Town Pop. 2,015

Living in Hay-on-Wye: Liveability Score 40/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Hay-on-Wye is 40/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, environment stands out most: 84/100 where the typical UK town scores 64/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 13/100 versus a median of 60/100.

Among the 6 scored places sharing the HR3 postcode district, Hay-on-Wye ranks 5th. The HR3 district averages 32/100, putting Hay-on-Wye 8 points above its own postcode area. On environment specifically, Hay-on-Wye sits 19 points above the HR3 district figure of 65/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: HR3 postcode district.

40
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.

Hay-on-Wye scores 40 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Hay-on-Wye.
Or compare:
HR3 5AA HR3 6AA HR3

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
90.3 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 89 crimes
↑ 33% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 26 crimes
↓ 15% below national average
Burglary 13 crimes
↑ 86% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 13 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 12 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 29 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Wyeside Gardens 12 crimes
  2. 2 Birch Close 11 crimes
  3. 3 Gwernyfed Avenue 10 crimes

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

Environment
84
Air Quality NO₂ 2.323 · PM2.5 4.625 · PM10 7.849 µg/m³
83
Green Space 85
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches Adequate 2
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 4

Services

Schools
5

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsHereford County Hospital17.4 mi
Lydney & District Hospital33.9 mi
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital40.1 mi
Hospital waitsGloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust7.2 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks74.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs64.6%
Nearest GP surgeryHAYGARTH MEDICAL CENTRE6.8 mi
GP capacity1,411 patients per GP

A&E, dentist and pharmacy data, and CQC ratings, are currently available for England only, not Wales.

Broadband
13
Full fibre (FTTP)58.5%
available across Powys
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
36%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
36%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 81 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
81
Employment rate55.2%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.2%Unemployed1.8%Retired31.1%Student3%Other inactive9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial37.7%Skilled & technical42.3%Routine & elementary20%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.6%Level 3 (A levels)17.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.6%Apprenticeship4.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership68.5%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
62
Council tax Powys · 2025-26
A £1,489
B £1,738
C £1,986
D £2,234
E £2,730
F £3,227
G £3,723
H £4,468
Energy West Midlands region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Average bill regional £502/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
12
Builth Road 14.4 mi
Cilmeri 15.1 mi
Llandrindod 15.9 mi
J4 M50 26 mi
J3 M50 29 mi
J3 M50 29 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
32
Pubs & Bars Adequate 6
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 14
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 3
Retail Shopping Ample 95
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £285,000 16
Terraced £280,000 11
5-year monthly trend
All Terraced
£251k £284k £318k £351k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Clyro 51 1.4 mi away ⇄
Llanigon 54 1.7 mi away ⇄
Three Cocks 48 4.7 mi away ⇄
Dorstone 43 5.4 mi away ⇄
Eardisley 40 6.8 mi away ⇄
Bronllys 34 6.9 mi away ⇄
Talgarth 45 6.9 mi away ⇄
Peterchurch 41 7.5 mi away ⇄
Kington 43 9.9 mi away ⇄
Lyonshall 46 11 mi away ⇄
Llangors 56 11 mi away ⇄
Madley 40 12 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Hay-on-Wye a nice place to live?

Hay-on-Wye has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Hay-on-Wye is 40/100, 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 Hay-on-Wye?

Hay-on-Wye is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 182 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are house prices like in Hay-on-Wye?

The current median house price in Hay-on-Wye is £285,000, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: terraced £280,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 16%.

Postcode districts in Hay-on-Wye

HR3 32 ⇄

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