Town Pop. 9,413

Living in Ilfracombe: Liveability Score 32/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Ilfracombe is 32/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 59/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 24/100 versus a median of 88/100.

Of the 4 places sharing the EX34 postcode district, Ilfracombe scores lowest. On lifestyle specifically, Ilfracombe sits 9 points above the EX34 district figure of 50/100. That sits 18 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the bottom 10% of the towns and villages we score. For the surrounding area, see EX34 postcode district.

32
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.

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
24
146.4 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Violence and sexual offences 492 crimes
↑ 57% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 327 crimes
↑ 128% above national average
Shoplifting 121 crimes
↑ 65% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 116 crimes
↑ 81% above national average
Other theft 94 crimes
↑ 61% above national average
other 228 crimes
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  1. 1 Supermarket 183 crimes
  2. 2 Victoria Road 110 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 101 crimes

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

Environment
71
Air Quality NO₂ 3.3 · PM2.5 4.4 · PM10 7.4 µg/m³
83
Green Space 42
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches Ample 5
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 6

Services

Schools
7
3 schools in area
1Requires Improvement2Ungraded
  • The Ilfracombe Church of England AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
    Requires Improvement
  • Ilfracombe Church of England Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded
  • Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare
36
A&E departmentsNorth Devon District Hospital7.7 mi
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)42.5 mi
Musgrove Park Hospital45 mi
Hospital waitsRoyal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.6%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,411 patients per GP
2dentists2pharmacies

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
17
Full fibre (FTTP)66.2%
available across North Devon
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
23.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
23.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 282 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
30
Employment rate52.5%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Employed52.5%Unemployed3.4%Retired27.6%Student3.8%Other inactive12.7%
Professional & managerial28.2%Skilled & technical37%Routine & elementary34.7%
No qualifications19.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.5%Level 3 (A levels)16.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)25.6%Apprenticeship7.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership58.9%
Among the most-deprived 29% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
28
Council tax North Devon · 2026-27
A £1,761
B £2,055
C £2,348
D £2,642
E £3,229
F £3,816
G £4,403
H £5,284
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 South West Water
Average bill regional £600/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
26
Barnstaple 9.3 mi
Chapelton 13.6 mi
Umberleigh 15.5 mi
J37 M4 28.4 mi
J37 M4 28.8 mi
J38 M4 29.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
59
Pubs & Bars Ample 15
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 43
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 8
Retail Shopping Ample 119
Takeaways Ample 16
Fitness Ample 6

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £235,000 71
Detached £360,000 21
Terraced £216,250 30
Flat / Maisonette £147,000 15
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£120k £218k £319k £417k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Frequently asked questions

Is Ilfracombe a nice place to live?

Ilfracombe has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Ilfracombe is 32/100, 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 Ilfracombe?

Crime levels in Ilfracombe are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 24/100. There were 1,378 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are house prices like in Ilfracombe?

The current median house price in Ilfracombe is £235,000, around 18% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £360,000, terraced £216,250, flat £147,000. There were 71 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

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