Town Pop. 504

Living in Essendon: Liveability Score 45/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Essendon comes out at 45/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. The biggest shortfall against other towns is economic health: 51/100 versus a median of 67/100. That makes it the 4th highest-scoring of the 5 places in the AL9 postcode district.

Its broadband score runs 37 points above the AL9 district's 37/100. Schools (25), transport (25), lifestyle (25) and healthcare (28) all fall below 30/100. On the national picture that lands Essendon in the middle half of all the places we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the AL9 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.

Essendon scores 45 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Essendon.
Or compare:
AL9 5AB AL9 6AA AL9 7AA AL9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
72
220.2 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 34 crimes
↑ 103% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 28 crimes
↑ 266% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 17 crimes
↑ 396% above national average
Vehicle crime 8 crimes
↑ 231% above national average
Drugs 6 crimes
↑ 261% above national average
other 18 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 24 crimes
  2. 2 Mill Green Lane 13 crimes
  3. 3 Low Road 12 crimes

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

Environment
60
Air Quality NO₂ 7.9 · PM2.5 7 · PM10 11.4 µg/m³
71
Green Space 35
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
25
1 school in area · 5 within 4km
1Good
  • Essendon CofE (VC) Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good

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

Healthcare
28
A&E departmentsQueen Elizabeth II Hospital1.7 mi
Potters Bar Clinic4.6 mi
Barnet Hospital7.4 mi
Hospital waitsEast And North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust2.1 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks68.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs74.7%
Nearest GP surgeryEphedra Healthcare2.1 mi
GP capacity1,584 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
74
Full fibre (FTTP)60.9%
available across Welwyn Hatfield
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.1%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
97%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 31 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
51
Employment rate61.5%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61.5%Unemployed1.9%Retired21.9%Student3.8%Other inactive10.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial52%Skilled & technical32.8%Routine & elementary15.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)11%Level 3 (A levels)14.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)43.8%Apprenticeship4.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership61.6%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
47
Council tax Welwyn Hatfield · 2026-27
A £1,635
B £1,907
C £2,180
D £2,452
E £2,997
F £3,542
G £4,087
H £4,904
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Affinity Water
Average bill regional £490/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
25
Bayford 2.6 mi
Hatfield 2.6 mi
Welham Green 2.9 mi
J4 A1(M) 3.2 mi
J4 A1(M) 3.2 mi
J3 A1(M) 3.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
25
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 4

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Essendon 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

Little Berkhamsted 40 1.2 mi away ⇄
Letty Green 45 1.6 mi away ⇄
Bayford 41 2.2 mi away ⇄
Birch Green 48 2.3 mi away ⇄
Newgate Street 40 2.7 mi away ⇄
Brookmans Park 49 2.9 mi away ⇄
Welham Green 47 3.1 mi away ⇄
Brickendon 0 3.1 mi away ⇄
Welwyn Garden City 58 3.3 mi away ⇄
Hatfield 55 3.3 mi away ⇄
Cuffley 52 3.6 mi away ⇄
Northaw 46 3.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Essendon a nice place to live?

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

Essendon has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 72/100. There were 111 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Essendon?

Among the top-rated schools in Essendon is Essendon CofE (VC) Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Essendon in total.

Essendon in context

See the best places to live in Hertfordshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Essendon

AL9 49 ⇄

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