Town Pop. 963

Living in Bures: Liveability Score 35/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Bures is 35/100, built from 9 categories. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 18/100 versus a median of 60/100. Its categories are unusually uneven: 91 points separate safety (94) from healthcare (3), a wider spread than about nine in ten UK towns.

That is 15 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. Safety (94) sits at 80/100 or above. Healthcare (3), schools (5), transport (6) and lifestyle (8) all fall below 30/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: CO8 postcode district.

35
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.

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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.

Bures scores 35 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Bures.
Or compare:
CO8 5AA CO8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
94
130.8 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 51 crimes
↑ 59% above national average
Public order 12 crimes
↑ 92% above national average
Burglary 12 crimes
↑ 257% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 11 crimes
↑ 68% above national average
Drugs 10 crimes
↑ 215% above national average
other 30 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Hamlet Court 7 crimes
  2. 2 Bridge Street 7 crimes
  3. 3 Pebmarsh Road 7 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 6.1 · PM2.5 6.8 · PM10 11.9 µg/m³
72
Green Space 28
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
5
1 school in area
1Good
  • Bures Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsColchester General Hospital6.6 mi
Broomfield Hospital18.5 mi
Ipswich Hospital18.7 mi
Hospital waitsWest Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust4.7 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.1%
Nearest GP surgeryThe Pump House Surgery4.6 mi
GP capacity2,289 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
18
Full fibre (FTTP)72.1%
available across Babergh
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
29.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
29.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 47 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
73
Employment rate54.3%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.3%Unemployed3.1%Retired30.6%Student3.6%Other inactive8.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial44.2%Skilled & technical37.9%Routine & elementary17.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16%Level 3 (A levels)17%Level 4+ (degree & above)34.3%Apprenticeship4.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership76.5%
Among the least-deprived 39% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
56
Council tax Babergh · 2026-27
A £1,561
B £1,822
C £2,082
D £2,342
E £2,862
F £3,383
G £3,903
H £4,684
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
6
Bures 0.2 mi
Chappel and Wakes Colne 3.3 mi
Sudbury 4.7 mi
J8 M11 25.3 mi
J9 M11 25.5 mi
J8A M11 25.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
8
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways None
Fitness Ample 5

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £375,000 16
5-year monthly trend
All
£362k £381k £401k £421k 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Lamarsh 43 1.4 mi away ⇄
Assington 37 2.9 mi away ⇄
Leavenheath 39 3.0 mi away ⇄
Pebmarsh 42 3.1 mi away ⇄
Fordham (Colchester) 42 3.2 mi away ⇄
Chappel 43 3.5 mi away ⇄
White Colne 45 3.8 mi away ⇄
Nayland 45 4.1 mi away ⇄
Colne Engaine 47 4.2 mi away ⇄
Newton (Babergh) 38 4.2 mi away ⇄
Fordstreet 40 4.4 mi away ⇄
Earls Colne 48 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Bures a nice place to live?

Bures has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Bures is 35/100, 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 Bures?

Bures is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 94/100. There were 126 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Bures?

Among the top-rated schools in Bures is Bures Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Bures in total.

What are house prices like in Bures?

The current median house price in Bures is £375,000, around 32% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 2%.

Bures in context

See the best places to live in Suffolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Bures

CO8 38 ⇄

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