Town Pop. 3,512

Living in Earls Colne: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Earls Colne scores 48/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Broadband is where Earls Colne most outperforms the national norm: 84/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Earls Colne places 4th of 18 in the CO6 postcode district.

Its broadband score runs 42 points above the CO6 district's 42/100. Safety (92) sits at 80/100 or above. Lifestyle (12), transport (17) and schools (23) all fall below 30/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the CO6 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.

Earls Colne scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Earls Colne.
Or compare:
CO6 1AA CO6 2AA CO6 3AA CO6 4AA CO6 5AA CO6

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
63.5 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 131 crimes
↑ 12% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 17 crimes
↓ 29% below national average
Public order 15 crimes
↓ 34% below national average
Other theft 14 crimes
↓ 35% below national average
Vehicle crime 12 crimes
↓ 29% below national average
other 34 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 De Vere Road 33 crimes
  2. 2 Sports/Recreation Area 16 crimes
  3. 3 Sims Close 12 crimes

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

Environment
54
Air Quality NO₂ 6.6 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 12.4 µg/m³
72
Green Space 11
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 4

Services

Schools
23
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Good
  • Earls Colne Primary School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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

Healthcare
34
A&E departmentsColchester General Hospital7.9 mi
Broomfield Hospital12.9 mi
Ipswich Hospital22.6 mi
Hospital waitsMid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust2.7 mi
Routine referral (median)17 wks
Treated within 18 weeks50.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs68%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity811 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
84
Full fibre (FTTP)91.3%
available across Braintree
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 87 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
60
Employment rate58.5%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.5%Unemployed2.2%Retired26.8%Student2.7%Other inactive9.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40%Skilled & technical38%Routine & elementary21.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.5%Level 3 (A levels)18.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)30%Apprenticeship5.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership71.3%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
61
Council tax Braintree · 2026-27
A £1,520
B £1,773
C £2,027
D £2,280
E £2,787
F £3,293
G £3,800
H £4,560
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
17
Chappel and Wakes Colne 2.7 mi
Bures 4.5 mi
Marks Tey 4.7 mi
J8 M11 21.3 mi
J8A M11 21.7 mi
J8 M11 21.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
12
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £345,000 28
Detached £410,000 13
Semi-detached £334,950 10
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£243k £349k £458k £564k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

White Colne 45 1.0 mi away ⇄
Colne Engaine 47 1.3 mi away ⇄
Chappel 43 2.7 mi away ⇄
Halstead (Braintree) 47 2.7 mi away ⇄
Great Tey 45 2.7 mi away ⇄
Pebmarsh 42 3.2 mi away ⇄
Coggeshall 52 3.5 mi away ⇄
Fordstreet 40 4.1 mi away ⇄
Marks Tey 44 4.2 mi away ⇄
Gosfield 49 4.4 mi away ⇄
Bradwell (Braintree) 38 4.6 mi away ⇄
Bures 35 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Earls Colne a nice place to live?

Earls Colne has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Earls Colne 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 Earls Colne?

Earls Colne is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 223 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Earls Colne?

Among the top-rated schools in Earls Colne is Earls Colne Primary School and Nursery, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Earls Colne in total.

What are house prices like in Earls Colne?

The current median house price in Earls Colne is £345,000, around 21% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £410,000, semi-detached £334,950. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 8%. There were 28 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Earls Colne in context

See the best places to live in Essex, ranked

Postcode districts in Earls Colne

CO6 48 ⇄

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