Tenterden & Rolvenden
Ashford 013 · 6 sub-areas · 8,984 residents
Ashford 013 is a quieter, largely residential part of Ashford in the South East, home to around 8,984 people and skewing noticeably older than most of the borough. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £1,134 a month — close to the UK national median for a 2-bed — and the area is heavily owner-occupied, with more than seven in ten households owning their home.
Tenterden & Rolvenden is a mid-density neighbourhood of Ashford in the South East region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. 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 Tenterden & Rolvenden?
Greenspace is on the doorstep — a park or playing field is within walking distance of most homes; The streets feel safe by national standards — police-recorded crime is well below the country-wide median; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £1,239 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 6 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Tenterden & Rolvenden in Ashford
Living in Tenterden & Rolvenden
This part of Ashford sits at the older, more settled end of the borough's demographic spectrum. Over a third of residents — 35% — are aged 65 or above, which is strikingly high compared to UK norms, and the neighbourhood's character reflects that: it's quieter, more suburban, with a high share of detached and semi-detached owner-occupied housing. If you're after a buzzy, youthful scene, you won't find it here; if you want a calm, residential base with decent greenspace access, it's worth a look.
Rents are moderate by South East standards. A typical 2-bed runs around £1,134 a month and a 3-bed around £1,394 — broadly competitive given the region's higher-than-average price levels. That said, the rent-to-take-home ratio here is 59%, which is high, reflecting the gap between what local jobs pay (a median workplace salary of around £29,100) and what residents actually earn (£32,991 median), since many commute out for better-paid work.
Ownership dominates: 70% of households own their home outright or with a mortgage, with private renters making up only about 15% and social renters around 13%. This is a neighbourhood where people tend to put down roots rather than move through — the age profile and tenure mix confirm that. One-person households account for nearly a third of all homes, reflecting both older residents living alone and some younger single occupants.
Practically speaking, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 10 km away in straight-line terms. The public-transport commute to London takes around three hours by rail or bus, so this is not a commuter belt in the traditional sense; most residents drive (54% of commuters travel by car) or work from home (32%). See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on specific pockets of the neighbourhood.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is Ashford 013 a nice place to live?
- It depends on what you're after. It's a calm, predominantly owner-occupied suburban area with good greenspace access — the nearest green space is around 550 metres away on average. It suits older residents and families who value quiet over convenience. Connectivity is limited without a car, and the schools picture is weaker than average, so it's less obviously suited to younger families relying on public transport or local school options.
- What is the rent in Ashford 013?
- A typical 1-bed runs around £887 a month, a 2-bed about £1,134, and a 3-bed around £1,394. These are estimates scaled from borough-level data using local sale prices. Rents have risen roughly 5% year-on-year. Council tax (Band D) adds around £2,410 a year on top.
- Is Ashford 013 safe?
- It's modestly safer than the national average — around 74 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents annually, compared to roughly 80 nationally. The predominantly residential character and older demographic profile tend to keep crime levels relatively low. It's not exceptional, but it's not a concern either.
- What's the commute from Ashford 013 to the city centre?
- Most residents drive — 54% commute by car — as public-transport options are limited, with only 2.4% using buses or trains. The nearest rail station is about 10 km away. The rail or bus journey to London takes around three hours, so this area isn't suited to regular London commuting. Working from home is common, with nearly a third of residents doing so.
- Who lives in Ashford 013?
- Predominantly older, settled owner-occupiers: over a third of residents are 65 or above, and more than half are aged 50-plus. Seven in ten households own their home. It's a low-diversity, largely UK-born community, with one-person households making up nearly a third of all homes — a mix of older residents living alone and some single younger adults.
- What schools are near Ashford 013?
- There are 12 schools within typical catchment distance, but only around 18% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — significantly below the national average of around 89%. The nearest Outstanding school is about 13.6 km away. We'd recommend checking Ofsted's school finder directly for the most current ratings on specific local schools.
- How does the cost of living in Ashford 013 compare to the rest of the South East?
- Rents are moderate relative to the wider South East — a 2-bed at around £1,134 a month is roughly in line with the UK national median for a 2-bed. However, at a 59% rent-to-take-home ratio, affordability is stretched for anyone on a local wage. The median workplace salary in the area is around £29,100, so residents who commute out for better-paid work are in a stronger position.