Town Pop. 1,551

Living in Great Bowden: Liveability Score 53/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Great Bowden is 53/100, built from 9 categories. Lifestyle is where Great Bowden most outperforms the national norm: 53/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Among the 13 scored places sharing the LE16 postcode district, Great Bowden ranks 2nd.

It scores 5 points above the LE16 postcode district as a whole, which averages 48/100. Safety (95) and economic health (87) also clear 80/100. On the national picture that lands Great Bowden in the top quarter of all the places we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: LE16 postcode district.

53
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.

Great Bowden scores 53 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Great Bowden.
Or compare:
LE16 0AE LE16 7AA LE16 8AA LE16 9AA LE16

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
95
31.6 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 17 crimes
↓ 67% below national average
Other theft 8 crimes
↓ 16% below national average
Burglary 5 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 4 crimes
↓ 83% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 4 crimes
↓ 62% below national average
other 11 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 North Close 7 crimes
  2. 2 Dingley Road 4 crimes
  3. 3 Gunnsbrook Close 4 crimes

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

Environment
61
Air Quality NO₂ 6.9 · PM2.5 6.8 · PM10 10.9 µg/m³
72
Green Space 35
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
38
4 schools in area · 10 within 4km
3Good1Ungraded
  • Meadowdale Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Ridgeway Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • The Robert Smyth AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Great Bowden Academy, A 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
14
A&E departmentsKettering General Hospital9.1 mi
Leicester Royal Infirmary12.9 mi
Northampton General Hospital17.4 mi
Hospital waitsKettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust1.1 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.4%
A&E seen within 4 hrs80.2%
Nearest GP surgeryMarket Harborough Medical Centre1.3 mi
GP capacity2,533 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
49
Full fibre (FTTP)77%
available across Harborough
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
78.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
78.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 31 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
87
Employment rate60.6%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed60.6%Unemployed2.7%Retired26.6%Student3.5%Other inactive6.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial52.5%Skilled & technical29.8%Routine & elementary17.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.6%Level 3 (A levels)15.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)45.2%Apprenticeship5.8%Other (incl. vocational)1.4%
Home ownership81.5%
Among the least-deprived 5% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
55
Council tax Harborough · 2026-27
A £1,593
B £1,859
C £2,124
D £2,390
E £2,921
F £3,452
G £3,983
H £4,780
Energy East Midlands region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Severn Trent Water
Average bill regional £424/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
40
Market Harborough 0.9 mi
Corby 9.2 mi
Kettering 10.1 mi
J20 M1 12.3 mi
J20 M1 12.5 mi
J19 M1 12.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
53
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
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 Bowden 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

Market Harborough 56 1.2 mi away ⇄
Gartree 0 2.4 mi away ⇄
Lubenham 36 2.6 mi away ⇄
Foxton (Harborough) 42 2.7 mi away ⇄
East Farndon 40 2.8 mi away ⇄
Braybrooke 34 3.1 mi away ⇄
Ashley (North Northamptonshire) 37 3.5 mi away ⇄
Wilbarston 37 4.4 mi away ⇄
Medbourne 42 4.4 mi away ⇄
Clipston 38 4.9 mi away ⇄
Desborough 49 5.0 mi away ⇄
Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt 52 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Great Bowden a nice place to live?

Great Bowden is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Great Bowden is 53/100, 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 Great Bowden?

Great Bowden is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 95/100. There were 49 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Great Bowden?

Among the top-rated schools in Great Bowden are Meadowdale Primary School, Ridgeway Primary Academy and The Robert Smyth Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Great Bowden in total.

Great Bowden in context

See the best places to live in Leicestershire, ranked

Postcode districts in Great Bowden

LE16 48 ⇄

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