59 minutes, and the rhythm of weekday mornings is shaped by it. The population skews older, with a long-settled feel and a high share of retirees; most homes are owner-occupied, so turnover is low and many residents have been here a long time.
Overview
What's it like to live in Retford North?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; there's effectively nothing within walking distance — eating out, drinking and shopping mean a drive; Crime sits around the national average — neither a notable concern nor a notable selling point; rents are below the national norm, with a typical home letting at around £716 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 4 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Retford North in Bassetlaw
Living in Retford North
Bassetlaw 005 is one of those places where the numbers tell a clear story: this is affordable, established, and quiet in the way that comes from a population that has largely put down roots. Nearly seven in ten households own their home, and single-person households make up around a third of the total — a profile that points to an older, settled community rather than a transient rental market.
Rent here is genuinely low by any English standard. The median monthly rent sits at around £716, and a two-bedroom home typically lets for about £648 — roughly half what you'd pay in a major city and well below the national median. That affordability does come with trade-offs: this isn't a neighbourhood with a buzzing high street or easy public-transport links to major employment centres, and only around one in eight households rents privately.
The age profile is the most defining feature. More than a quarter of residents are 65 or over, and those aged 50–64 add another nearly one in four. The 18–34 cohort is present but relatively small. That shapes everything from the pace of the neighbourhood to the type of amenities you'll find nearby. Families with children are a minority here — couple households with children account for under 15% of homes.
For practical day-to-day living, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 1.9 km away — about a 24-minute walk, or a short drive. Public transport use for commuting is very low at around 1%, with the overwhelming majority of residents — nearly seven in ten — travelling by car. Green space is within reasonable reach, with the nearest accessible greenspace around 450 metres away. See the streets and sub-areas below for a more detailed breakdown of the area.
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Frequently asked
- Is Bassetlaw 005 a nice place to live?
- It depends on what you're after. If you want affordability, quiet residential streets, and the kind of neighbourhood where people stay long-term, it works well. It's not a place with a buzzing social scene or easy public-transport links, and the Ofsted picture for local schools is below the national average. For older residents or those working locally by car, it's a practical and genuinely affordable base.
- What is the rent in Bassetlaw 005?
- A typical two-bedroom home lets for around £648 a month, and the overall median rent is about £716. One-bedrooms average around £496 and three-bedrooms around £788. These figures are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose roughly 5% over the past year.
- Is Bassetlaw 005 safe?
- The area records around 71 crimes per 1,000 residents each year, which is modestly below the UK national average of roughly 80 per 1,000. It's a predominantly residential, low-density area, and the overall crime picture is fairly reassuring — though as always, specific streets can vary.
- What's the commute from Bassetlaw 005 to a major city?
- By public transport, London is around 108 minutes away and Manchester or Birmingham each take over two hours. The nearest mainline rail station is roughly 1.9 km away — about a 24-minute walk. Most residents drive: around 68% commute by car, and public transport use is very low at just over 1%.
- Who lives in Bassetlaw 005?
- Predominantly older, settled owner-occupiers. More than a quarter of residents are 65 or over, and nearly half the population is aged 50 or above. Around 35% of households are single-person, and fewer than 15% are couples with children. It's one of the more age-skewed neighbourhoods in the district.
- What schools are near Bassetlaw 005?
- There are 29 schools within 2 km of most residents, but only around 31% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national average. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is approximately 17.9 km away. Families with strong school preferences should check specific catchment areas carefully before deciding.
- How affordable is buying a home in Bassetlaw 005?
- The median house price is around £198,000, and on a local salary you'd typically need about three and a half years to save a 10% deposit — a more manageable ratio than most of southern England. Rent-to-take-home ratios run at around 39%, which is moderate rather than comfortable, but still well below major city levels.