Town Pop. 1,893

Living in Bowness-on-Windermere: Liveability Score 50/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Bowness-on-Windermere is 50/100, built from 9 categories. Lifestyle is where Bowness-on-Windermere most outperforms the national norm: 56/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 27/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Bowness-on-Windermere places 2nd of 3 in the LA23 postcode district. On lifestyle specifically, Bowness-on-Windermere sits 13 points above the LA23 district figure of 43/100. Environment (84) also clears 80/100. For the surrounding area, see LA23 postcode district.

50
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.

Bowness-on-Windermere scores 50 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Bowness-on-Windermere.
Or compare:
LA23 1AA LA23 2AB LA23 3AA LA23 9AY LA23

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
27
336 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 295 crimes
↑ 368% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 68 crimes
↑ 428% above national average
Public order 66 crimes
↑ 437% above national average
Other theft 51 crimes
↑ 334% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 42 crimes
↑ 46% above national average
other 114 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Robinson Place 53 crimes
  2. 2 Ferry Terminal 30 crimes
  3. 3 North Terrace 26 crimes

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

Environment
84
Air Quality NO₂ 2.6 · PM2.5 4.5 · PM10 6.7 µg/m³
83
Green Space 85
Parks Ample 9
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 4

Services

Schools
31
3 schools in area · 4 within 4km
2Good1Requires Improvement
  • Goodly Dale Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Martin & St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Cuthberts Catholic Primary School, WindermerePrimary · inspected 2023
    Requires Improvement

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

Healthcare
46
A&E departmentsRoyal Lancaster Infirmary21.7 mi
Cumberland Infirmary36.3 mi
Blackpool Victoria Hospital36.8 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust0.7 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks71.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs65.6%
Nearest GP surgeryWindermere and Bowness Medical Practice0.7 mi
GP capacity1,239 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
75
Full fibre (FTTP)79.2%
available across Westmorland and Furness
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
86.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
86.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 118 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
79
Employment rate53.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53.6%Unemployed1.5%Retired32%Student3.1%Other inactive9.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial39.6%Skilled & technical38%Routine & elementary22.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.2%Level 3 (A levels)16.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)40%Apprenticeship6.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership60.4%
Among the least-deprived 30% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
43
Council tax Westmorland and Furness · 2026-27
A £1,672
B £1,951
C £2,229
D £2,508
E £3,065
F £3,623
G £4,180
H £5,016
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
44
Windermere 1.3 mi
Staveley 4.1 mi
Burneside 6.1 mi
J36 M6 11.9 mi
J37 M6 12 mi
J36 M6 12 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
56
Pubs & Bars Ample 19
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 43
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 4
Retail Shopping Ample 80
Takeaways Ample 12
Fitness Ample 6

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £365,000 17
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Flat
£259k £403k £552k £697k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Windermere 52 1.2 mi away ⇄
Storrs 35 1.5 mi away ⇄
Hawkshead 42 3.3 mi away ⇄
Staveley (South Lakeland) 47 4.1 mi away ⇄
Ambleside 45 5.0 mi away ⇄
Finsthwaite 0 6.0 mi away ⇄
Burneside 47 6.3 mi away ⇄
Coniston 37 6.3 mi away ⇄
Kendal 64 7.5 mi away ⇄
Backbarrow 41 8.0 mi away ⇄
Grasmere 35 8.0 mi away ⇄
Levens 48 8.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Bowness-on-Windermere a nice place to live?

Bowness-on-Windermere is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Bowness-on-Windermere is 50/100, 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 Bowness-on-Windermere?

Crime levels in Bowness-on-Windermere are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 27/100. There were 636 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Bowness-on-Windermere?

Among the top-rated schools in Bowness-on-Windermere are Goodly Dale Primary School and St Martin & St Mary Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 3 rated schools in Bowness-on-Windermere in total.

What are house prices like in Bowness-on-Windermere?

The current median house price in Bowness-on-Windermere is £365,000, around 28% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 11%.

Bowness-on-Windermere in context

See the best places to live in Cumbria, ranked

Postcode districts in Bowness-on-Windermere

LA23 46 ⇄

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