Town Pop. 4,086

Living in Coleford (Forest of Dean): Liveability Score 43/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Coleford (Forest of Dean) comes out at 43/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 61/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Safety falls furthest short: 40/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That places it last of the 6 scored places in the GL16 postcode district. Its categories are unusually uneven: 93 points separate broadband (96) from healthcare (3), a wider spread than about nine in ten UK towns. Its transport score runs 9 points above the GL16 district's 52/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: GL16 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.

Coleford (Forest of Dean) scores 43 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Coleford (Forest of Dean).
Or compare:
GL16 7AA GL16 8AA GL16 9SA GL16

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
40
122.9 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 184 crimes
↑ 35% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 136 crimes
↑ 119% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 50 crimes
↑ 79% above national average
Public order 31 crimes
↑ 17% above national average
Other theft 27 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 74 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 High Street 34 crimes
  2. 2 Petrol Station 29 crimes
  3. 3 Phoenix Court 29 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 5.1 · PM2.5 5.7 · PM10 9 µg/m³
77
Green Space 14
Parks Ample 6
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Adequate 4

Services

Schools
31
4 schools in area · 8 within 4km
3Good1Requires Improvement
  • Coalway Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Five Acres High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • St John's C of E AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Coalway Community Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Requires Improvement

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

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsLydney & District Hospital4.8 mi
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital16.6 mi
Hereford County Hospital18 mi
Hospital waitsGloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks74.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs64.6%
Nearest GP surgeryWYE VALLEY PRACTICE3.9 mi
GP capacity1,598 patients per GP
2dentists2pharmacies

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
96
Full fibre (FTTP)79.2%
available across Forest of Dean
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 124 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
29
Employment rate53.2%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53.2%Unemployed2.6%Retired27.9%Student2.6%Other inactive13.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial29.6%Skilled & technical35%Routine & elementary35.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications22.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.4%Level 3 (A levels)16.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)24.9%Apprenticeship6.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership60.7%
Among the most-deprived 35% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
50
Council tax Forest of Dean · 2026-27
A £1,629
B £1,900
C £2,172
D £2,443
E £2,986
F £3,529
G £4,072
H £4,886
Energy South West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Severn Trent Water
Average bill regional £424/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
61
Lydney 6.5 mi
Chepstow 10.8 mi
Cam and Dursley 12.2 mi
J4 M50 9.8 mi
J3 M50 11.2 mi
J3 M50 11.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
43
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 11
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 4
Retail Shopping Ample 58
Takeaways Adequate 4
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £199,950 29
Semi-detached £199,975 10
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£190k £250k £313k £373k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Broadwell and Coalway 44 0.8 mi away ⇄
Milkwall 52 1.0 mi away ⇄
Berry Hill 47 1.4 mi away ⇄
Clearwell 45 1.6 mi away ⇄
Sling 50 1.7 mi away ⇄
Lower Redbrook 45 2.4 mi away ⇄
Bream 40 3.4 mi away ⇄
Welsh Bicknor 40 3.8 mi away ⇄
St Briavels 48 3.9 mi away ⇄
Symonds Yat West 36 4.0 mi away ⇄
The Narth 37 4.1 mi away ⇄
Yorkley and Whitecroft 45 4.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Coleford (Forest of Dean) a nice place to live?

Coleford (Forest of Dean) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Coleford (Forest of Dean) 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 Coleford (Forest of Dean)?

Coleford (Forest of Dean) has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 40/100. There were 502 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Coleford (Forest of Dean)?

Among the top-rated schools in Coleford (Forest of Dean) are Coalway Junior School, Five Acres High School and St John's C of E Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Coleford (Forest of Dean) in total.

What are house prices like in Coleford (Forest of Dean)?

The current median house price in Coleford (Forest of Dean) is £199,950, around 30% below the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £199,975. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 10%. There were 29 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Coleford (Forest of Dean) in context

See the best places to live in Gloucestershire, ranked

Postcode districts in Coleford (Forest of Dean)

GL16 46 ⇄

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