Town Pop. 11,860

Living in Chigwell: Liveability Score 69/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Chigwell is 69/100, built from 9 categories. Healthcare is where Chigwell most outperforms the national norm: 77/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 66/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Chigwell places 2nd of 4 in the IG7 postcode district. No category drops below 62/100, which is unusual: most UK towns carry at least one clear weak spot. It scores 8 points above the IG7 postcode district as a whole, which averages 61/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the IG7 postcode district.

69
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.

Chigwell scores 69 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Chigwell.
Or compare:
IG7 4AA IG7 5AA IG7 6AA IG7 IG8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
66
79.8 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 361 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Vehicle crime 143 crimes
↑ 152% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 73 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 69 crimes
↓ 62% below national average
Other theft 67 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 233 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Copperfield 98 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 56 crimes
  3. 3 Limes Avenue 37 crimes

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

Environment
66
Air Quality NO₂ 14 · PM2.5 8.3 · PM10 13.8 µg/m³
62
Green Space 76
Parks Ample 30
Sports Pitches Ample 13
Allotments Adequate 2
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Ample 10
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
68
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 11 in area · 43 within 4km
1Outstanding9Good1Ungraded
  • Ray Lodge Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Outstanding
  • Chigwell Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Fairlop Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Limes Farm Infant School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Limes Farm Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Manford Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • New Rush Hall SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St John's RC School (Essex)Special · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Wells Park SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
    Good
  • West Hatch High SchoolSecondary · 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
77
A&E departmentsKing George Hospital2 mi
Whipps Cross University Hospital3.2 mi
Queens Hospital4.6 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust1.4 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
Nearest GP surgeryChigwell Medical Centre1 mi
GP capacity2,593 patients per GP
2dentists1pharmacy

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
80
Full fibre (FTTP)71.5%
available across Epping Forest
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
92.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
92.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 229 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
65
Employment rate60.8%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed60.8%Unemployed3.3%Retired18.2%Student5.4%Other inactive12.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial46.3%Skilled & technical37.5%Routine & elementary16.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13%Level 3 (A levels)13.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)40.4%Apprenticeship4%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership68.1%
Among the least-deprived 32% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
62
Council tax Epping Forest · 2026-27
A £1,518
B £1,771
C £2,024
D £2,277
E £2,783
F £3,289
G £3,795
H £4,554
Energy London region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Thames Water
Average bill regional £489/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
67
Chigwell 0.1 mi
Grange Hill 0.7 mi
Hainault 1.1 mi
J5 M11 1.5 mi
J4 M11 1.9 mi
J6 M11 4.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
64
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 7
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 6
Retail Shopping Adequate 16
Takeaways None
Fitness Ample 33

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £720,000 53
Detached £955,000 12
Semi-detached £770,000 23
Flat / Maisonette £442,000 12
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£332k £761k £1.2m £1.6m 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Chigwell Row 65 1.4 mi away ⇄
Buckhurst Hill 74 1.7 mi away ⇄
Loughton 64 2.3 mi away ⇄
Redbridge 71 2.3 mi away ⇄
Abridge 47 3.0 mi away ⇄
High Beech 40 3.7 mi away ⇄
Theydon Bois 54 3.9 mi away ⇄
Waltham Forest 71 4.1 mi away ⇄
Stapleford Abbotts 35 4.5 mi away ⇄
Sewardstone 37 4.6 mi away ⇄
Barking and Dagenham 69 5.5 mi away ⇄
Waltham Abbey 51 5.6 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Chigwell a nice place to live?

Yes, Chigwell is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Chigwell is 69/100, 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 Chigwell?

Chigwell has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 66/100. There were 946 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Chigwell?

Among the top-rated schools in Chigwell are Ray Lodge Primary School, Chigwell Primary Academy and Fairlop Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 11 rated schools in Chigwell in total.

What are house prices like in Chigwell?

The current median house price in Chigwell is £720,000, around 153% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £955,000, semi-detached £770,000, flat £442,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 6%. There were 53 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Chigwell in context

See where Chigwell ranks among the best places to live in Essex

Postcode districts in Chigwell

IG7 61 ⇄
IG8 71 ⇄

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