Town Pop. 85,742

Living in Harlow: Liveability Score 59/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Harlow comes out at 59/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is schools: 75/100 against a national town median of 23/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 42/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 6 places in the CM16 postcode district. No category drops below 41/100, which is unusual: most UK towns carry at least one clear weak spot. The CM16 district averages 44/100, putting Harlow 15 points above its own postcode area. For the surrounding area, see CM16 postcode district.

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.

Harlow scores 59 but individual postcodes tell the full story

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

Or compare:

CM16 4AA CM16 5AA CM16 6AA CM16 7AA CM16 9BF CM16 CM17 CM18 CM19

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

106.6 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 3,661 crimes

↑ 28% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 846 crimes

↓ 35% below national average

Criminal damage and arson 763 crimes

↑ 31% above national average

Public order 711 crimes

↑ 28% above national average

Shoplifting 667 crimes

≈ similar to national average

other 2,489 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Supermarket 677 crimes
2 Parking Area 382 crimes
3 Hospital 261 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 10.2 · PM2.5 7.5 · PM10 12.5 µg/m³

Green Space 78

Parks Ample 118

Sports Pitches Ample 80

Allotments Ample 23

Golf Courses Some 1

Tennis Courts Ample 13

Bowling Greens Some 1

Playgrounds Ample 57

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 41 in area

1Outstanding33Good2Requires Improvement5Ungraded

Hare Street Community Primary School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Abbotsweld Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
Bmat Stem AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
Good
Burnt Mill AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
Good
Church Langley Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Churchgate Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, HarlowPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Fawbert and Barnard's Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Freshwaters Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Harlow Fields School and CollegeSpecial · inspected 2025
Good

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsPrincess Alexandra Hospitalin area

Queen Elizabeth II Hospital10.4 mi

North Middlesex University Hospital10.9 mi

Hospital waitsThe Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust0.3 mi

Routine referral (median)11 wks

Treated within 18 weeks64.1%

A&E seen within 4 hrs78.7%

8 GP surgeries in area best 'Outstanding'

GP capacity1,752 patients per GP

16dentists14pharmacies

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)16.8%

available across Harlow

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

91.7%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

92.6%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

98.7%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,472 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate62.3%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed62.3%Unemployed3.7%Retired18.4%Student3.6%Other inactive12%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial32.8%Skilled & technical35.2%Routine & elementary32%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications20.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)13.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16%Level 3 (A levels)16.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)24.5%Apprenticeship5.7%Other (incl. vocational)3%

Home ownership56.7%

Around the England average for deprivation

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

Bills

Council tax Harlow · 2026-27

A £1,533

B £1,788

C £2,044

D £2,299

E £2,810

F £3,321

G £3,832

H £4,598

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

Harlow Town 1.1 mi

Harlow Mill 1.9 mi

Roydon 3.1 mi

J7 M11 2 mi

J7 M11 2.4 mi

J7A M11 2.8 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 31

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 41

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 40

Retail Shopping Ample 197

Takeaways Ample 35

Fitness Ample 43

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£340,000	501
Detached	£518,600	56
Semi-detached	£425,000	84
Terraced	£335,000	257
Flat / Maisonette	£215,000	104

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Harlow a nice place to live?

Harlow is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Harlow is 59/100, 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 Harlow?

Harlow has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 42/100. There were 9,137 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Harlow?

Among the top-rated schools in Harlow are Hare Street Community Primary School and Nursery, Abbotsweld Primary Academy and Bmat Stem Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 41 rated schools in Harlow in total.

What are house prices like in Harlow?

The current median house price in Harlow is £340,000, around 19% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £518,600, semi-detached £425,000, terraced £335,000, flat £215,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 9%. There were 501 sales recorded in the past 12 months.