Town Pop. 985

Living in Dedham: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Dedham comes out at 48/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. That makes it the 8th highest-scoring of the 19 places in the CO7 postcode district. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (92).

Healthcare (7), transport (23), lifestyle (23) and schools (29) all fall below 30/100. On the national picture that lands Dedham in the middle half of all the places we score. For the surrounding area, see CO7 postcode district.

48
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.

Dedham scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dedham.
Or compare:
CO7 0AA CO7 5AQ CO7 6AA CO7 7AA CO7 8AA CO7 9AA CO7

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
66 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 27 crimes
↓ 18% below national average
Other theft 10 crimes
↑ 65% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 8 crimes
↓ 47% below national average
Burglary 5 crimes
↑ 46% above national average
Public order 4 crimes
↓ 37% below national average
other 11 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Forge Street 12 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 10 crimes
  3. 3 Parson'S Field 7 crimes

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

Environment
73
Air Quality NO₂ 7.629 · PM2.5 6.983 · PM10 12.194 µg/m³
71
Green Space 78
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
29
1 school in area · 7 within 4km
1Good
  • Dedham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

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

Healthcare
7
A&E departmentsColchester General Hospital4.8 mi
Ipswich Hospital10.9 mi
Broomfield Hospital25.5 mi
Hospital waitsEast Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust1.6 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs76.7%
Nearest GP surgeryConstable Country Rural Medical Practice2.1 mi
GP capacity2,287 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

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
72
Full fibre (FTTP)62.6%
available across Colchester
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
89.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
89.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 41 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
73
Employment rate53%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53%Unemployed2%Retired32.2%Student3.8%Other inactive8.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial50.7%Skilled & technical33%Routine & elementary16.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.9%Level 3 (A levels)14.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.8%Apprenticeship4.1%Other (incl. vocational)3.3%
Home ownership75.4%
Among the least-deprived 35% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
61
Council tax Colchester · 2026-27
A £1,522
B £1,776
C £2,029
D £2,283
E £2,790
F £3,298
G £3,805
H £4,566
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
23
Manningtree 2.2 mi
Mistley 3.8 mi
Hythe (Colchester) 5.6 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
23
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 5
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Adequate 7
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Dedham 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

Dedham Heath 49 0.9 mi away ⇄
Lamb Corner 50 1.1 mi away ⇄
Stratford St Mary 40 1.4 mi away ⇄
Foxash Estate 49 1.6 mi away ⇄
East Bergholt 52 1.7 mi away ⇄
Langham (Colchester) 44 2.2 mi away ⇄
Ardleigh 44 2.4 mi away ⇄
Lawford 57 2.5 mi away ⇄
Fox Street 45 3.0 mi away ⇄
Brantham 52 3.1 mi away ⇄
Manningtree 39 3.1 mi away ⇄
Bromley Cross 36 3.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dedham a nice place to live?

Dedham has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Dedham is 48/100, 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 Dedham?

Dedham is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 65 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Dedham?

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

Dedham in context

See the best places to live in Essex, ranked

Postcode districts in Dedham

CO7 46 ⇄

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