City Pop. 28,073

Living in Chichester: Liveability Score 53/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Chichester is 53/100, built from 9 categories. Lifestyle is where Chichester most outperforms the national norm: 71/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Safety falls furthest short: 18/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That makes it the 2nd highest-scoring of the 12 places in the PO18 postcode district. It scores 15 points above the PO18 postcode district as a whole, which averages 38/100. On lifestyle specifically, Chichester sits 29 points above the PO18 district figure of 42/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: PO18 postcode district.

53
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.

Chichester scores 53 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Chichester.
Or compare:
PO18 0AA PO18 8AA PO18 9AA PO18 PO19 PO20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
18
171.6 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 1,296 crimes
↑ 39% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 1,060 crimes
↑ 149% above national average
Shoplifting 802 crimes
↑ 267% above national average
Public order 412 crimes
↑ 126% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 353 crimes
↑ 85% above national average
other 893 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 476 crimes
  2. 2 Church Road 268 crimes
  3. 3 St Martin'S Street 183 crimes

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

Environment
70
Air Quality NO₂ 7.3 · PM2.5 6.2 · PM10 10 µg/m³
74
Green Space 62
Parks Ample 46
Sports Pitches Ample 42
Allotments Ample 9
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Ample 27
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 27

Services

Schools
58
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 16 in area · 18 within 4km
2Outstanding12Good2Ungraded
  • Bishop Luffa School, ChichesterSecondary · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • St Anthony's SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Chichester Free SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Chichester Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Fordwater School, ChichesterSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Jessie Younghusband Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Kingsham Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Parklands Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Portfield Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Rumboldswhyke CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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
63
A&E departmentsQueen Alexandra Hospital11.4 mi
St Mary’s NHS Treatment Centre11.7 mi
Gosport War Memorial Minor Injuries Unit15.4 mi
Hospital waitsSussex Community NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)16 wks
Treated within 18 weeks55.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs98%
4 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,944 patients per GP
14dentists5pharmacies

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
51
Full fibre (FTTP)67.3%
available across Chichester
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
83.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
86.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.2%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 987 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
54
Employment rate52%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed52%Unemployed3.4%Retired27.3%Student7.9%Other inactive9.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial44.2%Skilled & technical31.2%Routine & elementary24.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.9%Level 3 (A levels)20.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)38%Apprenticeship4.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership55.4%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
39
Council tax Chichester · 2026-27
A £1,647
B £1,921
C £2,196
D £2,470
E £3,019
F £3,568
G £4,117
H £4,940
Energy Southern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
67
Chichester 0.6 mi
Fishbourne 1.7 mi
Bosham 3.1 mi
J5 A3(M) 10.4 mi
J5 A3(M) 10.5 mi
J3 A3(M) 10.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
71
Pubs & Bars Ample 29
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 81
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 29
Retail Shopping Ample 239
Takeaways Ample 30
Fitness Ample 39

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £375,000 237
Detached £612,500 54
Semi-detached £412,750 54
Terraced £350,000 62
Flat / Maisonette £240,000 67
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£194k £341k £492k £639k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Westhampnett 50 1.4 mi away ⇄
Fishbourne (Chichester) 54 1.6 mi away ⇄
Shopwyke 40 1.6 mi away ⇄
North Mundham 40 1.7 mi away ⇄
Hunston 40 2.1 mi away ⇄
Runcton 38 2.1 mi away ⇄
Mid Lavant 48 2.2 mi away ⇄
Tangmere 48 3.0 mi away ⇄
Bosham 47 3.3 mi away ⇄
Street End 28 3.7 mi away ⇄
Norton (Arun) 50 4.0 mi away ⇄
Birdham 38 4.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Chichester a nice place to live?

Chichester is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Chichester is 53/100, 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 Chichester?

Crime levels in Chichester are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 18/100. There were 4,816 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Chichester?

Among the top-rated schools in Chichester are Bishop Luffa School, Chichester and St Anthony's School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 16 rated schools in Chichester in total.

What are house prices like in Chichester?

The current median house price in Chichester is £375,000, around 32% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £612,500, semi-detached £412,750, terraced £350,000, flat £240,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 2%. There were 237 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Chichester in context

See where Chichester ranks among the best places to live in West Sussex

Postcode districts in Chichester

PO18 38 ⇄
PO19 55 ⇄
PO20 41 ⇄

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