City Pop. 114,529

Living in Exeter: Liveability Score 64/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Exeter is 64/100, built from 9 categories. Healthcare is where Exeter most outperforms the national norm: 83/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 31/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 3 places in the EX1 postcode district. That is 14 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 5% of all UK towns and villages. Also scoring 80 or better: transport (84). The same breakdown for the wider area is on the EX1 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.

Exeter scores 64 but individual postcodes tell the full story

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

Or compare:

EX1 1AE EX1 2AA EX1 3AA EX1 4AA EX1 9AL EX1 EX2 EX3 EX4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

118.9 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 5,306 crimes

↑ 39% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 2,149 crimes

↑ 24% above national average

Shoplifting 1,614 crimes

↑ 81% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 1,036 crimes

↑ 32% above national average

Public order 881 crimes

↑ 18% above national average

other 2,628 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Supermarket 1,122 crimes
2 Parking Area 665 crimes
3 North Street 496 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 6.5 · PM2.5 5.5 · PM10 9.9 µg/m³

Green Space 72

Parks Ample 150

Sports Pitches Ample 87

Allotments Ample 17

Golf Courses Ample 3

Tennis Courts Ample 42

Bowling Greens Ample 5

Playgrounds Ample 80

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 44 in area

1Outstanding24Good9Requires Improvement10Ungraded

West Exe Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools FederationNursery · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Alphington Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Bowhill Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Chestnut Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools FederationNursery · inspected 2023
Good
Clyst Heath Nursery and Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Devon Hospitals' Short Stay SchoolAlternative provision · inspected 2023
Good
Ellen Tinkham SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
Good
Exwick Heights Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Ide Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Isca AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare

A&E departmentsRoyal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)in area

Torbay Hospital14.1 mi

Musgrove Park Hospital23.7 mi

Hospital waitsTorbay And South Devon NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi

Routine referral (median)10 wks

Treated within 18 weeks66.4%

A&E seen within 4 hrs66.2%

13 GP surgeries in area best 'Outstanding'

GP capacity1,546 patients per GP

27dentists17pharmacies

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)78.8%

available across Exeter

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

90.1%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

90.1%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

97.3%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 2,942 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate56.1%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed56.1%Unemployed3%Retired19.3%Student12.6%Other inactive9.1%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial40.2%Skilled & technical31.7%Routine & elementary28.2%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications14.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)11.9%Level 3 (A levels)22.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)35%Apprenticeship5.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%

Home ownership58%

Around the England average for deprivation

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

Bills

Council tax Exeter · 2026-27

A £1,663

B £1,941

C £2,218

D £2,495

E £3,049

F £3,604

G £4,158

H £4,990

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 South West Water

Average bill regional £600/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Polsloe Bridge 0.8 mi

St James' Park 0.9 mi

Exeter Central 1 mi

J30 M5 2.1 mi

J29 M5 2.1 mi

J30 M5 2.1 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 80

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 175

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 85

Retail Shopping Ample 638

Takeaways Ample 109

Fitness Ample 42

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£293,500	692
Detached	£441,250	124
Semi-detached	£336,000	171
Terraced	£272,000	283
Flat / Maisonette	£172,250	114

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Exeter a nice place to live?

Exeter is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Exeter is 64/100, 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 Exeter?

Exeter has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 31/100. There were 13,614 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Exeter?

Among the top-rated schools in Exeter are West Exe Nursery School - Exeter Nursery Schools Federation, Alphington Primary School and Bowhill Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 44 rated schools in Exeter in total.

What are house prices like in Exeter?

The current median house price in Exeter is £293,500, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £441,250, semi-detached £336,000, terraced £272,000, flat £172,250. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 6%. There were 692 sales recorded in the past 12 months.