Town Pop. 1,521

Living in Ardingly: Liveability Score 40/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Ardingly comes out at 40/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 10/100 versus a median of 60/100. Among the 16 scored places sharing the RH17 postcode district, Ardingly ranks 10th.

The RH17 district averages 49/100, putting Ardingly 9 points below its own postcode area. That sits 10 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the middle half of the towns and villages we score. Safety (92) sits at 80/100 or above. Wider context for the surrounding area: RH17 postcode district.

40
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.

Ardingly scores 40 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ardingly.
Or compare:
RH17 5AA RH17 6AA RH17 7AA RH17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
48.7 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 22 crimes
↓ 56% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 12 crimes
↓ 48% below national average
Other theft 11 crimes
↑ 16% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 7 crimes
↓ 32% below national average
Vehicle crime 6 crimes
↓ 19% below national average
other 16 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 16 crimes
  2. 2 Wakehurst Lane 12 crimes
  3. 3 Selsfield Road 11 crimes

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

Environment
76
Air Quality NO₂ 5.7 · PM2.5 6.5 · PM10 10.5 µg/m³
74
Green Space 78
Parks None
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Ample 12
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
26
1 school in area · 3 within 4km
1Good
  • St Peter's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
5
A&E departmentsEast Surrey Hospital11.7 mi
Royal Sussex County Hospital15 mi
Tunbridge Wells Nuffield Hospital16.4 mi
Hospital waitsSussex Community NHS Foundation Trust2 mi
Routine referral (median)16 wks
Treated within 18 weeks55.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs98%
Nearest GP surgeryLindfield Medical Centre2.3 mi
GP capacity1,648 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
10
Full fibre (FTTP)81.5%
available across Mid Sussex
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
14%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
14%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
95%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 50 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
79
Employment rate56.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.7%Unemployed1.5%Retired23.4%Student10.4%Other inactive8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial49.4%Skilled & technical35.4%Routine & elementary15.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications11.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.7%Level 3 (A levels)18.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)39.7%Apprenticeship3.3%Other (incl. vocational)3.2%
Home ownership70.2%
Among the least-deprived 31% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
39
Council tax Mid Sussex · 2026-27
A £1,649
B £1,924
C £2,199
D £2,474
E £3,024
F £3,574
G £4,123
H £4,948
Energy South East England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
15
Balcombe 2.3 mi
Haywards Heath 2.9 mi
Wivelsfield 5.8 mi
J10A M23 4.9 mi
J11 M23 5.3 mi
J11 M23 5.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
21
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Ardingly in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Balcombe 41 2.1 mi away ⇄
Horsted Keynes 40 2.6 mi away ⇄
West Hoathly 39 2.7 mi away ⇄
Haywards Heath 65 3.1 mi away ⇄
Sharpthorne 42 3.2 mi away ⇄
Cuckfield 54 3.4 mi away ⇄
Worth Abbey 0 3.6 mi away ⇄
Scayne's Hill 47 3.9 mi away ⇄
Danehill 36 4.0 mi away ⇄
Staplefield 40 4.0 mi away ⇄
Turners Hill 43 4.1 mi away ⇄
Chelwood Common 38 4.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ardingly a nice place to live?

Ardingly has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Ardingly is 40/100, 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 Ardingly?

Ardingly is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 74 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Ardingly?

Among the top-rated schools in Ardingly is St Peter's CofE Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Ardingly in total.

Ardingly in context

See the best places to live in West Sussex, ranked

Postcode districts in Ardingly

RH17 49 ⇄

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