Town Pop. 39,787

Living in Ilkeston: Liveability Score 59/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Ilkeston comes out at 59/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 64/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 26/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 7 places in the DE7 postcode district. That is 9 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 10% of all UK towns and villages. Broadband (97) sits at 80/100 or above. For the surrounding area, see DE7 postcode district.

59
OUT OF 100
Average
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.

Ilkeston scores 59 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ilkeston.
Or compare:
DE7 0AR DE7 4AA DE7 5AA DE7 6AB DE7 8AA DE7 9GA DE7 DE75 NG16

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
26
125.8 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 2,038 crimes
↑ 54% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 782 crimes
↑ 30% above national average
Shoplifting 479 crimes
↑ 54% above national average
Public order 435 crimes
↑ 68% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 361 crimes
↑ 34% above national average
other 911 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 358 crimes
  2. 2 Market Place 181 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 172 crimes

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

Environment
65
Air Quality NO₂ 10.9 · PM2.5 7.3 · PM10 11.8 µg/m³
68
Green Space 59
Parks Ample 50
Sports Pitches Ample 31
Allotments Ample 17
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Ample 11
Bowling Greens Adequate 3
Playgrounds Ample 25

Services

Schools
61
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 19 in area · 23 within 4km
15Good4Ungraded
  • Bennerley Fields SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Chaucer Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Cotmanhay Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Dallimore Primary & Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Esteem Valley AcademyAlternative provision · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Field House Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Granby Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Hallam Fields Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Kensington Junior AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Ladywood Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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
64
A&E departmentsQueens Medical Centre4.2 mi
Royal Derby Hospital8.1 mi
Kings Mill Hospital10 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Of Derby And Burton NHS Foundation Trust0.7 mi
Routine referral (median)13 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.3%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.3%
5 GP surgeries in area 6 within 4km best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity2,304 patients per GP
4dentists9pharmacies

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
97
Full fibre (FTTP)92.4%
available across Erewash
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 787 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
37
Employment rate58.6%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.6%Unemployed3.1%Retired22.3%Student3.1%Other inactive12.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial27.8%Skilled & technical33%Routine & elementary39.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications22.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.6%Level 3 (A levels)18.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)20.4%Apprenticeship7.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership65.3%
Among the most-deprived 38% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
58
Council tax Erewash · 2026-27
A £1,574
B £1,836
C £2,099
D £2,361
E £2,886
F £3,410
G £3,935
H £4,722
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 Severn Trent Water
Average bill regional £424/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
67
Ilkeston 0.8 mi
Langley Mill 3.4 mi
Bulwell 5.2 mi
J26 M1 3 mi
J25 M1 3.5 mi
J26 M1 3.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
67
Pubs & Bars Ample 30
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 39
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 29
Retail Shopping Ample 344
Takeaways Ample 52
Fitness Ample 12

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £180,000 265
Detached £300,000 57
Semi-detached £187,500 106
Terraced £150,000 91
Flat / Maisonette £96,500 11
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£95k £161k £229k £296k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Awsworth 59 1.7 mi away ⇄
Trowell 62 1.8 mi away ⇄
Stanton-by-Dale 48 1.9 mi away ⇄
Shipley (Amber Valley) 41 2.0 mi away ⇄
West Hallam 57 2.1 mi away ⇄
Swingate 55 2.7 mi away ⇄
Kimberley 56 2.8 mi away ⇄
Stanley (Erewash) 45 2.9 mi away ⇄
Eastwood 58 3.1 mi away ⇄
Stapleford 67 3.2 mi away ⇄
Sandiacre 64 3.4 mi away ⇄
Nuthall and Watnall 69 3.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ilkeston a nice place to live?

Ilkeston is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Ilkeston is 59/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Ilkeston?

Crime levels in Ilkeston are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 26/100. There were 5,006 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Ilkeston?

Among the top-rated schools in Ilkeston are Bennerley Fields School, Chaucer Junior School and Cotmanhay Infant and Nursery School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 19 rated schools in Ilkeston in total.

What are house prices like in Ilkeston?

The current median house price in Ilkeston is £180,000, around 37% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £300,000, semi-detached £187,500, terraced £150,000, flat £96,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 10%. There were 265 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Ilkeston in context

See where Ilkeston ranks among the best places to live in Derbyshire

Postcode districts in Ilkeston

DE7 57 ⇄
DE75 54 ⇄
NG16 55 ⇄

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