Town Pop. 26,287

Living in Kendal: Liveability Score 64/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Kendal comes out at 64/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 74/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 59/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 4 places in the LA9 postcode district. No category drops below 43/100, which is unusual: most UK towns carry at least one clear weak spot. That is 14 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 5% of all UK towns and villages. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the LA9 postcode district.

64
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.

Kendal scores 64 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Kendal.
Or compare:
LA9 4AA LA9 5AA LA9 6AA LA9 7AA LA9 9AG LA9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
59
82.4 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 973 crimes
↑ 11% above national average
Public order 229 crimes
↑ 34% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 196 crimes
↑ 10% above national average
Shoplifting 171 crimes
↓ 17% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 161 crimes
↓ 60% below national average
other 435 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 162 crimes
  2. 2 Branthwaite Brow 91 crimes
  3. 3 Old Shambles 79 crimes

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

Environment
79
Air Quality NO₂ 4.1 · PM2.5 5 · PM10 8.2 µg/m³
80
Green Space 76
Parks Ample 33
Sports Pitches Ample 25
Allotments Ample 12
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Ample 5
Playgrounds Ample 29

Services

Schools
51
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 12 in area · 13 within 4km
10Good2Ungraded
  • Dean Gibson Catholic Primary School, KendalPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Ghyllside Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Heron Hill Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Kendal Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Kirkbie Kendal SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Sandgate SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • St Mark's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Stramongate Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • The Queen Katherine SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Vicarage Park CofE 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
63
A&E departmentsRoyal Lancaster Infirmary18.3 mi
Blackpool Victoria Hospital35.3 mi
Royal Preston Hospital35.6 mi
Hospital waitsNorth Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.3%
A&E seen within 4 hrs62.6%
3 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,625 patients per GP
10dentists5pharmacies

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
96
Full fibre (FTTP)79.2%
available across Westmorland and Furness
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 674 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
65
Employment rate59.1%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.1%Unemployed1.7%Retired29%Student2.7%Other inactive7.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial37%Skilled & technical32.3%Routine & elementary30.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.3%Level 3 (A levels)17.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)35.8%Apprenticeship6.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership70.8%
Among the least-deprived 30% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
43
Council tax Westmorland and Furness · 2026-27
A £1,672
B £1,951
C £2,229
D £2,508
E £3,065
F £3,623
G £4,180
H £5,016
Energy North 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 United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
55
Kendal 0.5 mi
Oxenholme Lake District 1.6 mi
Burneside 2.3 mi
J37 M6 4.7 mi
J37 M6 5 mi
J36 M6 6.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
74
Pubs & Bars Ample 32
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 60
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 26
Retail Shopping Ample 342
Takeaways Ample 30
Fitness Ample 16

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £245,000 239
Detached £375,000 43
Semi-detached £257,500 69
Terraced £240,000 76
Flat / Maisonette £145,000 51
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£120k £234k £351k £465k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Oxenholme 62 1.9 mi away ⇄
Natland 45 2.0 mi away ⇄
Burneside 47 2.1 mi away ⇄
Summerlands 43 4.0 mi away ⇄
Levens 48 4.3 mi away ⇄
Staveley (South Lakeland) 47 4.7 mi away ⇄
Endmoor 41 4.7 mi away ⇄
Heversham 49 5.7 mi away ⇄
Milnthorpe 60 6.8 mi away ⇄
Bowness-on-Windermere 50 7.5 mi away ⇄
Storrs 35 7.6 mi away ⇄
Windermere 52 7.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Kendal a nice place to live?

Kendal is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Kendal is 64/100, 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 Kendal?

Kendal has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 59/100. There were 2,165 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Kendal?

Among the top-rated schools in Kendal are Dean Gibson Catholic Primary School, Kendal, Ghyllside Primary School and Heron Hill Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 12 rated schools in Kendal in total.

What are house prices like in Kendal?

The current median house price in Kendal is £245,000, around 14% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £375,000, semi-detached £257,500, terraced £240,000, flat £145,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 17%. There were 239 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Kendal in context

See where Kendal ranks among the best places to live in Cumbria

Postcode districts in Kendal

LA9 63 ⇄

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