Town Pop. 174

Living in Ford End: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Ford End comes out at 41/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is broadband: 86/100 against a national town median of 60/100. That makes it the 18th highest-scoring of the 24 places in the CM3 postcode district.

The CM3 district averages 48/100, putting Ford End 7 points below its own postcode area. Its broadband score runs 40 points above the CM3 district's 46/100. That is 9 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. For the surrounding area, see CM3 postcode district.

41
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.

Loading map…

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.

Ford End scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ford End.
Or compare:
CM3 1AA CM3 2AA CM3 3AA CM3 4AA CM3 5BF CM3 6AA CM3 7AB CM3 8AA CM3

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
281.6 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 16 crimes
↑ 176% above national average
Burglary 9 crimes
↑ 1377% above national average
Other theft 7 crimes
↑ 548% above national average
Vehicle crime 7 crimes
↑ 738% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 4 crimes
↑ 238% above national average
other 6 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Bury Lane 7 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 5 crimes
  3. 3 White Barns 5 crimes

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

Environment
53
Air Quality NO₂ 6.186 · PM2.5 6.758 · PM10 12.042 µg/m³
72
Green Space 9
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
10
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Good
  • Ford End Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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

Healthcare
5
A&E departmentsBroomfield Hospital3.4 mi
Princess Alexandra Hospital15 mi
Basildon University Hospital18.2 mi
Hospital waitsMid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust3.3 mi
Routine referral (median)17 wks
Treated within 18 weeks50.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs68%
Nearest GP surgeryLittle Waltham & Great Notley Surgeries3.3 mi
GP capacity1,607 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
86
Full fibre (FTTP)79.4%
available across Chelmsford
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
97.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
97.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
97.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 7 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
54
Employment rate55.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.4%Unemployed2%Retired28.4%Student3.4%Other inactive10.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.7%Skilled & technical36.2%Routine & elementary20.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16%Level 3 (A levels)16.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)31.5%Apprenticeship5.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership69.8%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
60
Council tax Chelmsford · 2026-27
A £1,533
B £1,789
C £2,044
D £2,300
E £2,811
F £3,322
G £3,833
H £4,600
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band E
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
15
Beaulieu Park 6 mi
Chelmsford 6.4 mi
Braintree 6.4 mi
J8 M11 10.4 mi
J8A M11 10.5 mi
J8 M11 10.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
8
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 2

Places like Ford End Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like Ford End, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Ford End 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

Causeway End 42 1.6 mi away ⇄
Felsted 43 2.2 mi away ⇄
Great Waltham 50 2.5 mi away ⇄
Little Dunmow 47 2.6 mi away ⇄
Barnston (Uttlesford) 46 2.7 mi away ⇄
Great Leighs 41 3.2 mi away ⇄
Little Waltham 55 3.3 mi away ⇄
High Easter 45 3.5 mi away ⇄
Young's End 0 3.7 mi away ⇄
Broomfield 49 4.1 mi away ⇄
High Roding 43 4.5 mi away ⇄
Great Dunmow 51 4.6 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ford End a nice place to live?

Ford End has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Ford End is 41/100, 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 Ford End?

Ford End is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 49 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Ford End?

Among the top-rated schools in Ford End is Ford End Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Ford End in total.

Ford End in context

See the best places to live in Essex, ranked

Postcode districts in Ford End

CM3 48 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode