Town Pop. 479

Living in Fordham (Colchester): Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Fordham (Colchester) comes out at 42/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Broadband is where Fordham (Colchester) most outperforms the national norm: 90/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is schools: 4/100 versus a median of 23/100.

Among the 18 scored places sharing the CO6 postcode district, Fordham (Colchester) ranks 14th. Against the wider CO6 district average of 48/100, that is 6 points below. On broadband specifically, Fordham (Colchester) sits 48 points above the CO6 district figure of 42/100. For the surrounding area, see CO6 postcode district.

42
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.

Fordham (Colchester) scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Fordham (Colchester).
Or compare:
CO6 1AA CO6 2AA CO6 3AA CO6 4AA CO6 5AA CO6

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
93
104.4 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
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 10 crimes
↑ 237% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 8 crimes
↑ 146% above national average
Burglary 6 crimes
↑ 257% above national average
Vehicle crime 3 crimes
↑ 31% above national average
other 7 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Fordham Road 5 crimes
  2. 2 Holt'S Road 5 crimes
  3. 3 Plummers Road 5 crimes

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

Environment
57
Air Quality NO₂ 6.3 · PM2.5 6.8 · PM10 12 µg/m³
72
Green Space 22
Parks None
Sports Pitches Adequate 2
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
4
1 school in area · 4 within 4km
1Inadequate
  • Fordham All Saints CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Inadequate

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

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsColchester General Hospital3.9 mi
Broomfield Hospital17.3 mi
Ipswich Hospital18.3 mi
Hospital waitsEast Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust3.9 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs76.7%
Nearest GP surgeryDr Abiodun Obisesan3.6 mi
GP capacity2,388 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
90
Full fibre (FTTP)62.6%
available across Colchester
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 24 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
80
Employment rate56.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.7%Unemployed2.6%Retired27.7%Student3.1%Other inactive9.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.4%Skilled & technical38.7%Routine & elementary17.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.2%Level 3 (A levels)18.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)34.6%Apprenticeship5.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership76.7%
Among the least-deprived 34% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
61
Council tax Colchester · 2026-27
A £1,522
B £1,776
C £2,029
D £2,283
E £2,790
F £3,298
G £3,805
H £4,566
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 Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
9
Chappel and Wakes Colne 2.1 mi
Bures 3.2 mi
Marks Tey 3.6 mi
J8 M11 26.1 mi
J8A M11 26.4 mi
J8 M11 26.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
7
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 2

Places like Fordham (Colchester) 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 Fordham (Colchester), 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 Fordham (Colchester) 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

Fordstreet 40 1.7 mi away ⇄
Chappel 43 2.1 mi away ⇄
Eight Ash Green 47 2.2 mi away ⇄
West Bergholt 48 2.2 mi away ⇄
Great Horkesley 52 3.0 mi away ⇄
Bures 35 3.2 mi away ⇄
Tye Green (Colchester) 41 3.2 mi away ⇄
Great Tey 45 3.3 mi away ⇄
Copford 37 3.5 mi away ⇄
White Colne 45 3.7 mi away ⇄
Nayland 45 4.0 mi away ⇄
Marks Tey 44 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Fordham (Colchester) a nice place to live?

Fordham (Colchester) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Fordham (Colchester) is 42/100, 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 Fordham (Colchester)?

Fordham (Colchester) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 93/100. There were 50 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Fordham (Colchester) in context

See the best places to live in Essex, ranked

Postcode districts in Fordham (Colchester)

CO6 48 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

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

Score my postcode