Town Pop. 916

Living in Benenden: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Benenden comes out at 41/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Furthest below the national norm is broadband, at 22/100 against a town median of 60/100. Benenden places 6th of 12 in the TN17 postcode district.

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 (94). Healthcare (8), transport (17), schools (18) and lifestyle (18) all fall below 30/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: TN17 postcode district.

41
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.

Benenden scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Benenden.
Or compare:
TN17 1AA TN17 2AA TN17 3AD TN17 4AA TN17 9AN TN17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
94
73.1 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 25 crimes
↓ 18% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 8 crimes
↑ 28% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 7 crimes
↓ 50% below national average
Other theft 7 crimes
↑ 23% above national average
Public order 7 crimes
↑ 17% above national average
other 13 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Leybourne Dell 16 crimes
  2. 2 Admirals Walk 6 crimes
  3. 3 Mill Street 5 crimes

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

Environment
76
Air Quality NO₂ 5.338 · PM2.5 6.355 · PM10 9.83 µg/m³
75
Green Space 78
Parks None
Sports Pitches Adequate 3
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Ample 8
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
18
1 school in area
1Good
  • Benenden Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
Healthcare
8
A&E departmentsTunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury12.2 mi
Tunbridge Wells Nuffield Hospital12.9 mi
Maidstone Hospital14 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust1.9 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
Nearest GP surgeryOrchard End Surgery2.2 mi
GP capacity2,535 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
22
Full fibre (FTTP)75.5%
available across Tunbridge Wells
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
52.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
52.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
91.6%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 32 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
72
Employment rate49.3%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed49.3%Unemployed2.4%Retired23.9%Student14.8%Other inactive9.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial51.2%Skilled & technical34.6%Routine & elementary14.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)20.9%Level 3 (A levels)15.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)37.7%Apprenticeship3.9%Other (incl. vocational)1.5%
Home ownership68.7%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
41
Council tax Tunbridge Wells · 2026-27
A £1,631
B £1,902
C £2,174
D £2,446
E £2,990
F £3,533
G £4,077
H £4,892
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
17
Headcorn 6.9 mi
Staplehurst 7 mi
Etchingham 7.1 mi
J8 M20 13.2 mi
J8 M20 13.6 mi
J9 M20 14 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
18
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Benenden 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

Coursehorn 0 1.8 mi away ⇄
East End 38 2.1 mi away ⇄
Gun Green 0 2.3 mi away ⇄
Cranbrook (Tunbridge Wells) 43 2.5 mi away ⇄
Pipsden 53 2.7 mi away ⇄
Rolvenden 39 2.8 mi away ⇄
Sissinghurst 40 2.8 mi away ⇄
Hartley 47 2.9 mi away ⇄
Sandhurst (Tunbridge Wells) 46 3.1 mi away ⇄
Linkhill 41 3.3 mi away ⇄
Cranbrook Common 33 3.5 mi away ⇄
Rolvenden Layne 40 3.6 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Benenden a nice place to live?

Benenden has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Benenden 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 Benenden?

Benenden is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 94/100. There were 67 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Benenden?

Among the top-rated schools in Benenden is Benenden Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Benenden in total.

Benenden in context

See the best places to live in Kent, ranked

Postcode districts in Benenden

TN17 39 ⇄

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