Town Pop. 84

Living in Chelsworth: Liveability Score 34/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Chelsworth scores 34/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Furthest below the national norm is broadband, at 8/100 against a town median of 60/100. That makes it the 10th highest-scoring of the 11 places in the IP7 postcode district.

It scores 9 points below the IP7 postcode district as a whole, which averages 43/100. That is 16 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (93). For the surrounding area, see IP7 postcode district.

34
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.

Chelsworth scores 34 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Chelsworth.
Or compare:
IP7 5AA IP7 6AA IP7 7AA IP7 9BW IP7

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
93
869 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 41 crimes
↑ 1366% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 8 crimes
↑ 1300% above national average
Other theft 6 crimes
↑ 1052% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 5 crimes
↑ 291% above national average
Public order 4 crimes
↑ 632% above national average
other 9 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Bury Road 11 crimes
  2. 2 Church Field 7 crimes
  3. 3 Rookwood Lane 6 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 5.483 · PM2.5 6.796 · PM10 11.865 µg/m³
73
Green Space 28
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
4

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsColchester General Hospital12.6 mi
Ipswich Hospital13 mi
RAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital25.1 mi
Hospital waitsEast Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust3.7 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs76.7%
Nearest GP surgeryBildeston Health Centre1 mi
GP capacity3,362 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
8
Full fibre (FTTP)72.1%
available across Babergh
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
6.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
6.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
55.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 5 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
72
Employment rate51.3%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed51.3%Unemployed1.9%Retired36.4%Student3%Other inactive7.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial45.3%Skilled & technical37%Routine & elementary17.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.7%Level 3 (A levels)17.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)36.7%Apprenticeship5.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership75%
Around the England average for deprivation
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 E
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
10
Sudbury 7.8 mi
Stowmarket 8 mi
Needham Market 8 mi
J9A M11 29.6 mi
J9A M11 30 mi
J9 M11 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
7
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Chelsworth in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Monks Eleigh 35 1.0 mi away ⇄
Bildeston 35 1.2 mi away ⇄
Hitcham 35 2.3 mi away ⇄
Nedging Tye 38 2.6 mi away ⇄
Great Bricett 29 3.5 mi away ⇄
Brettenham 39 3.5 mi away ⇄
Little Waldingfield 42 4.0 mi away ⇄
Lavenham 44 4.2 mi away ⇄
Hadleigh 53 4.5 mi away ⇄
Elmsett 38 4.6 mi away ⇄
Battisford Tye 29 4.6 mi away ⇄
Boxford (Babergh) 42 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Chelsworth a nice place to live?

Chelsworth has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Chelsworth is 34/100, 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 Chelsworth?

Chelsworth is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 93/100. There were 73 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Chelsworth in context

See the best places to live in Suffolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Chelsworth

IP7 43 ⇄

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