Town Pop. 717

Living in Birch Vale: Liveability Score 56/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Birch Vale scores 56/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is broadband: 94/100 against a national town median of 60/100. That makes it the 3rd highest-scoring of the 5 places in the SK22 postcode district.

Its broadband score runs 62 points above the SK22 district's 32/100. Safety (83) sits at 80/100 or above. On the national picture that lands Birch Vale in the top quarter of all the places we score. For the surrounding area, see SK22 postcode district.

56
OUT OF 100
Average
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.

Birch Vale scores 56 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Birch Vale.
Or compare:
SK22 1AA SK22 2AB SK22 3AB SK22 4AA SK22 9AQ SK22

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
83
238.5 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 97 crimes
↑ 306% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 21 crimes
↑ 93% above national average
Public order 18 crimes
↑ 286% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 8 crimes
↑ 65% above national average
Vehicle crime 7 crimes
↑ 104% above national average
other 20 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Stafford Street 17 crimes
  2. 2 Ollersett Drive 14 crimes
  3. 3 Sycamore Close 14 crimes

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

Environment
78
Air Quality NO₂ 6.025 · PM2.5 6.378 · PM10 9.416 µg/m³
75
Green Space 86
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Adequate 2
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
32
2 schools in area · 10 within 4km
2Good
  • Hayfield Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Thornsett Primary School (High Peak Federation)Primary · 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
35
A&E departmentsManchester University Hospitals (central site)11.4 mi
Manchester Royal Infirmary11.4 mi
Wythenshawe Hospital12.6 mi
Hospital waitsChesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust1.2 mi
Routine referral (median)15 wks
Treated within 18 weeks54.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs74.2%
Nearest GP surgerySett Valley Medical Centre1.2 mi
GP capacity1,089 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
94
Full fibre (FTTP)80.1%
available across High Peak
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 28 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
68
Employment rate56.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.6%Unemployed2.3%Retired28.5%Student3.6%Other inactive8.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.5%Skilled & technical32.5%Routine & elementary24%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13%Level 3 (A levels)16.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.9%Apprenticeship7.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership81.6%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
54
Council tax High Peak · 2026-27
A £1,590
B £1,855
C £2,120
D £2,385
E £2,915
F £3,445
G £3,975
H £4,770
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
32
New Mills Central 1.7 mi
New Mills Newtown 2 mi
Furness Vale 2.2 mi
J3 M67 6.6 mi
J3 M67 6.9 mi
J25 M60 7.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
33
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Birch Vale 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

Hayfield 47 1.0 mi away ⇄
New Mills 63 1.4 mi away ⇄
Furness Vale 56 2.2 mi away ⇄
Disley 53 3.0 mi away ⇄
Chinley 51 3.1 mi away ⇄
Marpleridge 56 3.2 mi away ⇄
Marple Bridge 57 3.3 mi away ⇄
Whaley Bridge 59 3.7 mi away ⇄
Charlesworth 60 3.8 mi away ⇄
High Lane 52 4.0 mi away ⇄
Marple 62 4.1 mi away ⇄
Chapel-en-le-Frith 48 4.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Birch Vale a nice place to live?

Birch Vale is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Birch Vale is 56/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Birch Vale?

Birch Vale is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 83/100. There were 171 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Birch Vale?

Among the top-rated schools in Birch Vale are Hayfield Primary School and Thornsett Primary School (High Peak Federation), rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Birch Vale in total.

Birch Vale in context

See the best places to live in Derbyshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Birch Vale

SK22 58 ⇄

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