Town Pop. 7,262

Living in Horncastle: Liveability Score 49/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Horncastle comes out at 49/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 51/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Economic health falls furthest short: 38/100 where the typical UK town reaches 67/100.

That is the highest score of the 3 places in the LN9 postcode district. It scores 9 points above the LN9 postcode district as a whole, which averages 40/100. Its lifestyle score runs 20 points above the LN9 district's 31/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the LN9 postcode district.

49
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.

Horncastle scores 49 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Horncastle.
Or compare:
LN9 5AA LN9 6AA LN9 9BB LN9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
62
77.4 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 224 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 119 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 48 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Shoplifting 39 crimes
↓ 31% below national average
Other crime 26 crimes
↑ 80% above national average
other 106 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 The Crescent 45 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 36 crimes
  3. 3 Petrol Station 30 crimes

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

Environment
56
Air Quality NO₂ 5.3 · PM2.5 7.3 · PM10 12.5 µg/m³
71
Green Space 20
Parks Ample 5
Sports Pitches Ample 12
Allotments Adequate 2
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 6
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 4

Services

Schools
40
4 schools in area
4Good
  • Horncastle Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, HorncastleSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Lawrence SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • The Banovallum SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
Healthcare
36
A&E departmentsPilgrim Hospital14.6 mi
Lincoln County Hospital15.8 mi
Scunthorpe General Hospital33.8 mi
Hospital waitsUnited Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust0 mi
Routine referral (median)13 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.8%
A&E seen within 4 hrs74.6%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity2,455 patients per GP
1dentist2pharmacies

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
89
Full fibre (FTTP)55.4%
available across East Lindsey
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
95.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 212 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
38
Employment rate51.9%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed51.9%Unemployed2.2%Retired31.1%Student2.8%Other inactive12%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial31.2%Skilled & technical35.6%Routine & elementary33.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications20.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.1%Level 3 (A levels)17.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)23.8%Apprenticeship7%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership65%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
61
Council tax East Lindsey · 2026-27
A £1,517
B £1,770
C £2,023
D £2,276
E £2,782
F £3,288
G £3,793
H £4,552
Energy East Midlands 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
25
Metheringham 12.4 mi
Thorpe Culvert 14.3 mi
Market Rasen 15.3 mi
J5 M180 28.9 mi
J5 M180 29 mi
J4 M180 29.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
51
Pubs & Bars Ample 13
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 16
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 9
Retail Shopping Ample 72
Takeaways Adequate 7
Fitness Ample 5

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £195,000 54
Detached £238,500 29
Terraced £150,000 17
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£119k £183k £249k £313k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Belchford 34 4.3 mi away ⇄
Kirkby on Bain 50 4.5 mi away ⇄
Hagworthingham 32 5.3 mi away ⇄
Tetford 37 5.3 mi away ⇄
Mareham le Fen 39 5.3 mi away ⇄
Woodhall Spa 49 5.4 mi away ⇄
Scamblesby 38 5.7 mi away ⇄
Goulceby 44 6.1 mi away ⇄
Old Bolingbroke 32 6.3 mi away ⇄
Hagnaby 0 6.9 mi away ⇄
West Keal 40 7.7 mi away ⇄
Coningsby and Tattershall 40 7.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Horncastle a nice place to live?

Horncastle has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Horncastle is 49/100, 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 Horncastle?

Horncastle has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 62/100. There were 562 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Horncastle?

Among the top-rated schools in Horncastle are Horncastle Primary School, Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle and St Lawrence School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 4 rated schools in Horncastle in total.

What are house prices like in Horncastle?

The current median house price in Horncastle is £195,000, around 32% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £238,500, terraced £150,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 4%. There were 54 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Horncastle in context

See where Horncastle ranks among the best places to live in Lincolnshire

Postcode districts in Horncastle

LN9 40 ⇄

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