Town Pop. 31,004

Living in Harpenden: Liveability Score 65/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Harpenden is 65/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, schools stands out most: 67/100 where the typical UK town scores 23/100. Among the 3 scored places sharing the AL5 postcode district, Harpenden ranks 2nd.

No category drops below 50/100, which is unusual: most UK towns carry at least one clear weak spot. That is 15 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 5% of all UK towns and villages. Also scoring 80 or better: economic health (88) and safety (87). Wider context for the surrounding area: AL5 postcode district.

65
OUT OF 100
Good
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.

Loading map…

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.

Harpenden scores 65 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Harpenden.
Or compare:
AL5 1AA AL5 2AA AL5 3AB AL5 4AA AL5 5AA AL5 9ED AL5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
87
61.3 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 455 crimes
↓ 56% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 386 crimes
↓ 18% below national average
Vehicle crime 185 crimes
↑ 25% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 184 crimes
↓ 13% below national average
Other theft 182 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 509 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Petrol Station 110 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 101 crimes
  3. 3 High Street 93 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 9.3 · PM2.5 7.3 · PM10 11.9 µg/m³
69
Green Space 52
Parks Ample 13
Sports Pitches Ample 40
Allotments Ample 12
Golf Courses Ample 5
Tennis Courts Ample 26
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 11

Services

Schools
67
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 18 in area · 19 within 4km
9Outstanding7Good2Ungraded
  • Batford Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Crabtree Infants' SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Crabtree Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • High Beeches Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Roundwood Park SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Sir John Lawes SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • St Dominic Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • The Grove Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Wood End SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Katherine Warington SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good

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
54
A&E departmentsLuton and Dunstable Hospital5.6 mi
Queen Elizabeth II Hospital5.9 mi
Lister Hospital7.9 mi
Hospital waitsRoyal Free London NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs80.6%
3 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,392 patients per GP
12dentists5pharmacies

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
68
Full fibre (FTTP)80.4%
available across St Albans
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
92.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
93.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 933 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
88
Employment rate60.3%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed60.3%Unemployed2.2%Retired24.1%Student5%Other inactive8.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial63.2%Skilled & technical25.9%Routine & elementary11%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications7.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)5.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)11.3%Level 3 (A levels)12.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)58.3%Apprenticeship3.1%Other (incl. vocational)1.7%
Home ownership79%
Among the least-deprived 9% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
50
Council tax St Albans · 2026-27
A £1,613
B £1,881
C £2,150
D £2,419
E £2,957
F £3,494
G £4,032
H £4,838
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 Affinity Water
Average bill regional £490/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
51
Harpenden 0.1 mi
Luton DART Parkway 4.4 mi
Luton Airport Parkway 4.4 mi
J9 M1 2.8 mi
J9 M1 2.9 mi
J10 M1 3.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
52
Pubs & Bars Ample 20
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 44
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 11
Retail Shopping Ample 103
Takeaways Adequate 8
Fitness Ample 74

Places like Harpenden Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like Harpenden, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £790,000 209
Detached £1,200,000 72
Semi-detached £865,000 57
Terraced £583,500 37
Flat / Maisonette £340,000 43
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£291k £709k £1.1m £1.6m 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Lea Valley 59 1.4 mi away ⇄
Kinsbourne Green 50 2.2 mi away ⇄
Redbourn 43 2.4 mi away ⇄
Blackmore End 43 2.5 mi away ⇄
Wheathampstead 53 2.5 mi away ⇄
Sandridge 56 3.2 mi away ⇄
Friar's Wash 26 3.3 mi away ⇄
Kimpton 40 3.3 mi away ⇄
Flamstead 32 3.7 mi away ⇄
Slip End 51 4.3 mi away ⇄
St Albans 66 4.4 mi away ⇄
Markyate 33 4.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Harpenden a nice place to live?

Yes, Harpenden is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Harpenden is 65/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Harpenden?

Harpenden is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 87/100. There were 1,901 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Harpenden?

Among the top-rated schools in Harpenden are Batford Nursery School, Crabtree Infants' School and Crabtree Junior School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 18 rated schools in Harpenden in total.

What are house prices like in Harpenden?

The current median house price in Harpenden is £790,000, around 177% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £1,200,000, semi-detached £865,000, terraced £583,500, flat £340,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 6%. There were 209 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Harpenden in context

See where Harpenden ranks among the best places to live in Hertfordshire

Postcode districts in Harpenden

AL5 65 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode