South Molton
North Devon 013 · 5 sub-areas · 11,142 residents
North Devon 013 is a rural pocket of North Devon, home to around 11,100 people and a long way from the nearest major city. A typical two-bedroom home lets for about £790 a month — well below the UK national average for a 2-bed — but nearly half of take-home pay still goes on rent, reflecting how modest local wages are in this part of the South West.
South Molton is a green, lower-density part of North Devon — parks within walking distance of most addresses, a slower weekday rhythm, and a population skewed toward longer-tenure households rather than transient renters. The population skews older, with a long-settled feel and a high share of retirees.
Overview
What's it like to live in South Molton?
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; The streets feel safe by national standards — police-recorded crime is well below the country-wide median; Transport links are limited — a car or e-bike is a practical assumption for most regular trips; rents are below the national norm, with a typical home letting at around £859 a month; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 5 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
South Molton in North Devon
Living in South Molton
This part of North Devon sits firmly in rural England: car-dependent, spread out, and shaped by the landscape rather than the commuter clock. Nearly three in five working residents drive to work, and public transport accounts for barely one in 70 journeys. That tells you almost everything about the daily rhythm here — you need a car, and most people have one.
Rents are low by national standards. A 2-bed at around £790 a month is roughly two-thirds of the UK average for the same property type, and a 3-bed comes in under £1,000. The trade-off is that local wages are modest too: the median resident earns around £28,400 a year, which means rent-to-income is still stretched at close to 48% of take-home. Affordable by national comparison, but not easy on a local salary.
The population skews noticeably older than the UK average. Over a quarter of residents are 65 or older, and the 50–64 bracket adds another 22%. Just one in six is aged 18–34. This is predominantly settled, owner-occupied territory — around two-thirds of households own their home — with a strong share of single-person households at 28%. The area is ethnically homogeneous, with 95% of residents born in the UK.
More than a quarter of residents work from home, which is well above the national norm and reflects both the rural geography and a professional cohort that has chosen to move here precisely because remote work makes it viable. Getting anywhere by public transport is a significant undertaking — the nearest major employment hub is the best part of four hours away by public transport — so this area suits people who have already sorted where they work, not those who need to commute regularly. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on specific pockets within the area.
What you'll need on day one
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Frequently asked
- Is North Devon 013 a nice place to live?
- It depends on what you want. It's quiet, rural, and genuinely affordable compared to most of England — rents for a 2-bed run around £790 a month. But you'll need a car for almost everything, public transport is minimal, and the nearest major city is a long journey away. It suits people who value space and quiet over urban convenience, particularly those who work from home.
- What is the rent in North Devon 013?
- A one-bed typically costs around £598 a month, a two-bed around £790, and a three-bed around £978. Rents rose about 4% over the past year. These figures are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices, so treat them as a guide rather than a precise quote.
- Is North Devon 013 safe?
- Yes, relatively. The local crime rate is around 54 incidents per 1,000 residents annually, well below the UK national rate of roughly 80 per 1,000. Rural areas like this typically see lower crime than urban centres, and the overall picture here is calm by national standards.
- What's the commute from North Devon 013 to the nearest major city?
- It's a significant undertaking by public transport — the nearest major UK employment hub is around 3 hours 50 minutes away. Over 57% of residents drive to work, and barely 1% use public transport. If you need to commute regularly to a city, this area will likely frustrate you. It works best for remote workers or those with local employment.
- Who lives in North Devon 013?
- Mostly older, settled residents — over a quarter are 65 or above, and nearly two-thirds own their home. Around 28% live alone. The area skews older than the national average, with fewer young professionals and families with young children. A notable share work from home, suggesting an inflow of remote workers drawn by lower costs and rural surroundings.
- What schools are near North Devon 013?
- There are 11 schools within typical catchment distance, but only around 19% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — well below the national share of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding school is approximately 40 km away. If school quality is a priority, it's worth researching individual schools carefully before committing to a move here.
- How affordable is North Devon 013 compared to the rest of England?
- Rents are low by national standards — a 2-bed at around £790 is roughly two-thirds of the UK average. But local wages are modest too, at a median of around £28,400 a year, so rent still eats close to 48% of take-home pay. Affordable relative to cities, but not easy on a purely local income.