Town Pop. 10,990

Living in Buckingham: Liveability Score 51/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Buckingham scores 51/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is lifestyle: 52/100 against a national town median of 21/100. That is the highest score of the 14 places in the MK18 postcode district.

Against the wider MK18 district average of 42/100, that is 9 points above. Its lifestyle score runs 21 points above the MK18 district's 31/100. Safety (81) also clears 80/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: MK18 postcode district.

51
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.

Buckingham scores 51 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Buckingham.
Or compare:
MK18 1AA MK18 2AA MK18 3AB MK18 4AA MK18 5AA MK18 6AA MK18 7AB MK18 8AW MK18

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
81
56.8 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 261 crimes
↓ 29% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 81 crimes
↓ 51% below national average
Public order 59 crimes
↓ 17% below national average
Shoplifting 56 crimes
↓ 35% below national average
Other theft 51 crimes
↓ 26% below national average
other 116 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 62 crimes
  2. 2 Bridge Street 38 crimes
  3. 3 Hamilton Close 35 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 6.4 · PM2.5 6.8 · PM10 11.9 µg/m³
72
Green Space 26
Parks Ample 23
Sports Pitches Ample 17
Allotments Adequate 2
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 15

Services

Schools
46
7 schools in area · 10 within 4km
1Outstanding4Good2Ungraded
  • Maids Moreton Church of England SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Buckingham SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • George Grenville AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Lace Hill AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Royal Latin SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Bourton Meadow AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded
  • Buckingham 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
30
A&E departmentsMilton Keynes University Hospital10 mi
The Horton General Hospital14.6 mi
Stoke Mandeville Hospital14.8 mi
Hospital waitsMidlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust7.4 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks92.8%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,613 patients per GP
3dentists4pharmacies

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
79
Full fibre (FTTP)72.7%
available across Buckinghamshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
92.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
92.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 381 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
67
Employment rate59.7%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.7%Unemployed2.5%Retired23.5%Student6.8%Other inactive7.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial47.1%Skilled & technical30.4%Routine & elementary22.5%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.2%Level 3 (A levels)17.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)39.6%Apprenticeship4.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership65.2%
Among the least-deprived 27% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
39
Council tax Buckinghamshire · 2026-27
A £1,685
B £1,965
C £2,246
D £2,527
E £3,089
F £3,650
G £4,212
H £5,054
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
11
Wolverton 9 mi
Milton Keynes Central 9.3 mi
Bicester North 9.6 mi
J10 M40 10.1 mi
J10 M40 10.1 mi
J9 M40 12.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
52
Pubs & Bars Ample 9
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 20
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 13
Retail Shopping Ample 49
Takeaways Adequate 7
Fitness Adequate 4

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £382,000 117
Detached £500,000 45
Semi-detached £359,500 32
Terraced £300,000 29
Flat / Maisonette £167,000 11
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£173k £296k £424k £548k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Maids Moreton 32 1.2 mi away ⇄
Gawcott 43 1.6 mi away ⇄
Padbury 35 2.3 mi away ⇄
Akeley 29 2.5 mi away ⇄
Tingewick 40 2.7 mi away ⇄
Dadford 25 2.7 mi away ⇄
Thornborough 40 2.8 mi away ⇄
Finmere 40 3.9 mi away ⇄
Barton Hartshorn 0 4.5 mi away ⇄
Steeple Claydon 42 4.5 mi away ⇄
Newton Purcell 0 4.6 mi away ⇄
Twyford (Buckinghamshire) 0 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Buckingham a nice place to live?

Buckingham is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Buckingham is 51/100, 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 Buckingham?

Buckingham is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 81/100. There were 624 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Buckingham?

Among the top-rated schools in Buckingham are Maids Moreton Church of England School, Buckingham School and George Grenville Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 7 rated schools in Buckingham in total.

What are house prices like in Buckingham?

The current median house price in Buckingham is £382,000, around 34% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £500,000, semi-detached £359,500, terraced £300,000, flat £167,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 9%. There were 117 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Buckingham in context

See where Buckingham ranks among the best places to live in Buckinghamshire

Postcode districts in Buckingham

MK18 42 ⇄

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