Town Pop. 97,012

Living in Eastbourne: Liveability Score 55/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Eastbourne scores 55/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 72/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Safety falls furthest short: 22/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That makes it the 2nd highest-scoring of the 3 places in the BN20 postcode district. Broadband (83) sits at 80/100 or above. That puts Eastbourne in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: BN20 postcode district.

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.

Eastbourne scores 55 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Eastbourne.

Or compare:

BN20 0AA BN20 7AB BN20 8AA BN20 9AA BN20 BN21 BN22 BN23

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

145.9 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 4,423 crimes

↑ 37% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 2,604 crimes

↑ 76% above national average

Shoplifting 2,431 crimes

↑ 222% above national average

Public order 1,050 crimes

↑ 66% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 958 crimes

↑ 46% above national average

other 2,692 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Supermarket 2,127 crimes
2 Shopping Area 468 crimes
3 Parking Area 449 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 6.6 · PM2.5 6.4 · PM10 9.7 µg/m³

Green Space 47

Parks Ample 26

Sports Pitches Ample 45

Allotments Ample 8

Golf Courses Ample 5

Tennis Courts Ample 22

Bowling Greens Ample 10

Playgrounds Ample 33

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 29 in area · 30 within 4km

1Outstanding19Good3Requires Improvement6Ungraded

Hazel Court SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Heron Park Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Langney Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Motcombe Infants' SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Oakwood Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Parkland Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
Good
Parkland Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Pashley Down Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Ratton SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
Good
Roselands Infants' SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good

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

A&E departmentsEastbourne District General Hospitalin area

Royal Sussex County Hospital16 mi

Tunbridge Wells Nuffield Hospital22 mi

Hospital waitsEast Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust0.2 mi

Routine referral (median)11 wks

Treated within 18 weeks66.3%

A&E seen within 4 hrs70.9%

7 GP surgeries in area 9 within 4km best 'Outstanding'

GP capacity1,785 patients per GP

20dentists17pharmacies

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

Full fibre (FTTP)87.4%

available across Eastbourne

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

93.7%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

93.7%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.9%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 2,522 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate52.2%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed52.2%Unemployed3.5%Retired27.7%Student4.3%Other inactive12.4%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial35.7%Skilled & technical34.9%Routine & elementary29.4%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications18.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.8%Level 3 (A levels)17.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.3%Apprenticeship5.8%Other (incl. vocational)3.3%

Home ownership60.4%

Around the England average for deprivation

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax Eastbourne · 2026-27

A £1,769

B £2,064

C £2,359

D £2,654

E £3,244

F £3,834

G £4,423

H £5,308

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

Hampden Park 0.7 mi

Eastbourne 1.1 mi

Pevensey and Westham 2.8 mi

J10A M23 28.9 mi

J11 M23 29.3 mi

J11 M23 29.5 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 48

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 200

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 81

Retail Shopping Ample 592

Takeaways Ample 70

Fitness Ample 43

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£275,000	713
Detached	£421,500	120
Semi-detached	£315,000	130
Terraced	£275,000	205
Flat / Maisonette	£180,000	258

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Eastbourne a nice place to live?

Eastbourne is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Eastbourne is 55/100, 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 Eastbourne?

Crime levels in Eastbourne are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 22/100. There were 14,158 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Eastbourne?

Among the top-rated schools in Eastbourne are Hazel Court School, Heron Park Primary Academy and Langney Primary Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 29 rated schools in Eastbourne in total.

What are house prices like in Eastbourne?

The current median house price in Eastbourne is £275,000, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £421,500, semi-detached £315,000, terraced £275,000, flat £180,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 7%. There were 713 sales recorded in the past 12 months.