Town Pop. 560

Living in Bolney: Liveability Score 46/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Bolney comes out at 46/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 55/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is schools: 7/100 versus a median of 23/100.

That makes it the 7th highest-scoring of the 16 places in the RH17 postcode district. Its lifestyle score runs 10 points above the RH17 district's 45/100. Broadband (90) and economic health (86) sit at 80/100 or above. Wider context for the surrounding area: RH17 postcode district.

46
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.

Loading map…

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.

Bolney scores 46 but individual postcodes tell the full story

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

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
73
319.6 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 39 crimes
↑ 109% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 38 crimes
↑ 347% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 21 crimes
↑ 451% above national average
Other theft 15 crimes
↑ 332% above national average
Public order 13 crimes
↑ 257% above national average
other 53 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Petrol Station 33 crimes
  2. 2 Mayfields 13 crimes
  3. 3 Hickstead Lane 10 crimes

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

Environment
75
Air Quality NO₂ 7 · PM2.5 6.7 · PM10 11.7 µg/m³
72
Green Space 82
Parks None
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
7
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Ungraded
  • Bolney CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

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

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

Healthcare
15
A&E departmentsRoyal Sussex County Hospital12.2 mi
Worthing Hospital13.7 mi
East Surrey Hospital15 mi
Hospital waitsSussex Community NHS Foundation Trust3 mi
Routine referral (median)16 wks
Treated within 18 weeks55.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs98%
Nearest GP surgeryCuckfield Medical Practice3 mi
GP capacity1,539 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
90
Full fibre (FTTP)81.5%
available across Mid Sussex
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 26 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
86
Employment rate60.3%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed60.3%Unemployed2.3%Retired23%Student4.9%Other inactive9.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial51%Skilled & technical37.1%Routine & elementary11.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications11.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.9%Level 3 (A levels)17.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)41%Apprenticeship4.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership77.3%
Among the least-deprived 40% 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
11
Wivelsfield 4.1 mi
Haywards Heath 4.3 mi
Burgess Hill 4.4 mi
J11 M23 6.1 mi
J11 M23 6.4 mi
J10A M23 8.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
55
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 3
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 2

Places like Bolney Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like Bolney, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Bolney 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

Ansty 45 1.7 mi away ⇄
Warninglid 48 1.8 mi away ⇄
Cuckfield 54 2.9 mi away ⇄
Sayers Common 39 3.0 mi away ⇄
Cowfold 51 3.1 mi away ⇄
Staplefield 40 3.1 mi away ⇄
Burgess Hill 58 4.1 mi away ⇄
Handcross 37 4.2 mi away ⇄
Albourne 37 4.2 mi away ⇄
Shermanbury 47 4.4 mi away ⇄
Haywards Heath 65 4.6 mi away ⇄
Littleworth 0 4.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Bolney a nice place to live?

Bolney has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Bolney is 46/100, 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 Bolney?

Bolney has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 73/100. There were 179 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Bolney in context

See the best places to live in West Sussex, ranked

Postcode districts in Bolney

RH17 49 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode