Town Pop. 1,274

Living in Ditchling: Liveability Score 45/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Ditchling comes out at 45/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is economic health: 94/100 against a national town median of 67/100. Broadband falls furthest short: 28/100 where the typical UK town reaches 60/100.

Ditchling places 3rd of 6 in the BN6 postcode district. On economic health specifically, Ditchling sits 13 points above the BN6 district figure of 81/100. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (92). For the surrounding area, see BN6 postcode district.

45
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.

Ditchling scores 45 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ditchling.
Or compare:
BN6 0AE BN6 8AB BN6 9AA BN6

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
79.3 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Anti-social behaviour 36 crimes
↑ 86% above national average
Violence and sexual offences 28 crimes
↓ 34% below national average
Burglary 10 crimes
↑ 123% above national average
Public order 6 crimes
↓ 28% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 5 crimes
↓ 43% below national average
other 16 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Park/Open Space 21 crimes
  2. 2 Beacon Road 12 crimes
  3. 3 Common Lane 10 crimes

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

Environment
78
Air Quality NO₂ 6.069 · PM2.5 6.368 · PM10 9.756 µg/m³
75
Green Space 85
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches Ample 6
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
24
1 school in area · 9 within 4km
1Good
  • Ditchling St Margaret's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good

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

Healthcare
10
A&E departmentsRoyal Sussex County Hospital6.6 mi
Worthing Hospital12.8 mi
Eastbourne District General Hospital18.4 mi
Hospital waitsSussex Community NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)16 wks
Treated within 18 weeks55.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs98%
Nearest GP surgerySilverdale Practice2.3 mi
GP capacity1,475 patients per GP
0dentists1pharmacy

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
28
Full fibre (FTTP)71.4%
available across Lewes
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
55.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
55.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 41 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
94
Employment rate41.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed41.1%Unemployed1.4%Retired43.2%Student3.4%Other inactive10.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial55.9%Skilled & technical33%Routine & elementary11.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.5%Level 3 (A levels)11.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)46.8%Apprenticeship4%Other (incl. vocational)3.2%
Home ownership83%
Among the least-deprived 10% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
22
Council tax Lewes · 2026-27
A £1,837
B £2,144
C £2,450
D £2,756
E £3,368
F £3,981
G £4,593
H £5,512
Energy South East England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
24
Hassocks 1.5 mi
Plumpton 2.3 mi
Burgess Hill 2.4 mi
J11 M23 11.9 mi
J11 M23 12.1 mi
J10A M23 12.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
36
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 5
Takeaways None
Fitness Ample 21

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £563,750 10
5-year monthly trend
All
£715k £805k £899k £989k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Westmeston 0 0.7 mi away ⇄
Plumpton 43 1.8 mi away ⇄
Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint 47 2.1 mi away ⇄
Plumpton Green 39 2.2 mi away ⇄
Burgess Hill 58 2.7 mi away ⇄
Wivelsfield 50 3.2 mi away ⇄
Wivelsfield Green 51 3.4 mi away ⇄
South Chailey 35 4.0 mi away ⇄
Albourne 37 4.1 mi away ⇄
Sayers Common 39 4.3 mi away ⇄
Fulking 34 5.5 mi away ⇄
North Chailey 40 5.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ditchling a nice place to live?

Ditchling has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Ditchling is 45/100, 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 Ditchling?

Ditchling is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 101 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Ditchling?

Among the top-rated schools in Ditchling is Ditchling St Margaret's Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Ditchling in total.

What are house prices like in Ditchling?

The current median house price in Ditchling is £563,750, around 98% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 37%.

Ditchling in context

See the best places to live in East Sussex, ranked

Postcode districts in Ditchling

BN6 45 ⇄

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