Town Pop. 276,758

Living in Brighton and Hove: Liveability Score 64/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Brighton and Hove comes out at 64/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Healthcare is where Brighton and Hove most outperforms the national norm: 86/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 24/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That sits 14 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Lifestyle (89) and transport (83) also clear 80/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: BN1 postcode district.

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.

Brighton and Hove scores 64 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Brighton and Hove.

Or compare:

BN1 1AA BN1 2AA BN1 3AA BN1 4AA BN1 5AA BN1 6AA BN1 7AA BN1 8AA BN1 BN2 BN3 BN41

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

126 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 10,485 crimes

↑ 14% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 6,322 crimes

↑ 50% above national average

Shoplifting 4,708 crimes

↑ 118% above national average

Public order 3,061 crimes

↑ 71% above national average

Other theft 2,473 crimes

↑ 44% above national average

other 7,823 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Supermarket 3,231 crimes
2 Nightclub 1,259 crimes
3 Parking Area 907 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 8.7 · PM2.5 6.7 · PM10 10.2 µg/m³

Green Space 62

Parks Ample 131

Sports Pitches Ample 174

Allotments Ample 27

Golf Courses Ample 4

Tennis Courts Ample 124

Bowling Greens Ample 18

Playgrounds Ample 72

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 67 in area

3Outstanding50Good4Requires Improvement10Ungraded

Hill Park SchoolSpecial · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Royal Spa Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Tarnerland Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Aldrington CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
Good
Balfour Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Benfield Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2019
Good
Bevendean Primary School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Bilingual Primary School - Brighton & HovePrimary · inspected 2021
Good
Blatchington Mill SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
Good
Brackenbury Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
Good

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsRoyal Sussex County Hospitalin area

Worthing Hospital6.1 mi

Eastbourne District General Hospital13 mi

Hospital waitsSussex Community NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi

Routine referral (median)16 wks

Treated within 18 weeks55.6%

A&E seen within 4 hrs98%

24 GP surgeries in area best 'Outstanding'

GP capacity2,157 patients per GP

43dentists38pharmacies

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

Full fibre (FTTP)58.9%

available across Brighton and Hove

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

86.5%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

89.1%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

98.2%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 4,444 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate59.1%

Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed59.1%Unemployed4.6%Retired15.4%Student9.8%Other inactive11.1%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial48.3%Skilled & technical31.6%Routine & elementary20.1%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications12.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)10.7%Level 3 (A levels)19.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)44.5%Apprenticeship3.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%

Home ownership51.5%

Around the England average for deprivation

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax Brighton and Hove · 2026-27

A £1,721

B £2,007

C £2,294

D £2,581

E £3,155

F £3,728

G £4,302

H £5,162

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

London Road (Brighton) 0.2 mi

Brighton 0.7 mi

Preston Park 0.8 mi

J11 M23 17.1 mi

J11 M23 17.4 mi

J10A M23 18.5 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 295

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 766

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 261

Retail Shopping Ample 1702

Takeaways Ample 304

Fitness Ample 380

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£427,500	1,731
Detached	£700,000	203
Semi-detached	£520,000	327
Terraced	£500,000	502
Flat / Maisonette	£305,000	699

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Brighton and Hove a nice place to live?

Brighton and Hove is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Brighton and Hove is 64/100, 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 Brighton and Hove?

Crime levels in Brighton and Hove are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 24/100. There were 34,872 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Brighton and Hove?

Among the top-rated schools in Brighton and Hove are Hill Park School, Royal Spa Nursery School and Tarnerland Nursery School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 67 rated schools in Brighton and Hove in total.

What are house prices like in Brighton and Hove?

The current median house price in Brighton and Hove is £427,500, around 50% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £700,000, semi-detached £520,000, terraced £500,000, flat £305,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 10%. There were 1,731 sales recorded in the past 12 months.