Town Pop. 2,458

Living in Ambleside: Liveability Score 45/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Ambleside is 45/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 52/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 60/100 against a town median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the LA22 postcode district scores higher. Ambleside leads all 3. Environment (84) and economic health (82) also clear 80/100. Below 30/100: schools (10), transport (19) and healthcare (26). For the surrounding area, see LA22 postcode district.

45
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Ambleside scores 45 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ambleside.
Or compare:
LA22 0AA LA22 9AB LA22

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
60
129.8 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 157 crimes
↑ 92% above national average
Public order 28 crimes
↑ 75% above national average
Other theft 27 crimes
↑ 77% above national average
Shoplifting 26 crimes
↑ 36% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 23 crimes
↑ 38% above national average
other 58 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 62 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 30 crimes
  3. 3 Bridge Lane 15 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
84
Air Quality NO₂ 2.7 · PM2.5 4.3 · PM10 6.6 µg/m³
84
Green Space 85
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Adequate 2
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
10
1 school in area
1Requires Improvement
  • Ambleside CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Requires Improvement
Healthcare
26
A&E departmentsRoyal Lancaster Infirmary26.7 mi
Cumberland Infirmary31.5 mi
Blackpool Victoria Hospital41.3 mi
Hospital waitsNorth Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.3%
A&E seen within 4 hrs62.6%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,512 patients per GP
1dentist2pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
63
Full fibre (FTTP)79.2%
available across Westmorland and Furness
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
86.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
86.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 125 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
82
Employment rate58%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58%Unemployed2.3%Retired27%Student5.7%Other inactive7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial34.4%Skilled & technical39.5%Routine & elementary26.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)11.5%Level 3 (A levels)20%Level 4+ (degree & above)39.3%Apprenticeship6.2%Other (incl. vocational)1.9%
Home ownership51.9%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
43
Council tax Westmorland and Furness · 2026-27
A £1,672
B £1,951
C £2,229
D £2,508
E £3,065
F £3,623
G £4,180
H £5,016
Energy North West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
19
Windermere 4.3 mi
Staveley 6.9 mi
Burneside 9.4 mi
J39 M6 13.7 mi
J39 M6 13.8 mi
J38 M6 14.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
52
Pubs & Bars Ample 14
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 38
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 3
Retail Shopping Ample 81
Takeaways Adequate 9
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £335,000 13
5-year monthly trend
All Terraced
£302k £378k £457k £534k 2022 2023 2024 2025

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Nearby places

Grasmere 35 3.3 mi away ⇄
Windermere 52 4.1 mi away ⇄
Hawkshead 42 4.1 mi away ⇄
Bowness-on-Windermere 50 5.0 mi away ⇄
Coniston 37 6.2 mi away ⇄
Storrs 35 6.3 mi away ⇄
Staveley (South Lakeland) 47 6.9 mi away ⇄
Burneside 47 9.7 mi away ⇄
Finsthwaite 0 10 mi away ⇄
Kendal 64 11 mi away ⇄
Backbarrow 41 12 mi away ⇄
Natland 45 13 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ambleside a nice place to live?

Ambleside has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Ambleside is 45/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Ambleside?

Ambleside has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 60/100. There were 319 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are house prices like in Ambleside?

The current median house price in Ambleside is £335,000, around 18% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 2%.

Ambleside in context

See the best places to live in Cumbria, ranked

Postcode districts in Ambleside

LA22 42 ⇄

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