Town Pop. 913

Living in Hightown (New Forest): Liveability Score 44/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Hightown (New Forest) scores 44/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 71/100 against a town median of 88/100. Among the 6 scored places sharing the BH24 postcode district, Hightown (New Forest) ranks 3rd.

Schools (17), transport (22) and healthcare (24) all fall below 30/100. On the national picture that lands Hightown (New Forest) in the middle half of all the places we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: BH24 postcode district.

44
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.

Hightown (New Forest) scores 44 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Hightown (New Forest).
Or compare:
BH24 1AB BH24 2AA BH24 3AA BH24 4AA BH24 9ED BH24

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
71
311.1 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 126 crimes
↑ 314% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 32 crimes
↑ 415% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 31 crimes
↑ 124% above national average
Other theft 19 crimes
↑ 235% above national average
Public order 18 crimes
↑ 203% above national average
other 58 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Crow Arch Lane 18 crimes
  2. 2 Moorland Gate 16 crimes
  3. 3 Picket Hill 16 crimes

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

Environment
71
Air Quality NO₂ 6.2 · PM2.5 5.8 · PM10 8.7 µg/m³
76
Green Space 58
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
17
1 school in area · 5 within 4km
1Ungraded
  • Ringwood Junior SchoolPrimary · 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
24
A&E departmentsRoyal Bournemouth Hospital6.3 mi
Poole General Hospital11.7 mi
Salisbury District Hospital13.6 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust0.9 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks67.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs67.7%
Nearest GP surgeryCornerways Medical Centre0.9 mi
GP capacity984 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
54
Full fibre (FTTP)71.8%
available across New Forest
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
76.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
76.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
95%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 29 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
72
Employment rate60.3%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed60.3%Unemployed1.7%Retired25.4%Student4.5%Other inactive8.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial46.6%Skilled & technical35.1%Routine & elementary18.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.6%Level 3 (A levels)18.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)37.4%Apprenticeship4.8%Other (incl. vocational)1.9%
Home ownership72.3%
Among the least-deprived 29% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
47
Council tax New Forest · 2026-27
A £1,613
B £1,882
C £2,151
D £2,420
E £2,958
F £3,496
G £4,033
H £4,840
Energy South West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
22
Hinton Admiral 6.5 mi
Christchurch 7.3 mi
New Milton 7.5 mi
J1 M27 8.9 mi
J1 M27 9.5 mi
J2 M27 12 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
30
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways None
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Hightown (New Forest) in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Hangersley 43 0.9 mi away ⇄
Ringwood 51 1.0 mi away ⇄
Burley Street 45 2.1 mi away ⇄
Burley 41 2.7 mi away ⇄
Ashley Heath 42 3.2 mi away ⇄
Thorney Hill 43 3.7 mi away ⇄
Matchams 0 3.8 mi away ⇄
Bransgore 47 4.3 mi away ⇄
Hyde (New Forest) 44 4.6 mi away ⇄
Frogham 44 5.1 mi away ⇄
Sopley 47 5.1 mi away ⇄
Three Legged Cross 42 5.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Hightown (New Forest) a nice place to live?

Hightown (New Forest) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Hightown (New Forest) is 44/100, 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 Hightown (New Forest)?

Hightown (New Forest) has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 71/100. There were 284 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Hightown (New Forest) in context

See the best places to live in Hampshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Hightown (New Forest)

BH24 47 ⇄

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