Town Pop. 348

Living in Lea (Herefordshire): Liveability Score 35/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Lea (Herefordshire) comes out at 35/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 10/100 versus a median of 60/100. That makes it the 6th highest-scoring of the 8 places in the HR9 postcode district.

The HR9 district averages 49/100, putting Lea (Herefordshire) 14 points below its own postcode area. That is 15 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. Safety (94) sits at 80/100 or above. Wider context for the surrounding area: HR9 postcode district.

35
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.

Lea (Herefordshire) scores 35 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Lea (Herefordshire).
Or compare:
HR9 5AA HR9 6AA HR9 7AA HR9 9AH HR9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
94
301.7 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 33 crimes
↑ 185% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 23 crimes
↑ 335% above national average
Other theft 12 crimes
↑ 456% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 10 crimes
↑ 322% above national average
Burglary 9 crimes
↑ 640% above national average
other 18 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Fording Lane 9 crimes
  2. 2 Springetts Lane 8 crimes
  3. 3 The Brambles 8 crimes

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

Environment
61
Air Quality NO₂ 3.7 · PM2.5 5.7 · PM10 9.7 µg/m³
78
Green Space 20
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
10
1 school in area · 5 within 4km
1Good
  • Lea CofE Primary 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
4
A&E departmentsGloucestershire Royal Hospital10.9 mi
Lydney & District Hospital11.3 mi
Hereford County Hospital14.3 mi
Hospital waitsGloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1.9 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks74.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs64.6%
Nearest GP surgeryMitcheldean Surgery1.9 mi
GP capacity2,343 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
10
Full fibre (FTTP)84%
available across Herefordshire, County of
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
28.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
28.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
86.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 13 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
67
Employment rate51.9%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed51.9%Unemployed1.8%Retired34.8%Student3.1%Other inactive8.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial46.7%Skilled & technical35.4%Routine & elementary18%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.2%Level 3 (A levels)16.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)41.3%Apprenticeship5.7%Other (incl. vocational)1.8%
Home ownership78.6%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
35
Council tax Herefordshire · 2026-27
A £1,716
B £2,002
C £2,288
D £2,574
E £3,146
F £3,718
G £4,290
H £5,148
Energy West Midlands region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Average bill regional £502/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
15
Ledbury 10.9 mi
Gloucester 10.9 mi
Lydney 12.5 mi
J3 M50 2.8 mi
J3 M50 2.8 mi
J4 M50 4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
6
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
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 Lea (Herefordshire) 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

Mitcheldean 55 2.0 mi away ⇄
Weston under Penyard 34 2.2 mi away ⇄
Longhope 47 2.2 mi away ⇄
Clifford's Mesne 38 2.4 mi away ⇄
May Hill Village 47 2.5 mi away ⇄
Gorsley Common 35 2.7 mi away ⇄
Drybrook 45 3.1 mi away ⇄
Ruardean 50 3.7 mi away ⇄
Ruardean Woodside 54 3.9 mi away ⇄
Huntley 40 3.9 mi away ⇄
Ross-on-Wye 58 4.2 mi away ⇄
Newent 49 4.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Lea (Herefordshire) a nice place to live?

Lea (Herefordshire) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Lea (Herefordshire) is 35/100, 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 Lea (Herefordshire)?

Lea (Herefordshire) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 94/100. There were 105 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Lea (Herefordshire)?

Among the top-rated schools in Lea (Herefordshire) is Lea CofE Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Lea (Herefordshire) in total.

Postcode districts in Lea (Herefordshire)

HR9 49 ⇄

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