Town Pop. 14,247

Living in Chard: Liveability Score 37/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Chard comes out at 37/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is broadband: 88/100 against a national town median of 60/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 25/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Among the 6 scored places sharing the TA20 postcode district, Chard ranks 3rd. On broadband specifically, Chard sits 66 points above the TA20 district figure of 22/100. That sits 13 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the bottom quarter of the towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: TA20 postcode district.

37
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.

Chard scores 37 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Chard.
Or compare:
TA20 1AB TA20 2AA TA20 3AA TA20 4AA TA20 9BL TA20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
25
122.9 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 793 crimes
↑ 67% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 202 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 187 crimes
↑ 102% above national average
Shoplifting 133 crimes
↑ 19% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 121 crimes
↑ 25% above national average
other 315 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Henson Park 113 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 78 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 59 crimes

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

Environment
61
Air Quality NO₂ 5.3 · PM2.5 5.5 · PM10 9.2 µg/m³
78
Green Space 23
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches Ample 9
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 9

Services

Schools
36
4 schools in area · 6 within 4km
3Good1Ungraded
  • Holyrood AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Manor Court Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • The Redstart Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Avishayes Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    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
33
A&E departmentsMusgrove Park Hospital11 mi
Yeovil Hospital14.2 mi
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)25.6 mi
Hospital waitsSomerset NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks65.4%
A&E seen within 4 hrs72.8%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,874 patients per GP
3dentists2pharmacies

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
88
Full fibre (FTTP)73.5%
available across Somerset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 341 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
38
Employment rate55.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.6%Unemployed2.8%Retired27.9%Student2.6%Other inactive11.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial26%Skilled & technical32.7%Routine & elementary41.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications22.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)13.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.2%Level 3 (A levels)16.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)20.1%Apprenticeship7.6%Other (incl. vocational)3.7%
Home ownership60.8%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
33
Council tax Somerset · 2026-27
A £1,707
B £1,992
C £2,276
D £2,561
E £3,130
F £3,699
G £4,268
H £5,122
Energy South West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
10
Axminster 6.9 mi
Crewkerne 7.9 mi
Honiton 11.3 mi
J25 M5 10.7 mi
J25 M5 11 mi
J26 M5 12 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
31
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 5
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 5
Retail Shopping Ample 35
Takeaways Some 3
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 £240,000 101
Detached £340,000 29
Semi-detached £242,500 30
Terraced £184,000 35
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£85k £191k £301k £407k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Wadeford 41 1.4 mi away ⇄
Combe St Nicholas 35 2.1 mi away ⇄
Tatworth 34 2.2 mi away ⇄
Chardstock 36 2.9 mi away ⇄
Winsham 32 3.4 mi away ⇄
Tytherleigh 35 3.4 mi away ⇄
Horton and Broadway 43 3.9 mi away ⇄
Ilminster 47 4.1 mi away ⇄
Membury 27 4.6 mi away ⇄
Bishopswood 42 5.0 mi away ⇄
Ilton 36 6.0 mi away ⇄
Hinton St George 37 6.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Chard a nice place to live?

Chard has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Chard is 37/100, 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 Chard?

Crime levels in Chard are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 25/100. There were 1,751 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Chard?

Among the top-rated schools in Chard are Holyrood Academy, Manor Court Community Primary School and The Redstart Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Chard in total.

What are house prices like in Chard?

The current median house price in Chard is £240,000, around 16% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £340,000, semi-detached £242,500, terraced £184,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 14%. There were 101 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Chard in context

See the best places to live in Somerset, ranked

Postcode districts in Chard

TA20 34 ⇄

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