Town Pop. 1,771

Living in Great Leighs: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Great Leighs comes out at 41/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, bills stands out most: 65/100 where the typical UK town scores 47/100. Furthest below the national norm is healthcare, at 3/100 against a town median of 18/100.

Great Leighs places 18th of 24 in the CM3 postcode district. The CM3 district averages 48/100, putting Great Leighs 7 points below its own postcode area. That sits 9 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the middle half of the towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the CM3 postcode district.

41
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 Leighs scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Great Leighs.
Or compare:
CM3 1AA CM3 2AA CM3 3AA CM3 4AA CM3 5BF CM3 6AA CM3 7AB CM3 8AA CM3

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
75
102.2 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 76 crimes
↑ 29% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 30 crimes
↑ 11% above national average
Vehicle crime 13 crimes
↑ 52% above national average
Other crime 12 crimes
↑ 240% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 11 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 39 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 30 crimes
  2. 2 Park/Open Space 15 crimes
  3. 3 Noakes Lane 11 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 7 · PM2.5 7 · PM10 12.6 µg/m³
71
Green Space 28
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches Adequate 2
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 5

Services

Schools
27
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Good
  • Great Leighs Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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 departmentsBroomfield Hospital3.4 mi
Colchester General Hospital17.2 mi
Princess Alexandra Hospital17.9 mi
Hospital waitsMid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust2.2 mi
Routine referral (median)17 wks
Treated within 18 weeks50.6%
A&E seen within 4 hrs68%
Nearest GP surgeryLittle Waltham & Great Notley Surgeries3 mi
GP capacity1,578 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
61
Full fibre (FTTP)79.4%
available across Chelmsford
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
83.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
83.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 48 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
65
Employment rate65.6%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed65.6%Unemployed2.2%Retired18%Student4.6%Other inactive9.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial45.1%Skilled & technical34.7%Routine & elementary20.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)17.8%Level 3 (A levels)20.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)30.6%Apprenticeship5.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership73%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
65
Council tax Chelmsford · 2026-27
A £1,533
B £1,789
C £2,044
D £2,300
E £2,811
F £3,322
G £3,833
H £4,600
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
21
Cressing 3.5 mi
Braintree Freeport 3.9 mi
White Notley 3.9 mi
J8 M11 13.4 mi
J8A M11 13.5 mi
J8 M11 13.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
16
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £462,500 12
5-year monthly trend
All
£360k £430k £503k £573k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Young's End 0 0.9 mi away ⇄
Great Notley 60 2.4 mi away ⇄
Black Notley 57 3.0 mi away ⇄
Rayne 54 3.1 mi away ⇄
Little Waltham 55 3.1 mi away ⇄
Causeway End 42 3.2 mi away ⇄
Ford End 41 3.2 mi away ⇄
Great Waltham 50 3.3 mi away ⇄
Felsted 43 3.6 mi away ⇄
Tye Green (Braintree) 43 3.9 mi away ⇄
Braintree 61 4.2 mi away ⇄
Broomfield 49 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Great Leighs a nice place to live?

Great Leighs has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Great Leighs is 41/100, 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 Leighs?

Great Leighs is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 75/100. There were 181 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Great Leighs?

Among the top-rated schools in Great Leighs is Great Leighs Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Great Leighs in total.

What are house prices like in Great Leighs?

The current median house price in Great Leighs is £462,500, around 62% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 7%.

Great Leighs in context

See the best places to live in Essex, ranked

Postcode districts in Great Leighs

CM3 48 ⇄

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