Town Pop. 1,142

Living in Barrow (West Suffolk): Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Barrow (West Suffolk) is 42/100, built from 9 categories. Broadband is where Barrow (West Suffolk) most outperforms the national norm: 97/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is schools: 4/100 versus a median of 23/100.

Among the 7 scored places sharing the IP29 postcode district, Barrow (West Suffolk) ranks 4th. Barrow (West Suffolk) is a place of extremes: 97/100 for broadband against 3/100 for healthcare, a 94-point spread wider than roughly nine in ten UK towns. On broadband specifically, Barrow (West Suffolk) sits 57 points above the IP29 district figure of 40/100. For the surrounding area, see IP29 postcode district.

42
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.

Barrow (West Suffolk) scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Barrow (West Suffolk).
Or compare:
IP29 4AA IP29 5AA IP29

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
94
68.3 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 28 crimes
↓ 26% below national average
Other theft 11 crimes
↑ 55% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 10 crimes
↑ 29% above national average
Vehicle crime 9 crimes
↑ 65% above national average
Burglary 7 crimes
↑ 74% above national average
other 13 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Barrow Hill 9 crimes
  2. 2 Simpson Way 8 crimes
  3. 3 Cedar Road 7 crimes

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

Environment
55
Air Quality NO₂ 4.7 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 12 µg/m³
73
Green Space 12
Parks None
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
4
1 school in area
1Ungraded
  • Barrow Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsRAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital10.3 mi
Urgent Care Cambridge18.6 mi
Cambridge Biomedical Campus19.1 mi
Hospital waitsWest Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust2.8 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.1%
Nearest GP surgeryVictoria Surgery5.1 mi
GP capacity1,114 patients per GP
0dentists1pharmacy

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
97
Full fibre (FTTP)72.9%
available across West Suffolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 40 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
66
Employment rate57.6%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.6%Unemployed1.9%Retired29.7%Student3%Other inactive7.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.4%Skilled & technical34.3%Routine & elementary22.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.2%Level 3 (A levels)17.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)34.1%Apprenticeship6.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership71.3%
Among the least-deprived 35% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
56
Council tax West Suffolk · 2026-27
A £1,567
B £1,829
C £2,090
D £2,351
E £2,873
F £3,396
G £3,918
H £4,702
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
16
Kennett 4.7 mi
Bury St Edmunds 5.5 mi
Newmarket 7.6 mi
J9A M11 20 mi
J9A M11 20.6 mi
J11 M11 21.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
7
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £345,000 22
5-year monthly trend
All Detached
£268k £328k £390k £450k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Risby 40 2.6 mi away ⇄
Chevington 41 2.7 mi away ⇄
Ousden 44 2.8 mi away ⇄
Gazeley 46 2.9 mi away ⇄
Chedburgh 43 3.9 mi away ⇄
Horringer 53 3.9 mi away ⇄
Kentford 42 4.3 mi away ⇄
Moulton (West Suffolk) 41 4.3 mi away ⇄
Ashley (East Cambridgeshire) 37 4.4 mi away ⇄
Lidgate 43 4.5 mi away ⇄
Lackford 48 4.5 mi away ⇄
Fornham All Saints 49 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Barrow (West Suffolk) a nice place to live?

Barrow (West Suffolk) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Barrow (West Suffolk) is 42/100, 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 Barrow (West Suffolk)?

Barrow (West Suffolk) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 94/100. There were 78 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are house prices like in Barrow (West Suffolk)?

The current median house price in Barrow (West Suffolk) is £345,000, around 21% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 2%. There were 22 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Barrow (West Suffolk) in context

See the best places to live in Suffolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Barrow (West Suffolk)

IP29 46 ⇄

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