Town Pop. 4,154

Living in Chipping Ongar: Liveability Score 47/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Chipping Ongar comes out at 47/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Among the 4 scored places sharing the CM5 postcode district, Chipping Ongar ranks 2nd. Against the wider CM5 district average of 42/100, that is 5 points above.

Safety (87) sits at 80/100 or above. Below 30/100: healthcare (20) and lifestyle (20). That puts Chipping Ongar in the middle half of the UK towns and villages we score. For the surrounding area, see CM5 postcode district.

47
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.

Chipping Ongar scores 47 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Chipping Ongar.
Or compare:
CM5 0AA CM5 5AH CM5 9AA CM5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
87
53 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 100 crimes
↓ 28% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 24 crimes
↓ 62% below national average
Shoplifting 21 crimes
↓ 35% below national average
Vehicle crime 21 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 14 crimes
↓ 50% below national average
other 40 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Banson'S Lane 26 crimes
  2. 2 Carters Yard 26 crimes
  3. 3 Petrol Station 16 crimes

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

Environment
56
Air Quality NO₂ 8.1 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 13.1 µg/m³
70
Green Space 22
Parks Ample 5
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
33
4 schools in area
4Good
  • Chipping Ongar Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • High Ongar Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Ongar Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • The Ongar AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
Healthcare
20
A&E departmentsPrincess Alexandra Hospital7.9 mi
Queens Hospital9 mi
King George Hospital9.7 mi
Hospital waitsMid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust1 mi
Routine referral (median)17 wks
Treated within 18 weeks50.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs68%
Nearest GP surgeryOngar War Memorial Medical Centre1 mi
GP capacity1,129 patients per GP
1dentist2pharmacies

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
49
Full fibre (FTTP)71.5%
available across Epping Forest
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
88.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
88.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
89.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 107 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
68
Employment rate54.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.7%Unemployed2.6%Retired30.1%Student3.8%Other inactive8.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.6%Skilled & technical41%Routine & elementary18.5%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.1%Level 3 (A levels)16.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)26%Apprenticeship6.6%Other (incl. vocational)3.3%
Home ownership79.2%
Among the least-deprived 28% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
61
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 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 Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
31
Epping 5.6 mi
Shenfield 6.2 mi
Theydon Bois 6.4 mi
J27 M25 4.9 mi
J6 M11 5 mi
J27 M25 5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
20
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £455,000 32
Semi-detached £490,500 14
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£233k £379k £529k £675k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Shelley (Epping Forest) 49 0.9 mi away ⇄
Stondon Massey 0 2.1 mi away ⇄
Paslow Wood Common 0 2.2 mi away ⇄
Fyfield 44 2.6 mi away ⇄
Moreton (Epping Forest) 40 2.8 mi away ⇄
Kelvedon Hatch 45 2.9 mi away ⇄
Blackmore 48 3.3 mi away ⇄
Doddinghurst Common 46 3.4 mi away ⇄
Doddinghurst 50 3.5 mi away ⇄
North Weald Bassett 45 3.7 mi away ⇄
Coopersale 47 4.7 mi away ⇄
Thornwood Common 43 5.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Chipping Ongar a nice place to live?

Chipping Ongar has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Chipping Ongar is 47/100, 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 Chipping Ongar?

Chipping Ongar is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 87/100. There were 220 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Chipping Ongar?

Among the top-rated schools in Chipping Ongar are Chipping Ongar Primary School, High Ongar Primary School and Ongar Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Chipping Ongar in total.

What are house prices like in Chipping Ongar?

The current median house price in Chipping Ongar is £455,000, around 60% above the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £490,500. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 12%. There were 32 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Chipping Ongar in context

See the best places to live in Essex, ranked

Postcode districts in Chipping Ongar

CM5 42 ⇄

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