Town Pop. 1,694

Living in Chicksands: Liveability Score 43/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Chicksands is 43/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is economic health: 92/100 against a national town median of 67/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 23/100 versus a median of 60/100.

That places it last of the 5 scored places in the SG17 postcode district. Its economic health score runs 20 points above the SG17 district's 72/100. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (90). For the surrounding area, see SG17 postcode district.

43
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.

Chicksands scores 43 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Chicksands.
Or compare:
SG17 5AA SG17 9AP SG17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
90
123.4 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 96 crimes
↑ 70% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 43 crimes
↑ 67% above national average
Other theft 14 crimes
↑ 34% above national average
Vehicle crime 11 crimes
↑ 35% above national average
Drugs 9 crimes
↑ 61% above national average
other 36 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Truman Place 21 crimes
  2. 2 Orchard Close 17 crimes
  3. 3 Long Walk 15 crimes

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

Environment
56
Air Quality NO₂ 6.2 · PM2.5 6.8 · PM10 11.5 µg/m³
73
Green Space 19
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
34
2 schools in area · 9 within 4km
2Good
  • Campton AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Shefford Lower SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
15
A&E departmentsBedford Hospital South Wing7.3 mi
Lister Hospital9.8 mi
Luton and Dunstable Hospital10.7 mi
Hospital waitsCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust7 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs71.1%
Nearest GP surgeryDr Baxter and Partners1.8 mi
GP capacity2,082 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
23
Full fibre (FTTP)68.3%
available across Central Bedfordshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
33.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
54.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 15 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
92
Employment rate72.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed72.9%Unemployed1.4%Retired14.9%Student3.9%Other inactive6.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial53.4%Skilled & technical31.9%Routine & elementary14.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications9.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15%Level 3 (A levels)22.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)37.7%Apprenticeship4.9%Other (incl. vocational)1.7%
Home ownership70.3%
Among the least-deprived 15% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
40
Council tax Central Bedfordshire · 2026-27
A £1,677
B £1,957
C £2,236
D £2,516
E £3,075
F £3,634
G £4,193
H £5,032
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 Affinity Water
Average bill regional £490/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
14
Arlesey 4.2 mi
Biggleswade 5.3 mi
Flitwick 6.2 mi
J10 A1(M) 6.8 mi
J10 A1(M) 7.2 mi
J9 A1(M) 8.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
29
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Chicksands 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

Campton 50 0.7 mi away ⇄
Shefford 48 1.3 mi away ⇄
Meppershall 48 1.9 mi away ⇄
Haynes 34 2.0 mi away ⇄
Upper Gravenhurst 38 2.1 mi away ⇄
Southill 41 2.4 mi away ⇄
Clifton (Central Bedfordshire) 51 2.5 mi away ⇄
Clophill 44 2.5 mi away ⇄
Shillington 33 2.9 mi away ⇄
Henlow 48 3.3 mi away ⇄
Lower Stondon 47 3.4 mi away ⇄
Silsoe 38 3.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Chicksands a nice place to live?

Chicksands has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Chicksands is 43/100, 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 Chicksands?

Chicksands is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 90/100. There were 209 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Chicksands?

Among the top-rated schools in Chicksands are Campton Academy and Shefford Lower School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Chicksands in total.

Chicksands in context

See the best places to live in Bedfordshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Chicksands

SG17 43 ⇄

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