City Pop. 100,972

Living in Chelmsford: Liveability Score 68/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Chelmsford is 68/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 77/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 58/100 versus a median of 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 6 places in the CM1 postcode district. No category drops below 58/100, which is unusual: most UK towns carry at least one clear weak spot. That is 18 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 5% of all UK towns and villages. Wider context for the surrounding area: CM1 postcode district.

OUT OF 100

Good

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.

Chelmsford scores 68 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Chelmsford.

Or compare:

CM1 1AE CM1 2AA CM1 3AA CM1 4AA CM1 6AF CM1 7AA CM1 9AE CM1 CM2 CM3 CM98

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

85.3 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 3,908 crimes

↑ 16% above national average

Shoplifting 735 crimes

≈ similar to national average

Anti-social behaviour 682 crimes

↓ 55% below national average

Other theft 577 crimes

≈ similar to national average

Criminal damage and arson 555 crimes

↓ 19% below national average

other 2,153 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Nightclub 625 crimes
2 Supermarket 527 crimes
3 Parking Area 261 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 9.6 · PM2.5 7.3 · PM10 12.5 µg/m³

Green Space 79

Parks Ample 73

Sports Pitches Ample 71

Allotments Ample 20

Golf Courses Ample 3

Tennis Courts Ample 51

Bowling Greens Ample 7

Playgrounds Ample 90

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 45 in area

8Outstanding30Good3Requires Improvement4Ungraded

Beehive Lane Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Chancellor Park Primary School, ChelmsfordPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Chelmsford County High School for GirlsSecondary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
King Edward VI Grammar School, ChelmsfordSecondary · inspected 2021
Outstanding
Lift ColumbusSpecial · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Perryfields Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
The Beaulieu Park SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Thriftwood SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Baddow Hall Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Baddow Hall Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsBroomfield Hospital1 mi

Basildon University Hospital9.5 mi

Southend University Hospital13 mi

Hospital waitsMid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi

Routine referral (median)17 wks

Treated within 18 weeks50.6%

A&E seen within 4 hrs68%

8 GP surgeries in area 9 within 4km best 'Good'

GP capacity2,562 patients per GP

16dentists14pharmacies

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)79.4%

available across Chelmsford

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

94.3%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

95.2%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.4%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,984 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate61.9%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed61.9%Unemployed2.8%Retired22%Student3.9%Other inactive9.4%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial45.5%Skilled & technical32%Routine & elementary22.5%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications14.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15%Level 3 (A levels)17%Level 4+ (degree & above)35.1%Apprenticeship5.1%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%

Home ownership68.7%

Among the least-deprived 30% of areas in England

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

Bills

Council tax Chelmsford · 2026-27

A £1,533

B £1,789

C £2,044

D £2,300

E £2,811

F £3,322

G £3,833

H £4,600

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

Chelmsford 0.5 mi

Beaulieu Park 2.2 mi

Hatfield Peverel 5.6 mi

J28 M25 12.9 mi

J28 M25 13 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 60

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 143

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 73

Retail Shopping Ample 649

Takeaways Ample 76

Fitness Ample 34

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£380,000	815
Detached	£560,000	165
Semi-detached	£432,500	230
Terraced	£362,000	211
Flat / Maisonette	£224,000	209

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Chelmsford a nice place to live?

Yes, Chelmsford is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Chelmsford is 68/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Chelmsford?

Chelmsford has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 58/100. There were 8,610 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Chelmsford?

Among the top-rated schools in Chelmsford are Beehive Lane Community Primary School, Chancellor Park Primary School, Chelmsford and Chelmsford County High School for Girls, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 45 rated schools in Chelmsford in total.

What are house prices like in Chelmsford?

The current median house price in Chelmsford is £380,000, around 33% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £560,000, semi-detached £432,500, terraced £362,000, flat £224,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 6%. There were 815 sales recorded in the past 12 months.