Town Pop. 284

Living in Great Barrow: Liveability Score 40/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Great Barrow scores 40/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Schools falls furthest short: 6/100 where the typical UK town reaches 23/100. Among the 12 scored places sharing the CH3 postcode district, Great Barrow ranks 9th.

Its categories are unusually uneven: 91 points separate safety (94) from healthcare (3), a wider spread than about nine in ten UK towns. The CH3 district averages 60/100, putting Great Barrow 20 points below its own postcode area. Its broadband score runs 34 points above the CH3 district's 35/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: CH3 postcode district.

40
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.

Great Barrow scores 40 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Great Barrow.
Or compare:
CH3 5AA CH3 6AB CH3 7AA CH3 8AA CH3 9AD CH3

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
94
207.7 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 21 crimes
↑ 122% above national average
Other theft 9 crimes
↑ 411% above national average
Public order 8 crimes
↑ 334% above national average
Burglary 5 crimes
↑ 403% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 4 crimes
↑ 107% above national average
other 12 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 9 crimes
  2. 2 Common Lane 7 crimes
  3. 3 Barrow Lane 5 crimes

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

Environment
67
Air Quality NO₂ 5.402 · PM2.5 5.606 · PM10 9.641 µg/m³
77
Green Space 45
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
6
1 school in area · 5 within 4km
1Requires Improvement
  • Barrow CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Requires Improvement

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 departmentsCountess of Chester Hospital4.2 mi
Leighton Hospital14.4 mi
Warrington Hospital14.5 mi
Hospital waitsCountess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust1.7 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs61%
Nearest GP surgeryHeath Lane Medical Centre3.3 mi
GP capacity2,605 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
69
Full fibre (FTTP)87.8%
available across Cheshire West and Chester
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
87.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
87.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 16 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
53
Employment rate56%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56%Unemployed2.3%Retired27.9%Student4.1%Other inactive9.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial47.9%Skilled & technical34.3%Routine & elementary17.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)11.3%Level 3 (A levels)16.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)41.7%Apprenticeship3.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%
Home ownership73.5%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
42
Council tax Cheshire West and Chester · 2026-27
A £1,678
B £1,958
C £2,237
D £2,517
E £3,076
F £3,636
G £4,195
H £5,034
Energy Merseyside & North Wales region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
16
Mouldsworth 2.9 mi
Chester 3.7 mi
Bache 4.1 mi
J12 M53 2.3 mi
J12 M53 2.7 mi
J11 M53 3.6 mi

Lifestyle

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

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Great Barrow 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

Guilden Sutton 53 1.6 mi away ⇄
Tarvin 46 1.6 mi away ⇄
Mickle Trafford 52 1.7 mi away ⇄
Littleton (Cheshire West and Chester) 60 2.0 mi away ⇄
Ashton Hayes 43 2.2 mi away ⇄
Dunham-on-the-Hill 42 2.6 mi away ⇄
Christleton and Waverton 54 2.7 mi away ⇄
Mouldsworth 36 3.0 mi away ⇄
Kelsall 42 3.4 mi away ⇄
Duddon 43 3.5 mi away ⇄
Boothsdale 37 3.8 mi away ⇄
Helsby 51 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Great Barrow a nice place to live?

Great Barrow has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Great Barrow is 40/100, 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 Great Barrow?

Great Barrow is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 94/100. There were 59 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Great Barrow in context

See the best places to live in Cheshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Great Barrow

CH3 60 ⇄

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