Town Pop. 2,598

Living in Higham (Gravesham): Liveability Score 45/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Higham (Gravesham) scores 45/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is lifestyle: 68/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Broadband falls furthest short: 24/100 where the typical UK town reaches 60/100.

Among the 5 scored places sharing the DA12 postcode district, Higham (Gravesham) ranks 2nd. It scores 14 points below the DA12 postcode district as a whole, which averages 59/100. Its lifestyle score runs 14 points below the DA12 district's 82/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: DA12 postcode district.

45
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.

Higham (Gravesham) scores 45 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Higham (Gravesham).
Or compare:
DA12 1AA DA12 2AA DA12 3AA DA12 4AA DA12 5AA DA12 9ES DA12 ME3

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
66
175.1 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 117 crimes
↑ 35% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 100 crimes
↑ 153% above national average
Other theft 62 crimes
↑ 285% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 38 crimes
↑ 115% above national average
Vehicle crime 38 crimes
↑ 204% above national average
other 100 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Petrol Station 39 crimes
  2. 2 Scotland Yard 28 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 22 crimes

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

Environment
74
Air Quality NO₂ 10.2 · PM2.5 7.4 · PM10 12.3 µg/m³
68
Green Space 88
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
33
2 schools in area · 17 within 4km
2Good
  • Higham Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Shorne Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
12
A&E departmentsMedway Maritime Hospital3.9 mi
Darent Valley Hospital8.2 mi
Maidstone Hospital9.3 mi
Hospital waitsMedway NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)13 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62%
A&E seen within 4 hrs74.7%
Nearest GP surgeryCourt View Surgery1.8 mi
GP capacity2,758 patients per GP
0dentists1pharmacy

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
24
Full fibre (FTTP)72.8%
available across Gravesham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
62.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
65%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
94.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 77 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
73
Employment rate54.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.1%Unemployed2.4%Retired30.5%Student4.1%Other inactive9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial41.4%Skilled & technical38.2%Routine & elementary20.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.7%Level 3 (A levels)17.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.7%Apprenticeship7.1%Other (incl. vocational)3%
Home ownership82.6%
Among the least-deprived 37% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
45
Council tax Gravesham · 2026-27
A £1,605
B £1,873
C £2,140
D £2,408
E £2,943
F £3,478
G £4,013
H £4,816
Energy South East 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

Transport
36
Higham 0.9 mi
Strood 2.2 mi
Rochester 2.8 mi
J1 M2 1.2 mi
J1 M2 1.4 mi
J2 M2 1.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
68
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Some 3
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Ample 9

Places like Higham (Gravesham) Pro

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £405,000 15
Semi-detached £397,500 10
5-year monthly trend
All Semi
£369k £413k £459k £503k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Lower Higham 47 0.9 mi away ⇄
Shorne 33 1.0 mi away ⇄
Cliffe Woods 52 2.2 mi away ⇄
Cobham (Gravesham) 36 2.5 mi away ⇄
Rochester 65 2.6 mi away ⇄
Cuxton 48 2.9 mi away ⇄
Lower Upnor 46 3.0 mi away ⇄
Chattenden 49 3.1 mi away ⇄
Gravesend 61 3.4 mi away ⇄
Cliffe (Medway) 38 3.5 mi away ⇄
Sole Street 44 4.0 mi away ⇄
Halling 52 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Higham (Gravesham) a nice place to live?

Higham (Gravesham) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Higham (Gravesham) is 45/100, 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 Higham (Gravesham)?

Higham (Gravesham) has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 66/100. There were 455 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Higham (Gravesham)?

Among the top-rated schools in Higham (Gravesham) are Higham Primary School and Shorne Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Higham (Gravesham) in total.

What are house prices like in Higham (Gravesham)?

The current median house price in Higham (Gravesham) is £405,000, around 42% above the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £397,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 3%.

Higham (Gravesham) in context

See the best places to live in Kent, ranked

Postcode districts in Higham (Gravesham)

DA12 59 ⇄
ME3 45 ⇄

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