What it's like to live in Billingshurst

Horsham district is a strongly owner-occupied area: 72.3% of homes are owned, 14.5% privately rented and just 11.5% socially rented, below the England figure of 17.1%. Only 1.2% is council-owned, with 10.2% held by housing associations, so most social tenants here have a housing association landlord.

The largest is Saxon Weald with around 4,799 homes across the district, followed by Southern Housing (1,176), Moat Homes (457), Clarion (436) and Hyde (431). Average weekly social rents in the council area for 2024/25 were about £115 for a one bed, £135 for a two bed and £155 for a three bed.

The age profile leans older than England as a whole: 28.3% are aged 45 to 64 and 22.8% are 65 or over, with fewer young adults. For context, Horsham's housing register held 716 households at the end of March 2025 and 276 social homes were let through the council in 2024-25, which is why many people look at mutual exchange.

For a village, the school provision is unusually good. Billingshurst Primary Academy is about 0.3 miles from the centre, and The Weald School, a secondary, is roughly half a mile away, which means children can often stay local right through their school years without a long daily journey.

There are other options within a short drive. Wisborough Green Primary School is 2.2 miles out, Barns Green Primary School 2.6 miles, and William Penn School 2.9 miles. Ingfield Manor School, Apple Orchard School and Muntham House School are all within two and a half miles and are specialist settings, worth looking into if your child has additional needs.

Family life beyond school leans on the village halls and the library. Billingshurst Library is right in the centre, and The Depot, Billingshurst Centre and Billingshurst Women's Hall host community activities. The leisure centre covers sport and swimming-age activities. In the wider Horsham area, 17.7% of residents are under 16, slightly below the England figure, so it is a family area without being overwhelmingly young.

Billingshurst station is about half a mile from the centre, on the Arun Valley line. That makes rail a genuine option here rather than a nice extra, whether you are heading north towards Horsham and London or south towards the coast.

By road, the A29 runs through the village and links it with surrounding towns and villages, so a car is useful for bigger shops, hospital trips or jobs spread around the district. Parking is generally easier than in a town centre, though the main road through the village can be busy at peak times.

On foot, the centre works well. The library, Jengers Mead, the pharmacy, the leisure centre, the primary school and The Weald School are all within about half a mile of each other, so many families manage the school run and the daily shop without driving. Newer estates on the edges add a bit of walking time. Bus services connect the village with nearby towns, but they are rural in frequency, so check the timetable against your own routine before committing.

Billingshurst is a pub village at heart. The Six Bells, The Kings Arms and The Kings Head sit in or beside the centre, The Billi Tap adds a smaller, more modern option, and The Railway Inn is handy for the station. Between them they cover most moods, from a quiet pint to meeting a crowd.

For exercise and activities, Billingshurst Leisure Centre is the main hub, about half a mile from the middle of the village. The Depot and the Billingshurst Centre run community events and classes, and Billingshurst Library is a free, warm place to spend time with children on a wet afternoon.

The real draw for many people is what is outside the village. This is rural West Sussex, with farmland, lanes and footpaths starting close to the houses, and Wisborough Green and Barns Green within a few miles if you fancy a walk with a village hall or pub at the end. If you want cinemas, big shopping or nightlife, you will be travelling to Horsham or the coast.

Across the Horsham council area, 59.8% of adults are in work, above the England figure of 57.4%, and unemployment sits at 2.4% compared with 3.5% nationally. Benefit claimant figures tell the same story, at around 2% of working-age people against 4% for England. On paper, this is a strong local job market.

The catch for Billingshurst itself is that it is a village of about 8,200 people, so most jobs are elsewhere. Local work tends to be in shops, schools, pubs, care and services within the village, while bigger employment sits in Horsham and the towns along the Arun Valley line and the A29.

That makes the station and the road links central to your working life here. Plenty of residents commute, and the rail connection north towards Horsham, Gatwick and London is a big part of why people stay. If you work shifts or unsociable hours, check train and bus times carefully, because rural evening services are thinner than in a town.