Town Pop. 52,479

Living in Folkestone: Liveability Score 59/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Folkestone comes out at 59/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Lifestyle is where Folkestone most outperforms the national norm: 83/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 27/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the CT18 postcode district scores higher. Folkestone leads all 6. Against the wider CT18 district average of 45/100, that is 14 points above. On lifestyle specifically, Folkestone sits 24 points above the CT18 district figure of 59/100. For the surrounding area, see CT18 postcode district.

59
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.

Folkestone scores 59 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Folkestone.
Or compare:
CT18 7AA CT18 8AA CT18 CT19 CT20 CT21

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
27
124.9 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 2,420 crimes
↑ 38% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 1,056 crimes
↑ 32% above national average
Shoplifting 698 crimes
↑ 71% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 559 crimes
↑ 57% above national average
Other theft 413 crimes
↑ 27% above national average
other 1,408 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 400 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 345 crimes
  3. 3 Shopping Area 235 crimes

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

Environment
77
Air Quality NO₂ 7.5 · PM2.5 6.6 · PM10 10.8 µg/m³
73
Green Space 86
Parks Ample 30
Sports Pitches Ample 34
Allotments Ample 5
Golf Courses Ample 3
Tennis Courts Ample 33
Bowling Greens Ample 7
Playgrounds Ample 35

Services

Schools
71
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 22 in area · 24 within 4km
2Outstanding18Good1Requires Improvement1Ungraded
  • The Beacon FolkestoneSpecial · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • The Harvey Grammar SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • All Soul's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • BirchwoodAlternative provision · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Castle Hill Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Cheriton Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Christ Church Cep Academy, FolkestonePrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Folkestone AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Folkestone PrimaryPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Folkestone, St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    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
75
A&E departmentsWIlliam Harvey Hospital8.6 mi
William Harvey Hospital8.7 mi
Estuary View Medical Centre17.4 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
6 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity2,581 patients per GP
7dentists9pharmacies

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
62
Full fibre (FTTP)71.8%
available across Folkestone and Hythe
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
87.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
87.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,256 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
33
Employment rate55.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.4%Unemployed4%Retired22.4%Student3.7%Other inactive14.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial35.1%Skilled & technical34.9%Routine & elementary30%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.9%Level 3 (A levels)17.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.2%Apprenticeship6%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%
Home ownership55.5%
Among the most-deprived 35% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
32
Council tax Folkestone and Hythe · 2026-27
A £1,693
B £1,975
C £2,257
D £2,539
E £3,103
F £3,667
G £4,232
H £5,078
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

Transport
64
Folkestone West 0.1 mi
Folkestone Central 0.6 mi
Sandling 3.9 mi
J13 M20 0.7 mi
J13 M20 0.8 mi
J12 M20 0.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
83
Pubs & Bars Ample 49
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 126
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 50
Retail Shopping Ample 402
Takeaways Ample 52
Fitness Ample 32

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £280,000 358
Detached £655,000 28
Semi-detached £367,500 76
Terraced £275,000 127
Flat / Maisonette £200,000 127
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£168k £329k £495k £656k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Hawkinge 53 1.9 mi away ⇄
Capel-le-Ferne 52 2.8 mi away ⇄
Densole 48 3.0 mi away ⇄
Etchinghill 37 3.2 mi away ⇄
Hythe 55 3.3 mi away ⇄
Saltwood 52 3.5 mi away ⇄
Lyminge 42 4.2 mi away ⇄
Alkham 37 4.5 mi away ⇄
Elham 38 4.9 mi away ⇄
Stanford 39 5.1 mi away ⇄
Rhodes Minnis 37 5.3 mi away ⇄
Lympne 40 5.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Folkestone a nice place to live?

Folkestone is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Folkestone is 59/100, 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 Folkestone?

Crime levels in Folkestone are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 27/100. There were 6,554 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Folkestone?

Among the top-rated schools in Folkestone are The Beacon Folkestone and The Harvey Grammar School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 22 rated schools in Folkestone in total.

What are house prices like in Folkestone?

The current median house price in Folkestone is £280,000, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £655,000, semi-detached £367,500, terraced £275,000, flat £200,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 11%. There were 358 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Folkestone in context

See where Folkestone ranks among the best places to live in Kent

Postcode districts in Folkestone

CT18 45 ⇄
CT19 62 ⇄
CT20 58 ⇄
CT21 50 ⇄
CT50 64 ⇄

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