Town Pop. 5,249

Living in Leiston: Liveability Score 49/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Leiston scores 49/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is lifestyle: 38/100 against a national town median of 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is economic health: 46/100 versus a median of 67/100.

No other settlement in the IP16 postcode district scores higher. Leiston leads all 3. Safety (88) also clears 80/100. Below 30/100: schools (22) and transport (22). The same breakdown for the wider area is on the IP16 postcode district.

49
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.

Leiston scores 49 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Leiston.
Or compare:
IP16 4AA IP16

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
88
81.3 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 215 crimes
↑ 23% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 43 crimes
↑ 21% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 40 crimes
↓ 50% below national average
Other theft 27 crimes
↓ 18% below national average
Shoplifting 24 crimes
↓ 41% below national average
other 78 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 32 crimes
  2. 2 Sports/Recreation Area 31 crimes
  3. 3 Urban Road 27 crimes

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

Environment
66
Air Quality NO₂ 5.4 · PM2.5 6.6 · PM10 11.2 µg/m³
74
Green Space 47
Parks Ample 8
Sports Pitches Ample 12
Allotments Ample 5
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Adequate 5

Services

Schools
22
3 schools in area
2Good1Requires Improvement
  • Coldfair Green Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Leiston Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Alde Valley AcademySecondary · inspected 2024
    Requires Improvement
Healthcare
32
A&E departmentsIpswich Hospital18.4 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department31.4 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital31.5 mi
Hospital waitsEast Suffolk And North Essex NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs76.7%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,382 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

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
69
Full fibre (FTTP)82.5%
available across East Suffolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
87.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
87.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 177 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
46
Employment rate47.8%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed47.8%Unemployed2.3%Retired36.2%Student2.5%Other inactive11.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial31.3%Skilled & technical37.1%Routine & elementary31.5%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.6%Level 3 (A levels)15.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)26%Apprenticeship7.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership64.9%
Around the England average for deprivation
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 C
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
22
Saxmundham 3.7 mi
Darsham 5.2 mi
Wickham Market 8.5 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
38
Pubs & Bars Adequate 5
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 9
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 3
Retail Shopping Ample 52
Takeaways Adequate 7
Fitness Adequate 3

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £240,000 28
Detached £377,500 10
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£188k £257k £328k £397k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Coldfair Green 43 1.1 mi away ⇄
Sizewell 0 1.8 mi away ⇄
Thorpeness 43 2.3 mi away ⇄
Aldeburgh 47 3.0 mi away ⇄
Middleton (East Suffolk) 35 3.4 mi away ⇄
Benhall Green 41 3.9 mi away ⇄
Saxmundham 48 3.9 mi away ⇄
Snape (East Suffolk) 41 3.9 mi away ⇄
Kelsale 37 4.0 mi away ⇄
Westleton 35 4.2 mi away ⇄
Darsham 35 5.1 mi away ⇄
Yoxford 36 5.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Leiston a nice place to live?

Leiston has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Leiston is 49/100, 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 Leiston?

Leiston is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 88/100. There were 427 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Leiston?

Among the top-rated schools in Leiston are Coldfair Green Community Primary School and Leiston Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 3 rated schools in Leiston in total.

What are house prices like in Leiston?

The current median house price in Leiston is £240,000, around 16% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £377,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 6%. There were 28 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Leiston in context

See where Leiston ranks among the best places to live in Suffolk

Postcode districts in Leiston

IP16 47 ⇄

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