Town Pop. 7,824

Living in East Cowes: Liveability Score 49/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

East Cowes comes out at 49/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 53/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is economic health, at 36/100 against a town median of 67/100.

It scores 6 points above the PO32 postcode district as a whole, which averages 43/100. Broadband (89) also clears 80/100. Schools (13) and bills (26) all fall below 30/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: PO32 postcode district.

49
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.

East Cowes scores 49 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with East Cowes.
Or compare:
PO32 6AA PO32

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
61
85.6 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 297 crimes
↑ 14% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 89 crimes
↓ 25% below national average
Shoplifting 74 crimes
↑ 22% above national average
Public order 60 crimes
↑ 18% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 48 crimes
↓ 10% below national average
other 102 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Castle Street 57 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 32 crimes
  3. 3 Yarborough Road 30 crimes

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

Environment
68
Air Quality NO₂ 8.6 · PM2.5 5.9 · PM10 9.1 µg/m³
75
Green Space 51
Parks Ample 14
Sports Pitches Ample 6
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 6

Services

Schools
13
3 schools in area · 6 within 4km
1Requires Improvement2Ungraded
  • Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Requires Improvement
  • Lanesend Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded
  • Queensgate Foundation PrimaryPrimary · inspected 2024
    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
45
A&E departmentsGosport War Memorial Minor Injuries Unit6 mi
Hythe Hospital8.3 mi
St Mary’s NHS Treatment Centre9.6 mi
Hospital waitsHampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks70%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.3%
1 GP surgery in area 2 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity2,201 patients per GP
2dentists2pharmacies

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
89
Full fibre (FTTP)87.1%
available across Isle of Wight
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 207 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
36
Employment rate50.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed50.7%Unemployed2.7%Retired30.5%Student3.2%Other inactive12.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial30.6%Skilled & technical36%Routine & elementary33.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.8%Level 3 (A levels)19.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)25%Apprenticeship7.7%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership63.8%
Among the most-deprived 38% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
26
Council tax Isle of Wight · 2026-27
A £1,751
B £2,042
C £2,334
D £2,626
E £3,210
F £3,793
G £4,377
H £5,252
Energy Southern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
40
Ryde Pier Head 5.4 mi
Ryde Esplanade 5.6 mi
Ryde St John's Road 5.9 mi
J9 M27 8.4 mi
J9 M27 8.6 mi
J10 M27 9.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
53
Pubs & Bars Adequate 5
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 10
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 7
Retail Shopping Ample 23
Takeaways Some 3
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £225,250 68
Detached £287,500 12
Semi-detached £279,000 22
Terraced £198,000 25
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£119k £194k £270k £345k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Cowes 58 1.2 mi away ⇄
Wootton (Isle of Wight) 36 2.7 mi away ⇄
Fishbourne (Isle of Wight) 45 3.4 mi away ⇄
Newport (Isle of Wight) 49 3.6 mi away ⇄
Great Thorness 0 3.7 mi away ⇄
Havenstreet 45 4.4 mi away ⇄
Ower (Fawley) 0 5.2 mi away ⇄
Lee-on-the-Solent 64 5.4 mi away ⇄
Ryde 52 5.5 mi away ⇄
Blackfield and Langley 41 5.8 mi away ⇄
Arreton 39 5.9 mi away ⇄
Hook Park Estate 0 6.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is East Cowes a nice place to live?

East Cowes has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for East Cowes is 49/100, 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 East Cowes?

East Cowes has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 61/100. There were 670 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are house prices like in East Cowes?

The current median house price in East Cowes is £225,250, around 21% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £287,500, semi-detached £279,000, terraced £198,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 3%. There were 68 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

East Cowes in context

See where East Cowes ranks among the best places to live in Isle of Wight

Postcode districts in East Cowes

PO32 43 ⇄

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