Thornes
Wakefield 028 · 4 sub-areas · 6,273 residents
Wakefield 028 is a residential area within Wakefield, home to around 6,300 people and noticeably more affordable than much of Yorkshire. A typical two-bedroom home lets for around £710 a month — well below the UK median for a 2-bed — and the nearest major employment centre is roughly half an hour away. The area skews older than Wakefield as a whole, with a strong owner-occupier majority.
Thornes is a commuter neighbourhood within Wakefield — train into Leeds runs in around 35 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.
Overview
What's it like to live in Thornes?
Day-to-day life sits close to greenery — a park or playing field is within easy walking distance of most addresses; Recorded crime is higher than the national norm — common for built-up urban areas, but worth weighing if you're looking for a quieter base; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents are below the national norm, with a typical home letting at around £787 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.
Thornes in Wakefield
Living in Thornes
This part of Wakefield is solidly residential in character — predominantly owner-occupied streets, a relatively older population, and a pace that's a long way from city-centre intensity. Around 66% of homes here are owned outright or with a mortgage, which gives the area a settled, established feel compared to the more transient rental-heavy neighbourhoods closer to Wakefield city centre.
On cost, it's genuinely affordable. A 2-bed runs about £710 a month, which is roughly 40% below the UK median for the same property type. The trade-off is that rents are climbing — up nearly 5% year-on-year — so the gap with national averages is narrowing. Council tax (Band D) comes in at around £2,297 a year, broadly in line with the wider Wakefield district.
The demographic profile is distinctive. About a quarter of residents are aged 65 or over — well above what you'd expect in most urban areas — and the 50–64 bracket adds another near-23%. That shapes the area: quieter streets, lower churn of residents, a community that's been here a while. Single-person households account for over a third of all homes, reflecting both the older age profile and a significant widowed or retired contingent.
For practical purposes, the nearest mainline rail station is roughly 1.5 km away — about a 19-minute walk — which keeps commuting options open without being on the doorstep. The vast majority of residents drive: nearly 58% travel to work by car. Green space is close by; around 85% of residents are within a short walk of accessible greenspace, with the nearest patch under 200 metres away on average. See the streets and sub-areas below for more detail on specific pockets within the neighbourhood.
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Frequently asked
- Is Wakefield 028 a nice place to live?
- It's a settled, predominantly owner-occupied residential area with affordable rents and good greenspace access — around 85% of residents are within a short walk of green space. The trade-off is a crime rate well above the national average and a below-average proportion of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding. It suits people who prioritise affordability and stability over a busy urban feel.
- What is the rent in Wakefield 028?
- A one-bedroom home averages around £560 a month, a two-bedroom around £710, and a three-bedroom around £850. These figures are estimates scaled from council-level ONS data using local sale prices. Rents rose around 4.9% in the past year, so expect the picture to shift gradually upward.
- Is Wakefield 028 safe?
- The crime rate is around 220 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — roughly two and a half times the UK national average of about 80 per 1,000. It's not an outlier within Wakefield, but it's elevated compared to lower-crime parts of Yorkshire. The settled, owner-occupied character of the streets offers some stability, but it's worth checking crime maps for your specific target streets.
- What's the commute from Wakefield 028 to the nearest city centre?
- The nearest major employment hub is around 32 minutes away by public transport. The closest mainline rail station is roughly 1.5 km from typical addresses — about a 19-minute walk. Nearly 58% of residents drive to work, reflecting that public transport options are limited outside of rail.
- Who lives in Wakefield 028?
- Mostly older, settled owner-occupiers — nearly half the population is aged 50 or over, and around a quarter are 65-plus. Single-person households make up over a third of all homes. It's a low-turnover community; younger renters are underrepresented compared to most urban neighbourhoods.
- What schools are near Wakefield 028?
- There are 42 schools within 2 km of typical addresses, so supply isn't the issue. Around 55% are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — below the national average of roughly 89%. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is under 850 metres away, so quality options exist, but families should check individual schools carefully rather than relying on area averages.
- How far is Wakefield 028 from Leeds and Manchester?
- By public transport, the nearest major job hub is around 32 minutes away. Manchester is roughly 68 minutes by rail or bus, and London around 125 minutes. These are public-transport journey times, not driving times.