Town Pop. 72,007

Living in Lowestoft: Liveability Score 57/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Lowestoft scores 57/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Transport is where Lowestoft most outperforms the national norm: 67/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 50/100 versus a median of 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 3 places in the NR32 postcode district. Broadband (92) sits at 80/100 or above. On the national picture that lands Lowestoft in the top quarter of all the places we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the NR32 postcode district.

57
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.

Lowestoft scores 57 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Lowestoft.
Or compare:
NR32 1AB NR32 2AA NR32 3AA NR32 4AA NR32 5AA NR32 9BS NR32 NR33

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
50
90.3 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 2,729 crimes
↑ 14% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 794 crimes
↓ 28% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 715 crimes
↑ 46% above national average
Shoplifting 472 crimes
↓ 15% below national average
Other theft 362 crimes
↓ 19% below national average
other 1,429 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Shopping Area 299 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 296 crimes
  3. 3 Supermarket 233 crimes

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

Environment
53
Air Quality NO₂ 8.6 · PM2.5 7 · PM10 11.1 µg/m³
70
Green Space 12
Parks Ample 23
Sports Pitches Ample 26
Allotments Ample 16
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Ample 8
Bowling Greens Ample 5
Playgrounds Ample 51

Services

Schools
50
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 26 in area
2Outstanding14Good2Requires Improvement8Ungraded
  • The Ashley SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Woods Loke Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Corton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Dell Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • East Point AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Elm Tree Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Grove Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Gunton Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Northfield St Nicholas Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Pakefield High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare
56
A&E departmentsNorfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department22 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital22 mi
Ipswich Hospital33.7 mi
Hospital waitsJames Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)15 wks
Treated within 18 weeks55.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs71.4%
7 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,577 patients per GP
9dentists13pharmacies

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
92
Full fibre (FTTP)82.5%
available across East Suffolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
97.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
97.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,608 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
34
Employment rate49.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed49.6%Unemployed3.5%Retired29.9%Student3.1%Other inactive14%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial27.5%Skilled & technical33.6%Routine & elementary38.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications23.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.8%Level 3 (A levels)17.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)20%Apprenticeship7.8%Other (incl. vocational)3%
Home ownership64.4%
Among the most-deprived 38% of areas in England
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 D
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
67
Oulton Broad North 0.5 mi
Oulton Broad South 0.8 mi
Lowestoft 1 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
57
Pubs & Bars Ample 48
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 63
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 64
Retail Shopping Ample 410
Takeaways Ample 63
Fitness Ample 24

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £230,000 484
Detached £298,000 183
Semi-detached £234,000 113
Terraced £170,000 166
Flat / Maisonette £124,625 22
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£98k £175k £255k £332k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Corton 55 2.9 mi away ⇄
Blundeston 43 3.1 mi away ⇄
Kessingland 46 3.9 mi away ⇄
Burgh St Peter 33 4.1 mi away ⇄
Barnby and North Cove 40 4.1 mi away ⇄
Hopton on Sea 40 4.5 mi away ⇄
Worlingham 55 5.8 mi away ⇄
St Olaves 34 5.9 mi away ⇄
Haddiscoe 33 6.0 mi away ⇄
Wrentham 40 6.7 mi away ⇄
Gorleston-on-Sea 57 6.7 mi away ⇄
Beccles 58 6.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Lowestoft a nice place to live?

Lowestoft is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Lowestoft is 57/100, 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 Lowestoft?

Lowestoft has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 50/100. There were 6,501 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Lowestoft?

Among the top-rated schools in Lowestoft are The Ashley School and Woods Loke Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 26 rated schools in Lowestoft in total.

What are house prices like in Lowestoft?

The current median house price in Lowestoft is £230,000, around 19% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £298,000, semi-detached £234,000, terraced £170,000, flat £124,625. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 9%. There were 484 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Lowestoft in context

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

Postcode districts in Lowestoft

NR32 55 ⇄
NR33 59 ⇄

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