Town Pop. 4,491

Living in Melbourn: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Melbourn is 48/100, built from 9 categories. Healthcare is where Melbourn most outperforms the national norm: 35/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. That makes it the 2nd highest-scoring of the 19 places in the SG8 postcode district.

On healthcare specifically, Melbourn sits 14 points above the SG8 district figure of 21/100. Safety (92) sits at 80/100 or above. Below 30/100: schools (16) and transport (22). The same breakdown for the wider area is on the SG8 postcode district.

48
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.

Melbourn scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Melbourn.
Or compare:
SG8 0AA SG8 1BQ SG8 5AA SG8 6AA SG8 7AA SG8 8AA SG8 9AA SG8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
52.8 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 88 crimes
↓ 41% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 39 crimes
↓ 43% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 30 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Burglary 17 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 17 crimes
↓ 42% below national average
other 46 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Hyacinth Drive 17 crimes
  2. 2 Carlton Rise 14 crimes
  3. 3 Petrol Station 12 crimes

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

Environment
65
Air Quality NO₂ 5.8 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 11.8 µg/m³
73
Green Space 46
Parks Ample 44
Sports Pitches Adequate 3
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
16
3 schools in area · 7 within 4km
1Good2Ungraded
  • Melbourn Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Melbourn Village CollegeSecondary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded
  • Meldreth Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded

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
35
A&E departmentsCambridge Biomedical Campus7.5 mi
Urgent Care Cambridge10.1 mi
Lister Hospital13.9 mi
Hospital waitsCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust2.1 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs71.1%
1 GP surgery in area 2 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,706 patients per GP
2dentists1pharmacy

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
49
Full fibre (FTTP)58.3%
available across South Cambridgeshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
76.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
78.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
97.2%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 114 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
74
Employment rate59.8%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.8%Unemployed1.6%Retired28%Student3.6%Other inactive7.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial48.4%Skilled & technical31.2%Routine & elementary20.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.4%Level 3 (A levels)14.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)42.1%Apprenticeship4.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership70.3%
Among the least-deprived 25% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
39
Council tax South Cambridgeshire · 2026-27
A £1,691
B £1,972
C £2,254
D £2,536
E £3,100
F £3,663
G £4,227
H £5,072
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 Affinity Water
Average bill regional £490/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
22
Meldreth 0.7 mi
Shepreth 2.3 mi
Royston 2.8 mi
J10 M11 5.1 mi
J10 M11 5.3 mi
J11 M11 6.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
38
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Some 4
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness Ample 6

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £402,500 32
Detached £575,000 13
Semi-detached £371,250 11
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£318k £463k £613k £758k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Meldreth 43 1.1 mi away ⇄
Shepreth 48 2.1 mi away ⇄
Kneesworth 36 2.4 mi away ⇄
Fowlmere 45 2.4 mi away ⇄
Royston (North Hertfordshire) 57 2.8 mi away ⇄
Foxton (South Cambridgeshire) 46 2.9 mi away ⇄
Bassingbourn 33 3.0 mi away ⇄
Barrington (South Cambridgeshire) 38 3.4 mi away ⇄
Thriplow 46 3.4 mi away ⇄
Orwell 42 3.7 mi away ⇄
Barley 36 3.9 mi away ⇄
Heydon 33 4.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Melbourn a nice place to live?

Melbourn has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Melbourn is 48/100, 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 Melbourn?

Melbourn is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 237 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Melbourn?

Among the top-rated schools in Melbourn is Melbourn Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 3 rated schools in Melbourn in total.

What are house prices like in Melbourn?

The current median house price in Melbourn is £402,500, around 41% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £575,000, semi-detached £371,250. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 10%. There were 32 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Melbourn in context

See where Melbourn ranks among the best places to live in Cambridgeshire

Postcode districts in Melbourn

SG8 47 ⇄

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