Town Pop. 430

Living in Colney: Liveability Score 43/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Colney is 43/100, built from 9 categories. Healthcare is where Colney most outperforms the national norm: 68/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 20/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Of the 3 places sharing the NR4 postcode district, Colney scores lowest. The NR4 district averages 66/100, putting Colney 23 points below its own postcode area. That puts Colney in the middle half of the UK towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: NR4 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.

Colney scores 43 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Colney.
Or compare:
NR4 6AA NR4 7AA NR4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
20
832.6 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 184 crimes
↑ 1185% above national average
Public order 34 crimes
↑ 1117% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 30 crimes
↑ 359% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 27 crimes
↑ 824% above national average
Other theft 22 crimes
↑ 726% above national average
other 61 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Hospital 197 crimes
  2. 2 Colney Lane 22 crimes
  3. 3 Green Lane 13 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 9.489 · PM2.5 7.063 · PM10 12.346 µg/m³
69
Green Space 51
Parks Ample 13
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
40
3 schools in area · 32 within 4km
2Good1Ungraded
  • West Earlham Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • West Earlham Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Cringleford PrepPrimary
    Ungraded

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
68
A&E departmentsNorfolk and Norwich University Hospitalin area
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Departmentin area
RAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital32.2 mi
Hospital waitsNorfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks63.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs83%
Nearest GP surgeryUEA Medical Centre0.9 mi
GP capacity1,993 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
8
Full fibre (FTTP)68.2%
available across South Norfolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
37.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
37.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
37.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 8 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
58
Employment rate58.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.9%Unemployed1.2%Retired27%Student3.5%Other inactive9.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial51.8%Skilled & technical30.2%Routine & elementary18%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.4%Level 3 (A levels)17.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)40.4%Apprenticeship4.1%Other (incl. vocational)1.8%
Home ownership75.6%
Among the least-deprived 32% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
44
Council tax South Norfolk · 2026-27
A £1,655
B £1,931
C £2,207
D £2,483
E £3,035
F £3,587
G £4,138
H £4,966
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
51
Norwich 3.7 mi
Wymondham 5.8 mi
Salhouse 8.1 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
40
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 7
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Colney 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

Little Melton 47 1.2 mi away ⇄
Cringleford 59 1.3 mi away ⇄
Hethersett 46 2.2 mi away ⇄
Costessey 55 2.8 mi away ⇄
Norwich 63 3.1 mi away ⇄
Swardeston 41 3.3 mi away ⇄
Easton (Broadland) 33 3.4 mi away ⇄
Queen's Hills 55 3.5 mi away ⇄
Trowse Newton 44 4.2 mi away ⇄
Barford (South Norfolk) 34 4.2 mi away ⇄
Taverham and Drayton 58 4.2 mi away ⇄
Mulbarton 41 4.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Colney a nice place to live?

Colney has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Colney 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 Colney?

Crime levels in Colney are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 20/100. There were 358 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Colney?

Among the top-rated schools in Colney are West Earlham Infant and Nursery School and West Earlham Junior School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 3 rated schools in Colney in total.

Colney in context

See the best places to live in Norfolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Colney

NR4 66 ⇄

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