Town Pop. 1,194

Living in Balcombe: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Balcombe scores 41/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Broadband falls furthest short: 10/100 where the typical UK town reaches 60/100. That makes it the 9th highest-scoring of the 16 places in the RH17 postcode district.

Against the wider RH17 district average of 49/100, that is 8 points below. That is 9 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (92). For the surrounding area, see RH17 postcode district.

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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.

Balcombe scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Balcombe.

Or compare:

RH17 5AA RH17 6AA RH17 7AA RH17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

61.1 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 26 crimes

↓ 35% below national average

Anti-social behaviour 10 crimes

↓ 45% below national average

Criminal damage and arson 8 crimes

≈ similar to national average

Other theft 7 crimes

≈ similar to national average

Burglary 6 crimes

↑ 43% above national average

other 16 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Newlands 15 crimes
2 Jobes 12 crimes
3 Barn Meadow 9 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 5.7 · PM2.5 6.5 · PM10 10.3 µg/m³

Green Space 78

Parks Some 1

Sports Pitches Some 1

Allotments None

Golf Courses None

Tennis Courts Adequate 3

Bowling Greens None

Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools

1 school in area · 3 within 4km

1Good

Balcombe Cofe Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsEast Surrey Hospital10.8 mi

Royal Sussex County Hospital16.2 mi

Tunbridge Wells Nuffield Hospital18.2 mi

Hospital waitsSussex Community NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi

Routine referral (median)16 wks

Treated within 18 weeks55.6%

A&E seen within 4 hrs98%

Nearest GP surgeryOuse Valley Practice3 mi

GP capacity1,013 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

Full fibre (FTTP)81.5%

available across Mid Sussex

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

6.1%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

6.1%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

100%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 57 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate61.3%

Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed61.3%Unemployed2.1%Retired24.4%Student3.1%Other inactive9.1%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial52.4%Skilled & technical32.7%Routine & elementary14.8%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications9.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12%Level 3 (A levels)17.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)44.8%Apprenticeship4.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%

Home ownership61.6%

Among the least-deprived 20% of areas in England

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

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

Balcombe 0.3 mi

Haywards Heath 3.8 mi

Three Bridges 4.3 mi

J11 M23 3.3 mi

J10A M23 3.4 mi

J11 M23 3.5 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Some 1

Restaurants & Cafes Some 1

Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1

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 Balcombe 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.

Frequently asked questions

Is Balcombe a nice place to live?

Balcombe has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Balcombe is 41/100, 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 Balcombe?

Balcombe is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 73 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Balcombe?

Among the top-rated schools in Balcombe is Balcombe Cofe Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Balcombe in total.

Balcombe in context

See the best places to live in West Sussex, ranked

Postcode districts in Balcombe

RH17 49 ⇄

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