Town Pop. 4,564

Living in Harleston: Liveability Score 47/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Harleston comes out at 47/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 51/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Broadband falls furthest short: 41/100 where the typical UK town reaches 60/100.

No other settlement in the IP20 postcode district scores higher. Harleston leads all 5. Against the wider IP20 district average of 39/100, that is 8 points above. On healthcare specifically, Harleston sits 25 points above the IP20 district figure of 26/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: IP20 postcode district.

47
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.

Harleston scores 47 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Harleston.
Or compare:
IP20 0AA IP20 9AA IP20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
91
51.1 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 114 crimes
↓ 25% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 33 crimes
↓ 53% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 29 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 12 crimes
↓ 60% below national average
Vehicle crime 10 crimes
↓ 54% below national average
other 35 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Barley Close 15 crimes
  2. 2 Station Road 12 crimes
  3. 3 Exchange Street 11 crimes

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

Environment
56
Air Quality NO₂ 5.7 · PM2.5 6.8 · PM10 12 µg/m³
73
Green Space 15
Parks Ample 6
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Adequate 6

Services

Schools
5
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Ungraded
  • The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)Secondary · inspected 2025
    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
51
A&E departmentsNorfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department14.8 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital14.8 mi
Ipswich Hospital23.5 mi
Hospital waitsNorfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks63.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs83%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity2,586 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

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
41
Full fibre (FTTP)68.2%
available across South Norfolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
72.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
72.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 125 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
52
Employment rate53%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53%Unemployed2.4%Retired32.5%Student2.4%Other inactive9.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial31%Skilled & technical35.9%Routine & elementary33.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.1%Level 3 (A levels)17.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)22.8%Apprenticeship7.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%
Home ownership65.4%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
44
Council tax South Norfolk · 2026-27
A £1,655
B £1,931
C £2,207
D £2,483
E £3,035
F £3,587
G £4,138
H £4,966
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
22
Diss 7.7 mi
Halesworth 9.5 mi
Brampton 10.3 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
43
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 11
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 4
Retail Shopping Ample 58
Takeaways Adequate 7
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £235,000 43
Detached £301,250 14
Semi-detached £282,500 14
Terraced £172,500 10
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£181k £240k £301k £361k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Needham 47 1.4 mi away ⇄
Wortwell 34 2.2 mi away ⇄
Pulham St Mary 49 2.6 mi away ⇄
Alburgh Street 32 2.8 mi away ⇄
Metfield 35 3.5 mi away ⇄
Pulham Market 46 3.7 mi away ⇄
Fressingfield 35 3.8 mi away ⇄
Wingfield 36 4.1 mi away ⇄
St James South Elmham 42 4.7 mi away ⇄
Dickleburgh 42 4.7 mi away ⇄
Tivetshall St Mary and Tivetshall St Margaret 40 5.0 mi away ⇄
Heckfield Green 36 5.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Harleston a nice place to live?

Harleston has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Harleston is 47/100, 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 Harleston?

Harleston is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 91/100. There were 233 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are house prices like in Harleston?

The current median house price in Harleston is £235,000, around 18% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £301,250, semi-detached £282,500, terraced £172,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 12%. There were 43 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Harleston in context

See where Harleston ranks among the best places to live in Norfolk

Postcode districts in Harleston

IP20 39 ⇄

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