Town Pop. 503

Living in Kelsale: Liveability Score 37/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Kelsale comes out at 37/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Economic health falls furthest short: 40/100 where the typical UK town reaches 67/100. Among the 10 scored places sharing the IP17 postcode district, Kelsale ranks 6th.

That is 13 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. Safety (89) also clears 80/100. Schools (8), healthcare (10), lifestyle (10) and transport (12) all fall below 30/100. For the surrounding area, see IP17 postcode district.

37
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.

Kelsale scores 37 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Kelsale.
Or compare:
IP17 1AA IP17 2AA IP17 3AA IP17 9AP IP17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
89
123.3 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 28 crimes
↑ 67% above national average
Other crime 8 crimes
↑ 695% above national average
Other theft 6 crimes
↑ 92% above national average
Burglary 5 crimes
↑ 183% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 4 crimes
↓ 47% below national average
other 11 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Park/Open Space 10 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 9 crimes
  3. 3 Southview 9 crimes

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

Environment
59
Air Quality NO₂ 5.5 · PM2.5 6.7 · PM10 11.8 µg/m³
73
Green Space 28
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
8
2 schools in area · 3 within 4km
2Good
  • Kelsale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Saxmundham Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

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

Healthcare
10
A&E departmentsIpswich Hospital16.6 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department28.9 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital28.9 mi
Hospital waitsEast Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust0.6 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs76.7%
Nearest GP surgerySaxmundham Health0.6 mi
GP capacity1,495 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
43
Full fibre (FTTP)82.5%
available across East Suffolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
72%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
72%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 37 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
40
Employment rate47.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed47.6%Unemployed2.2%Retired35.5%Student3.2%Other inactive11.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial36.1%Skilled & technical37.2%Routine & elementary26.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.3%Level 3 (A levels)16.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.1%Apprenticeship7%Other (incl. vocational)3.2%
Home ownership63.5%
Among the most-deprived 37% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
57
Council tax East Suffolk · 2026-27
A £1,557
B £1,816
C £2,076
D £2,335
E £2,854
F £3,373
G £3,892
H £4,670
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
12
Saxmundham 0.9 mi
Darsham 3.4 mi
Wickham Market 6.6 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
10
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Kelsale 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

Saxmundham 48 0.9 mi away ⇄
Benhall Green 41 2.0 mi away ⇄
Yoxford 36 2.8 mi away ⇄
Middleton (East Suffolk) 35 3.4 mi away ⇄
Peasenhall 39 3.5 mi away ⇄
Coldfair Green 43 3.9 mi away ⇄
Snape (East Suffolk) 41 4.0 mi away ⇄
Darsham 35 4.0 mi away ⇄
Leiston 49 4.0 mi away ⇄
Cransford 0 4.1 mi away ⇄
Westleton 35 4.5 mi away ⇄
Badingham 36 5.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Kelsale a nice place to live?

Kelsale has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Kelsale is 37/100, 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 Kelsale?

Kelsale is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 89/100. There were 62 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Kelsale?

Among the top-rated schools in Kelsale are Kelsale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School and Saxmundham Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Kelsale in total.

Kelsale in context

See the best places to live in Suffolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Kelsale

IP17 40 ⇄

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