Town Pop. 22,598

Living in Chesham: Liveability Score 50/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Chesham comes out at 50/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 54/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 69/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Chesham places 2nd of 7 in the HP5 postcode district. On the national picture that lands Chesham in the middle half of all the places we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: HP5 postcode district.

50
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.

Chesham scores 50 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Chesham.
Or compare:
HP5 1AB HP5 2AA HP5 3AA HP5 9BE HP5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
69
81.6 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 685 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 262 crimes
↓ 24% below national average
Other theft 160 crimes
↑ 15% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 138 crimes
↓ 10% below national average
Public order 130 crimes
↓ 11% below national average
other 468 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 97 crimes
  2. 2 Petrol Station 62 crimes
  3. 3 Upper Gladstone Road 51 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 7.5 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 11.2 µg/m³
71
Green Space 32
Parks Ample 6
Sports Pitches Ample 10
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Ample 7
Bowling Greens Adequate 3
Playgrounds Ample 7

Services

Schools
44
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 13 in area · 16 within 4km
1Outstanding7Good5Ungraded
  • Brushwood Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Chartridge Combined SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Chesham Bois Church of England SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Chiltern Hills AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Elangeni SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Elmtree Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Newtown SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Thomas Harding Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Chesham Grammar SchoolSecondary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded
  • Heritage House SchoolSpecial · 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
54
A&E departmentsStoke Mandeville Hospital8.5 mi
Watford General Hospital8.6 mi
Wexham Park Hospital11 mi
Hospital waitsWest Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust3.8 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks68.1%
A&E seen within 4 hrs89.9%
3 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,591 patients per GP
5dentists5pharmacies

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
63
Full fibre (FTTP)72.7%
available across Buckinghamshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
84.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
84.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 520 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
62
Employment rate60.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed60.9%Unemployed3%Retired21.2%Student4%Other inactive10.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial45.3%Skilled & technical33.8%Routine & elementary21%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13%Level 3 (A levels)15.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)40.1%Apprenticeship4.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership67.1%
Among the least-deprived 39% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
40
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 Southern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Affinity Water
Average bill regional £490/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
14
Chesham 0.5 mi
Amersham 2.6 mi
Chalfont & Latimer 3.7 mi
J18 M25 6.2 mi
J18 M25 6.4 mi
J17 M25 6.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
42
Pubs & Bars Ample 10
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 14
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 11
Retail Shopping Ample 84
Takeaways Adequate 10
Fitness Ample 11

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £450,000 127
Detached £830,000 24
Semi-detached £500,000 36
Terraced £401,500 38
Flat / Maisonette £250,000 29
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£221k £424k £633k £836k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Ley Hill 45 1.5 mi away ⇄
Lye Green 42 1.5 mi away ⇄
Chartridge 46 1.9 mi away ⇄
Ashley Green 43 2.0 mi away ⇄
Hyde Heath 50 2.3 mi away ⇄
Amersham 59 2.5 mi away ⇄
Ballinger Common 42 2.9 mi away ⇄
Little Missenden 43 3.1 mi away ⇄
Lee Common 37 3.3 mi away ⇄
Cholesbury 44 3.3 mi away ⇄
Bovingdon 45 3.3 mi away ⇄
Hogpits Bottom 43 3.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Chesham a nice place to live?

Chesham is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Chesham is 50/100, 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 Chesham?

Chesham has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 69/100. There were 1,843 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Chesham?

Among the top-rated schools in Chesham are Brushwood Junior School, Chartridge Combined School and Chesham Bois Church of England School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 13 rated schools in Chesham in total.

What are house prices like in Chesham?

The current median house price in Chesham is £450,000, around 58% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £830,000, semi-detached £500,000, terraced £401,500, flat £250,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 8%. There were 127 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Chesham in context

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

Postcode districts in Chesham

HP5 48 ⇄

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