Town Pop. 20,832

Living in Dereham: Liveability Score 52/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Dereham comes out at 52/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is lifestyle: 50/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 66/100 against a town median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the NR19 postcode district scores higher. Dereham leads all 3. Notably, nothing falls below 40/100. Most UK towns have at least one category in the 30s or worse. That puts Dereham in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: NR19 postcode district.

52
OUT OF 100
Average
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.

Dereham scores 52 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dereham.
Or compare:
NR19 1AA NR19 2AA NR19 9BW NR19 NR20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
66
88.8 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 751 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Shoplifting 270 crimes
↑ 67% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 202 crimes
↓ 36% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 160 crimes
↑ 13% above national average
Public order 126 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 340 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 207 crimes
  2. 2 Petrol Station 105 crimes
  3. 3 St Nicholas Street 90 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 5.9 · PM2.5 7 · PM10 11.7 µg/m³
72
Green Space 27
Parks Ample 15
Sports Pitches Ample 17
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 20

Services

Schools
45
10 schools in area · 11 within 4km
8Good2Ungraded
  • Dereham Church of England Junior AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Dereham Neatherd High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Grove House Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • King's Park Infant School, DerehamPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Northgate High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Scarning Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Toftwood Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Dereham Church of England Infant and Nursery AcademyPrimary
    Ungraded
  • Fred Nicholson SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
    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
41
A&E departmentsNorfolk and Norwich University Hospital11.2 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department11.2 mi
RAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital24.5 mi
Hospital waitsNorfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks63.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs83%
2 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity2,246 patients per GP
3dentists6pharmacies

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
76
Full fibre (FTTP)66.1%
available across Breckland
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
90.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
90.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 501 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
47
Employment rate55.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.4%Unemployed2.7%Retired28.9%Student2.7%Other inactive10.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial30.7%Skilled & technical35.1%Routine & elementary34.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.7%Level 3 (A levels)17.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)21.9%Apprenticeship7.1%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership66.2%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
48
Council tax Breckland · 2026-27
A £1,629
B £1,901
C £2,172
D £2,444
E £2,987
F £3,530
G £4,073
H £4,888
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
40
Wymondham 10.6 mi
Spooner Row 11.4 mi
Attleborough 11.6 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
50
Pubs & Bars Ample 14
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 19
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 15
Retail Shopping Ample 148
Takeaways Ample 21
Fitness Ample 7

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £235,000 174
Detached £325,000 57
Semi-detached £220,000 56
Terraced £188,000 50
Flat / Maisonette £122,000 11
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£111k £194k £280k £363k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Yaxham 39 1.7 mi away ⇄
Clint Green 40 2.2 mi away ⇄
Gressenhall 42 3.0 mi away ⇄
Beetley 38 3.1 mi away ⇄
Swanton Morley 35 3.1 mi away ⇄
Letton Green 0 3.4 mi away ⇄
Mattishall 41 3.7 mi away ⇄
Garvestone 34 3.8 mi away ⇄
Shipdham 45 3.8 mi away ⇄
Bradenham 38 5.0 mi away ⇄
North Elmham 35 5.0 mi away ⇄
Hockering 32 5.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dereham a nice place to live?

Dereham is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Dereham is 52/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Dereham?

Dereham has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 66/100. There were 1,849 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Dereham?

Among the top-rated schools in Dereham are Dereham Church of England Junior Academy, Dereham Neatherd High School and Dereham, Toftwood Community Junior School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 10 rated schools in Dereham in total.

What are house prices like in Dereham?

The current median house price in Dereham is £235,000, around 18% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £325,000, semi-detached £220,000, terraced £188,000, flat £122,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 2%. There were 174 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Dereham in context

See where Dereham ranks among the best places to live in Norfolk

Postcode districts in Dereham

NR19 48 ⇄
NR20 39 ⇄

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