Town Pop. 44,442

Living in Grays: Liveability Score 63/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Grays comes out at 63/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 81/100 against a national town median of 18/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 38/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the RM16 postcode district scores higher. Grays leads all 6. On healthcare specifically, Grays sits 19 points above the RM16 district figure of 62/100. That sits 13 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the RM16 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.

Grays scores 63 but individual postcodes tell the full story

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

Or compare:

RM16 2AA RM16 3AA RM16 4AQ RM16 5AA RM16 6AG RM16 RM17 RM18 RM20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

115.8 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 1,687 crimes

↑ 14% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 552 crimes

↓ 18% below national average

Shoplifting 529 crimes

↑ 53% above national average

Vehicle crime 507 crimes

↑ 138% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 434 crimes

↑ 44% above national average

other 1,438 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 High Street 293 crimes
2 Parking Area 272 crimes
3 Argyll Road 204 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 14.3 · PM2.5 8.1 · PM10 13.6 µg/m³

Green Space 86

Parks Ample 22

Sports Pitches Ample 18

Allotments Ample 5

Golf Courses Some 1

Tennis Courts Adequate 6

Bowling Greens Some 1

Playgrounds Ample 12

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 26 in area · 30 within 4km

2Outstanding20Good1Requires Improvement3Ungraded

Harris Academy Chafford HundredSecondary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Quarry Hill AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Belmont Castle AcademyPrimary · inspected 2021
Good
Deneholm Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Grays Convent High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
Good
Harris Primary Academy Chafford HundredPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Harris Primary Academy MayflowerPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Herringham Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Lansdowne Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Little Thurrock Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
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

A&E departmentsDarent Valley Hospital3.1 mi

Basildon University Hospital5.8 mi

Queens Hospital7.6 mi

Hospital waitsMidlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi

Routine referral (median)4 wks

Treated within 18 weeks92.8%

8 GP surgeries in area 14 within 4km best 'Good'

GP capacity2,904 patients per GP

9dentists9pharmacies

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)83.8%

available across Thurrock

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

95.7%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

96.2%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

98.8%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 655 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate62.5%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed62.5%Unemployed3.6%Retired18.3%Student4.3%Other inactive11.3%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial32.2%Skilled & technical35.1%Routine & elementary32.7%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications21.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.5%Level 3 (A levels)16%Level 4+ (degree & above)27%Apprenticeship5%Other (incl. vocational)3.6%

Home ownership62.4%

Around the England average for deprivation

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

Bills

Council tax Thurrock · 2026-27

A £1,503

B £1,754

C £2,004

D £2,255

E £2,756

F £3,257

G £3,758

H £4,510

Energy London region

Typical bill regional £1,641/yr

Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026

Typical home efficiency local EPC band D

Water Thames Water

Average bill regional £489/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Grays 0.8 mi

Tilbury Town 1.8 mi

Chafford Hundred Lakeside 1.9 mi

J30 M25 2.8 mi

J30 M25 3 mi

J30 M25 3.1 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 11

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 20

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 28

Retail Shopping Ample 79

Takeaways Ample 28

Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£355,000	223
Detached	£527,500	20
Semi-detached	£418,750	74
Terraced	£325,000	81
Flat / Maisonette	£206,935	48

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Grays a nice place to live?

Grays is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Grays is 63/100, 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 Grays?

Grays has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 38/100. There were 5,147 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Grays?

Among the top-rated schools in Grays are Harris Academy Chafford Hundred and Quarry Hill Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 26 rated schools in Grays in total.

What are house prices like in Grays?

The current median house price in Grays is £355,000, around 25% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £527,500, semi-detached £418,750, terraced £325,000, flat £206,935. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 15%. There were 223 sales recorded in the past 12 months.