Town Pop. 632

Living in Instow: Liveability Score 38/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Instow comes out at 38/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 40/100 versus a median of 60/100. Instow places 7th of 8 in the EX39 postcode district.

It scores 5 points below the EX39 postcode district as a whole, which averages 43/100. On safety specifically, Instow sits 21 points above the EX39 district figure of 74/100. That sits 12 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the bottom quarter of the towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the EX39 postcode district.

38
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.

Instow scores 38 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Instow.
Or compare:
EX39 1AA EX39 2AA EX39 3AA EX39 4AB EX39 5AA EX39 6AA EX39 9DY EX39

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
95
58.5 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 18 crimes
↓ 14% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 4 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 4 crimes
↓ 59% below national average
Other theft 4 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Vehicle crime 3 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 4 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Sports/Recreation Area 9 crimes
  2. 2 Whitehouse Close 9 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 3 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 2.6 · PM2.5 4.6 · PM10 8.6 µg/m³
82
Green Space 21
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches None
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
9
1 school in area · 6 within 4km
1Good
  • Instow Community Primary and Pre-SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
7
A&E departmentsNorth Devon District Hospital5.9 mi
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)37.1 mi
Liskeard Community Hospital42.2 mi
Hospital waitsRoyal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust2.6 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.6%
Nearest GP surgeryNortham Surgery2 mi
GP capacity1,167 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
40
Full fibre (FTTP)66.2%
available across North Devon
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
67.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
67.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 42 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
65
Employment rate48.2%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed48.2%Unemployed2.1%Retired38.6%Student2.1%Other inactive9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.1%Skilled & technical38.9%Routine & elementary18%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.4%Level 3 (A levels)16.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)39%Apprenticeship6.4%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership71.7%
Around the England average for deprivation
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
9
Barnstaple 5.2 mi
Chapelton 7.2 mi
Umberleigh 9.4 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
13
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Instow 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

Appledore (Torridge) 43 0.8 mi away ⇄
Northam 54 1.9 mi away ⇄
Fremington 43 2.0 mi away ⇄
Westward Ho! 49 2.7 mi away ⇄
Chivenor and Wrafton 39 2.9 mi away ⇄
Bideford 44 3.0 mi away ⇄
Bickington 52 3.7 mi away ⇄
Braunton 45 3.9 mi away ⇄
Ashford (North Devon) 38 4.7 mi away ⇄
Littleham 0 5.0 mi away ⇄
Barnstaple 47 5.3 mi away ⇄
Bishop's Tawton 40 5.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Instow a nice place to live?

Instow has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Instow is 38/100, 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 Instow?

Instow is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 95/100. There were 37 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Instow?

Among the top-rated schools in Instow is Instow Community Primary and Pre-School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Instow in total.

Instow in context

See the best places to live in Devon, ranked

Postcode districts in Instow

EX39 43 ⇄

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