Town Pop. 241

Living in Hitcham: Liveability Score 35/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Hitcham scores 35/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 9/100 versus a median of 60/100. Among the 11 scored places sharing the IP7 postcode district, Hitcham ranks 7th.

It scores 8 points below the IP7 postcode district as a whole, which averages 43/100. That sits 15 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the bottom quarter of the towns and villages we score. Safety (95) sits at 80/100 or above. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the IP7 postcode district.

35
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.

Hitcham scores 35 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Hitcham.
Or compare:
IP7 5AA IP7 6AA IP7 7AA IP7 9BW IP7

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
95
224.1 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 30 crimes
↑ 274% above national average
Burglary 6 crimes
↑ 611% above national average
Other theft 5 crimes
↑ 234% above national average
Vehicle crime 4 crimes
↑ 246% above national average
Other crime 3 crimes
↑ 520% above national average
other 6 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Newberry Road 8 crimes
  2. 2 Fen Lane 6 crimes
  3. 3 Paddocks Way 5 crimes

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

Environment
57
Air Quality NO₂ 5.4 · PM2.5 6.8 · PM10 11.9 µg/m³
73
Green Space 20
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
5

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
10
A&E departmentsIpswich Hospital13.4 mi
Colchester General Hospital14.8 mi
RAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital23.6 mi
Hospital waitsEast Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust2.9 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs76.7%
Nearest GP surgeryBildeston Health Centre1.6 mi
GP capacity3,362 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
9
Full fibre (FTTP)72.1%
available across Babergh
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
7.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
7.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
90.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 11 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
51
Employment rate55%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55%Unemployed2.1%Retired29.5%Student2.6%Other inactive10.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial39.2%Skilled & technical35.8%Routine & elementary25%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications16%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.8%Level 3 (A levels)17.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)30.3%Apprenticeship6.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership70.5%
Among the most-deprived 38% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
56
Council tax Babergh · 2026-27
A £1,561
B £1,822
C £2,082
D £2,342
E £2,862
F £3,383
G £3,903
H £4,684
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 Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
15
Stowmarket 6.1 mi
Needham Market 6.9 mi
Elmswell 7.7 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
7
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Hitcham 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

Bildeston 35 1.5 mi away ⇄
Brettenham 39 2.0 mi away ⇄
Chelsworth 34 2.3 mi away ⇄
Nedging Tye 38 2.3 mi away ⇄
Great Bricett 29 2.5 mi away ⇄
Monks Eleigh 35 2.8 mi away ⇄
Battisford Tye 29 2.8 mi away ⇄
Felsham 28 4.2 mi away ⇄
Great Finborough 47 4.2 mi away ⇄
Rattlesden 28 4.6 mi away ⇄
Lavenham 44 4.6 mi away ⇄
Great Green 40 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Hitcham a nice place to live?

Hitcham has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Hitcham is 35/100, 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 Hitcham?

Hitcham is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 95/100. There were 54 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Hitcham in context

See the best places to live in Suffolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Hitcham

IP7 43 ⇄

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