Town Pop. 556

Living in Forstal: Liveability Score 45/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Forstal comes out at 45/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 49/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Safety falls furthest short: 24/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That places it last of the 6 scored places in the ME20 postcode district. The ME20 district averages 52/100, putting Forstal 7 points below its own postcode area. On the national picture that lands Forstal in the middle half of all the places we score. For the surrounding area, see ME20 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.

Forstal scores 45 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Forstal.
Or compare:
ME20 6AA ME20 7AA ME20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
24
1,410.1 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 240 crimes
↑ 1196% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 200 crimes
↑ 2266% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 96 crimes
↑ 2440% above national average
Other theft 86 crimes
↑ 2395% above national average
Vehicle crime 37 crimes
↑ 1285% above national average
other 125 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 London Road East 113 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 63 crimes
  3. 3 B2246 44 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 14.037 · PM2.5 7.805 · PM10 14.087 µg/m³
63
Green Space 62
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
39
1 school in area · 25 within 4km
1Ungraded
  • St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded

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
49
A&E departmentsMaidstone Hospital1.7 mi
Medway Maritime Hospital5.3 mi
Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury13.1 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
Nearest GP surgeryAylesford Medical Centre1 mi
GP capacity2,850 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
66
Full fibre (FTTP)72.2%
available across Maidstone
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
50%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
82.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 6 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
54
Employment rate61.2%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61.2%Unemployed2.7%Retired21.7%Student3.8%Other inactive10.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial41.4%Skilled & technical35%Routine & elementary23.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.9%Level 3 (A levels)18.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.6%Apprenticeship6.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership63%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
35
Council tax Maidstone · 2026-27
A £1,669
B £1,947
C £2,225
D £2,503
E £3,059
F £3,615
G £4,172
H £5,006
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
48
Aylesford 1.3 mi
Barming 1.4 mi
New Hythe 1.9 mi
J6 M20 0.7 mi
J5 M20 0.8 mi
J6 & 5 M20 1.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
40
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Adequate 10
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Forstal 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

Aylesford 48 0.6 mi away ⇄
Eccles (Tonbridge and Malling) 53 1.2 mi away ⇄
Kit's Coty 50 1.4 mi away ⇄
Burham 53 1.9 mi away ⇄
Larkfield 56 2.0 mi away ⇄
Blue Bell Hill 57 2.1 mi away ⇄
Maidstone 61 2.8 mi away ⇄
Snodland 47 2.9 mi away ⇄
Peters Village 48 3.0 mi away ⇄
Detling 45 3.3 mi away ⇄
East Farleigh 50 3.4 mi away ⇄
Chatham 67 3.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Forstal a nice place to live?

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

Crime levels in Forstal are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 24/100. There were 784 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Forstal in context

See the best places to live in Kent, ranked

Postcode districts in Forstal

ME20 52 ⇄

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