Town Pop. 331

Living in Downside: Liveability Score 31/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Downside comes out at 31/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, economic health stands out most: 86/100 where the typical UK town scores 67/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 37/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That makes it the 11th highest-scoring of the 12 places in the BS40 postcode district. It scores 8 points below the BS40 postcode district as a whole, which averages 39/100. That is 19 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom 10% of all UK towns and villages. For the surrounding area, see BS40 postcode district.

31
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.

Downside scores 31 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Downside.
Or compare:
BS40 5AA BS40 6AA BS40 7AA BS40 8AA BS40 9AA BS40 BS48

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
37
1,410.9 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 137 crimes
↑ 1143% above national average
Other theft 89 crimes
↑ 4237% above national average
Public order 52 crimes
↑ 2317% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 41 crimes
↑ 1722% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 38 crimes
↑ 655% above national average
other 110 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 154 crimes
  2. 2 Downside Road 80 crimes
  3. 3 Bristol International Airport 30 crimes

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

Environment
75
Air Quality NO₂ 11.5 · PM2.5 5.8 · PM10 9.6 µg/m³
73
Green Space 76
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
13

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
5
A&E departmentsSt Michael's Hospital6.4 mi
Bristol Royal Infirmary6.5 mi
Southmead Hospital8.7 mi
Hospital waitsRoyal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust5.9 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.6%
Nearest GP surgeryTyntesfield Medical Group3.9 mi
GP capacity1,248 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
17
Full fibre (FTTP)83.8%
available across North Somerset
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
17%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
17%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 11 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
86
Employment rate57.8%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.8%Unemployed2.2%Retired29.2%Student3.2%Other inactive7.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial47.6%Skilled & technical36.6%Routine & elementary15.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.3%Level 3 (A levels)16.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.8%Apprenticeship6%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership82.7%
Among the least-deprived 28% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
35
Council tax North Somerset · 2026-27
A £1,661
B £1,937
C £2,214
D £2,491
E £3,045
F £3,598
G £4,152
H £4,982
Energy South West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
22
Nailsea and Backwell 2.9 mi
Yatton 4.9 mi
Parson Street 5.7 mi
J20 M5 6.3 mi
J20 M5 6.3 mi
J19 M5 6.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
20
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 6
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Adequate 10
Takeaways Some 3
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Downside 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

Felton (North Somerset) 43 1.2 mi away ⇄
Redhill (North Somerset) 34 1.3 mi away ⇄
Winford (North Somerset) 45 2.2 mi away ⇄
Backwell 50 2.4 mi away ⇄
Wrington 30 2.6 mi away ⇄
Flax Bourton 44 2.7 mi away ⇄
Barrow Gurney 0 2.7 mi away ⇄
Cleeve 40 3.0 mi away ⇄
Cambridge Batch 42 3.0 mi away ⇄
Dundry 51 3.4 mi away ⇄
Nailsea 58 3.8 mi away ⇄
Blagdon 42 3.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Downside a nice place to live?

Downside has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Downside is 31/100, 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 Downside?

Downside has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 37/100. There were 467 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Downside in context

See the best places to live in Somerset, ranked

Postcode districts in Downside

BS40 39 ⇄
BS48 53 ⇄

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