Town Pop. 79,286

Living in Guildford: Liveability Score 62/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Guildford scores 62/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 77/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 31/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That sits 12 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: GU1 postcode district.

OUT OF 100

Average

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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.

Guildford scores 62 but individual postcodes tell the full story

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

Or compare:

GU1 1AA GU1 2AA GU1 3AA GU1 4AA GU1 9AE GU1 GU2 GU3 GU4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

120 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 3,460 crimes

↑ 31% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 1,343 crimes

↑ 11% above national average

Shoplifting 1,038 crimes

↑ 68% above national average

Public order 1,010 crimes

↑ 95% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 725 crimes

↑ 34% above national average

other 1,940 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Genyn Road 601 crimes
2 Parking Area 488 crimes
3 Supermarket 449 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 9.8 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 11.1 µg/m³

Green Space 64

Parks Ample 46

Sports Pitches Ample 72

Allotments Ample 8

Golf Courses Ample 3

Tennis Courts Ample 81

Bowling Greens Ample 8

Playgrounds Ample 32

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 28 in area

6Outstanding20Good2Ungraded

Guildford County SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Pewley Down Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Pond Meadow SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
Outstanding
St Peter's Catholic SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
The Hope ServiceAlternative provision · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Wey Valley CollegeAlternative provision · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Boxgrove Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Burpham Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Christ's College, GuildfordSecondary · inspected 2022
Good
George Abbot SchoolSecondary · inspected 2025
Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare

A&E departmentsRoyal Surrey County Hospitalin area

Frimley Park Hospital6.9 mi

St Peter's Hospital7.7 mi

Hospital waitsFrimley Health NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi

Routine referral (median)12 wks

Treated within 18 weeks61.4%

A&E seen within 4 hrs78.5%

6 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'

GP capacity1,552 patients per GP

21dentists12pharmacies

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)64.3%

available across Guildford

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

88.6%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

90.9%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.3%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,641 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate57.1%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed57.1%Unemployed3.6%Retired16%Student15.1%Other inactive8.2%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial52.9%Skilled & technical28.7%Routine & elementary18.4%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications10.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)6.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)9.7%Level 3 (A levels)21.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)46.1%Apprenticeship3.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%

Home ownership59.1%

Among the least-deprived 22% of areas in England

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

Bills

Council tax Guildford · 2026-27

A £1,698

B £1,981

C £2,264

D £2,547

E £3,113

F £3,679

G £4,245

H £5,094

Energy Southern 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

London Road (Guildford) 0.5 mi

Guildford 0.7 mi

Shalford 2.2 mi

J10 M25 7.4 mi

J10 M25 7.6 mi

J3 M3 8.9 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 36

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 114

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 46

Retail Shopping Ample 394

Takeaways Ample 68

Fitness Ample 111

Places like Guildford Pro

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£481,250	488
Detached	£830,000	99
Semi-detached	£517,750	172
Terraced	£450,000	92
Flat / Maisonette	£278,000	125

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Guildford a nice place to live?

Guildford is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Guildford is 62/100, 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 Guildford?

Guildford has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 31/100. There were 9,516 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Guildford?

Among the top-rated schools in Guildford are Guildford County School, Pewley Down Infant School and Pond Meadow School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 28 rated schools in Guildford in total.

What are house prices like in Guildford?

The current median house price in Guildford is £481,250, around 69% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £830,000, semi-detached £517,750, terraced £450,000, flat £278,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 9%. There were 488 sales recorded in the past 12 months.