Town Pop. 506

Living in Debden: Liveability Score 38/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Debden comes out at 38/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Economic health is where Debden most outperforms the national norm: 88/100 against a median of 67/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 41/100 versus a median of 60/100.

That makes it the 10th highest-scoring of the 12 places in the CB11 postcode district. Debden is a place of extremes: 95/100 for safety against 3/100 for healthcare, a 92-point spread wider than roughly nine in ten UK towns. It scores 13 points below the CB11 postcode district as a whole, which averages 51/100. For the surrounding area, see CB11 postcode district.

38
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.

Debden scores 38 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Debden.
Or compare:
CB11 3AA CB11 4AA CB11

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
95
118.6 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 22 crimes
↑ 31% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 8 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Burglary 7 crimes
↑ 294% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 6 crimes
↑ 75% above national average
Public order 5 crimes
↑ 52% above national average
other 12 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Debden Drive 9 crimes
  2. 2 Henham Road 8 crimes
  3. 3 Highfields 8 crimes

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

Environment
56
Air Quality NO₂ 5.686 · PM2.5 6.729 · PM10 11.998 µg/m³
73
Green Space 17
Parks None
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
8
1 school in area
1Good
  • Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsCambridge Biomedical Campus14.4 mi
Broomfield Hospital15.7 mi
Princess Alexandra Hospital15.8 mi
Hospital waitsCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust2.9 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs71.1%
Nearest GP surgeryNewport Surgery2.5 mi
GP capacity2,164 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
41
Full fibre (FTTP)68.3%
available across Uttlesford
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
68.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
68.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 12 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
88
Employment rate66.1%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed66.1%Unemployed2.1%Retired17.9%Student4.6%Other inactive9.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial49.2%Skilled & technical34.4%Routine & elementary16.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications9.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15%Level 3 (A levels)21.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)38%Apprenticeship5.9%Other (incl. vocational)1.6%
Home ownership60.9%
Among the least-deprived 25% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
57
Council tax Uttlesford · 2026-27
A £1,556
B £1,815
C £2,075
D £2,334
E £2,853
F £3,371
G £3,890
H £4,668
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
8
Newport 2.2 mi
Audley End 3.2 mi
Elsenham 4.2 mi
J9 M11 6.3 mi
J8 M11 7.3 mi
J9A M11 7.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
9
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Debden 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

Elder Street 37 1.1 mi away ⇄
Widdington 49 1.6 mi away ⇄
Newport (Uttlesford) 51 2.4 mi away ⇄
Henham 44 3.1 mi away ⇄
Sewards End 35 3.1 mi away ⇄
Saffron Walden 59 3.2 mi away ⇄
Wendens Ambo 44 3.2 mi away ⇄
Rickling Green and Quendon 48 3.4 mi away ⇄
Thaxted 44 3.7 mi away ⇄
Wicken Bonhunt 39 3.7 mi away ⇄
Radwinter 36 4.1 mi away ⇄
Boyton End 0 4.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Debden a nice place to live?

Debden has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Debden is 38/100, 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 Debden?

Debden is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 95/100. There were 60 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Debden?

Among the top-rated schools in Debden is Debden Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Debden in total.

Debden in context

See the best places to live in Essex, ranked

Postcode districts in Debden

CB11 51 ⇄

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