Town Pop. 476

Living in Layer Breton: Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Layer Breton scores 42/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Furthest below the national norm is healthcare, at 3/100 against a town median of 18/100. Of the 4 places sharing the CO2 postcode district, Layer Breton scores lowest.

It scores 17 points below the CO2 postcode district as a whole, which averages 59/100. That sits 8 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the middle half of the towns and villages we score. Safety (92) sits at 80/100 or above. For the surrounding area, see CO2 postcode district.

42
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.

Layer Breton scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Layer Breton.
Or compare:
CO2 0AA CO2 7AA CO2 8AA CO2 9AA CO2

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
319.3 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 66 crimes
↑ 317% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 26 crimes
↑ 259% above national average
Other theft 15 crimes
↑ 408% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 12 crimes
↑ 271% above national average
Public order 10 crimes
↑ 223% above national average
other 23 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Waterworks Close 23 crimes
  2. 2 Grove Road 20 crimes
  3. 3 Colchester Road 7 crimes

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

Environment
53
Air Quality NO₂ 6.553 · PM2.5 6.787 · PM10 11.936 µg/m³
72
Green Space 10
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
21
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Good
  • Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good

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

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsColchester General Hospital5.8 mi
Broomfield Hospital15.4 mi
Southend University Hospital19.7 mi
Hospital waitsEast Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust3.3 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs76.7%
Nearest GP surgeryDr Abiodun Obisesan3.7 mi
GP capacity2,584 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
63
Full fibre (FTTP)62.6%
available across Colchester
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
80.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
80.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 20 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
74
Employment rate59.3%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.3%Unemployed2.2%Retired26.1%Student3.5%Other inactive9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial42.8%Skilled & technical36.6%Routine & elementary20.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)17%Level 3 (A levels)17.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.8%Apprenticeship6.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership83%
Among the least-deprived 37% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
61
Council tax Colchester · 2026-27
A £1,522
B £1,776
C £2,029
D £2,283
E £2,790
F £3,298
G £3,805
H £4,566
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
17
Marks Tey 3.6 mi
Kelvedon 5 mi
Colchester Town 5.2 mi
J8 M11 26.5 mi
J8A M11 26.7 mi
J8 M11 26.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
9
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Layer Breton 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

Layer-de-la-Haye 53 2.0 mi away ⇄
Heckfordbridge 51 2.0 mi away ⇄
Tolleshunt Knights 41 3.0 mi away ⇄
Peldon 38 3.2 mi away ⇄
Copford 37 3.3 mi away ⇄
Tiptree 44 3.4 mi away ⇄
Marks Tey 44 3.9 mi away ⇄
Langenhoe and Abberton 44 4.0 mi away ⇄
Berechurch 53 4.1 mi away ⇄
Tolleshunt D'Arcy 41 4.4 mi away ⇄
Eight Ash Green 47 4.6 mi away ⇄
Kelvedon and Feering 47 4.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Layer Breton a nice place to live?

Layer Breton has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Layer Breton is 42/100, 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 Layer Breton?

Layer Breton is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 152 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Layer Breton?

Among the top-rated schools in Layer Breton is Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Layer Breton in total.

Layer Breton in context

See the best places to live in Essex, ranked

Postcode districts in Layer Breton

CO2 59 ⇄

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