Town Pop. 16,380

Living in Lewes: Liveability Score 44/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Lewes scores 44/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 57/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 33/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the BN7 postcode district scores higher. Lewes leads all 5. That puts Lewes in the middle half of the UK towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the BN7 postcode district.

44
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.

Lewes scores 44 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Lewes.
Or compare:
BN7 1AB BN7 2AA BN7 3AA BN7 9ED BN7 BN8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
33
109.2 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 572 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 385 crimes
↑ 55% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 180 crimes
↑ 62% above national average
Shoplifting 157 crimes
↑ 23% above national average
Public order 127 crimes
↑ 20% above national average
other 368 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Prison 214 crimes
  2. 2 St Michael'S Terrace 138 crimes
  3. 3 Eastgate Wharf 97 crimes

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

Environment
77
Air Quality NO₂ 7.7 · PM2.5 6.6 · PM10 10.5 µg/m³
73
Green Space 85
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches Ample 11
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 13

Services

Schools
46
6 schools in area · 7 within 4km
6Good
  • Iford and Kingston Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Priory SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Southover CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Wallands Community Primary and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Western Road Community 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
32
A&E departmentsRoyal Sussex County Hospital5.4 mi
Eastbourne District General Hospital12.2 mi
Worthing Hospital15.6 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)15 wks
Treated within 18 weeks55.1%
A&E seen within 4 hrs63.9%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,276 patients per GP
8dentists4pharmacies

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
48
Full fibre (FTTP)71.4%
available across Lewes
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
72.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
72.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 469 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
51
Employment rate56.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.7%Unemployed2.9%Retired23.8%Student5%Other inactive11.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial49.3%Skilled & technical31.6%Routine & elementary19.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications11.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)11.3%Level 3 (A levels)14%Level 4+ (degree & above)49.7%Apprenticeship3.5%Other (incl. vocational)2%
Home ownership65.2%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
22
Council tax Lewes · 2026-27
A £1,837
B £2,144
C £2,450
D £2,756
E £3,368
F £3,981
G £4,593
H £5,512
Energy South East England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
38
Lewes 0.5 mi
Cooksbridge 2.1 mi
Glynde 3.1 mi
J11 M23 17 mi
J11 M23 17 mi
J10A M23 17.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
57
Pubs & Bars Ample 20
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 39
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 12
Retail Shopping Ample 104
Takeaways Adequate 7
Fitness Ample 15

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £480,000 118
Semi-detached £541,250 30
Terraced £490,000 58
Flat / Maisonette £255,000 21
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£219k £505k £800k £1.1m 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Kingston near Lewes 40 1.6 mi away ⇄
Ringmer 40 2.7 mi away ⇄
Rodmell 35 2.7 mi away ⇄
Barcombe Mills 0 3.4 mi away ⇄
Barcombe Cross 33 3.5 mi away ⇄
Broyle Side 40 3.6 mi away ⇄
Plumpton 43 4.2 mi away ⇄
South Chailey 35 4.6 mi away ⇄
Isfield 38 5.0 mi away ⇄
East Saltdean 51 5.2 mi away ⇄
Plumpton Green 39 5.2 mi away ⇄
Telscombe Cliffs 52 5.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Lewes a nice place to live?

Lewes has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Lewes is 44/100, 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 Lewes?

Lewes has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 33/100. There were 1,789 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Lewes?

Among the top-rated schools in Lewes are Iford and Kingston Church of England Primary School, Priory School and South Malling CofE Primary and Nursery School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 6 rated schools in Lewes in total.

What are house prices like in Lewes?

The current median house price in Lewes is £480,000, around 68% above the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £541,250, terraced £490,000, flat £255,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 2%. There were 118 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Lewes in context

See where Lewes ranks among the best places to live in East Sussex

Postcode districts in Lewes

BN7 43 ⇄
BN8 38 ⇄

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