Town Pop. 51,479

Living in Macclesfield: Liveability Score 62/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Macclesfield comes out at 62/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 66/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 58/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the SK10 postcode district scores higher. Macclesfield leads all 11. Notably, nothing falls below 48/100. Most UK towns have at least one category in the 30s or worse. On healthcare specifically, Macclesfield sits 8 points above the SK10 district figure of 58/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the SK10 postcode district.

62
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.

Macclesfield scores 62 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Macclesfield.
Or compare:
SK10 1AA SK10 2AB SK10 3AA SK10 4AA SK10 5AA SK10 9AB SK10 SK11

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
58
93.3 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 2,242 crimes
↑ 31% above national average
Public order 538 crimes
↑ 62% above national average
Shoplifting 434 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 361 crimes
↓ 54% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 303 crimes
↓ 13% below national average
other 924 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 277 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 215 crimes
  3. 3 Wood Street 118 crimes

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

Environment
71
Air Quality NO₂ 7.5 · PM2.5 6.7 · PM10 9.9 µg/m³
73
Green Space 64
Parks Ample 47
Sports Pitches Ample 47
Allotments Ample 5
Golf Courses Ample 3
Tennis Courts Ample 15
Bowling Greens Ample 8
Playgrounds Ample 31

Services

Schools
54
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 22 in area · 23 within 4km
2Outstanding16Good1Requires Improvement3Ungraded
  • Ash Grove AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • The Fermain AcademyAlternative provision · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Bollinbrook CofE (A) Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Bollington Cross CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Broken Cross Primary Academy and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Dean Valley Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Hollinhey Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Hurdsfield Community Primary School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Ivy Bank Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Marlborough Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

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

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

Healthcare
66
A&E departmentsWythenshawe Hospital9.6 mi
Manchester University Hospitals (central site)12.6 mi
Manchester Royal Infirmary12.7 mi
Hospital waitsEast Cheshire NHS Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)13 wks
Treated within 18 weeks60.2%
A&E seen within 4 hrs49.3%
6 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,096 patients per GP
17dentists10pharmacies

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
71
Full fibre (FTTP)77.7%
available across Cheshire East
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
93.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
93.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,306 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
63
Employment rate59%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59%Unemployed2.6%Retired25.9%Student3.3%Other inactive9.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial45.2%Skilled & technical31.7%Routine & elementary23.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.8%Level 3 (A levels)16.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.8%Apprenticeship5.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership68.8%
Among the least-deprived 37% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
48
Council tax Cheshire East · 2026-27
A £1,637
B £1,909
C £2,182
D £2,455
E £3,001
F £3,546
G £4,092
H £4,910
Energy North West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
66
Macclesfield 0.5 mi
Prestbury 2.3 mi
Adlington (Cheshire) 4.1 mi
J6 M56 9.7 mi
J6 M56 9.8 mi
J5 M56 10.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
59
Pubs & Bars Ample 57
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 60
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 30
Retail Shopping Ample 250
Takeaways Ample 33
Fitness Ample 11

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £254,975 522
Detached £452,500 118
Semi-detached £293,500 132
Terraced £205,000 204
Flat / Maisonette £147,000 68
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£118k £235k £356k £473k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Sutton Lane Ends 39 1.9 mi away ⇄
Prestbury (Cheshire East) 49 2.1 mi away ⇄
Langley (Cheshire East) 39 2.3 mi away ⇄
Gawsworth 40 2.5 mi away ⇄
Bollington 53 2.6 mi away ⇄
Rainow 43 2.7 mi away ⇄
Mottram St Andrew 48 3.6 mi away ⇄
Nether Alderley 40 4.1 mi away ⇄
Adlington (Cheshire East) 41 4.1 mi away ⇄
Alderley Edge 54 4.9 mi away ⇄
Dean Row 54 5.4 mi away ⇄
Woodford (Stockport) 49 5.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Macclesfield a nice place to live?

Macclesfield is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Macclesfield is 62/100, 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 Macclesfield?

Macclesfield has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 58/100. There were 4,802 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Macclesfield?

Among the top-rated schools in Macclesfield are Ash Grove Academy and The Fermain Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 22 rated schools in Macclesfield in total.

What are house prices like in Macclesfield?

The current median house price in Macclesfield is £254,975, around 11% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £452,500, semi-detached £293,500, terraced £205,000, flat £147,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 15%. There were 522 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Macclesfield in context

See where Macclesfield ranks among the best places to live in Cheshire

Postcode districts in Macclesfield

SK10 59 ⇄
SK11 57 ⇄

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