Town Pop. 346

Living in Merstham: Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Merstham is 42/100, built from 9 categories. Schools is where Merstham most outperforms the national norm: 54/100 against a median of 23/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 40/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That makes it the 8th highest-scoring of the 11 places in the RH1 postcode district. The RH1 district averages 56/100, putting Merstham 14 points below its own postcode area. That is 8 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. Wider context for the surrounding area: RH1 postcode district.

42
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.

Merstham scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Merstham.
Or compare:
RH1 1AA RH1 2AA RH1 3AA RH1 4AD RH1 5AA RH1 6AA RH1 9AS RH1

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
40
997.1 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 102 crimes
↑ 785% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 88 crimes
↑ 1573% above national average
Vehicle crime 50 crimes
↑ 2910% above national average
Public order 29 crimes
↑ 1189% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 23 crimes
↑ 878% above national average
other 53 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 65 crimes
  2. 2 Gatton Bottom 41 crimes
  3. 3 Laxton Gardens 20 crimes

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

Environment
68
Air Quality NO₂ 12.825 · PM2.5 7.714 · PM10 13.523 µg/m³
64
Green Space 76
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
54
3 schools in area · 13 within 4km
3Good
  • Furzefield Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Merstham Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Woodfield SchoolSpecial · inspected 2022
    Good

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

Healthcare
25
A&E departmentsEast Surrey Hospital3.4 mi
Epsom General Hospital6 mi
St. Helier Hospital7 mi
Hospital waitsSurrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust0.7 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks67%
A&E seen within 4 hrs54.9%
Nearest GP surgeryHolmhurst Medical Centre1.3 mi
GP capacity2,185 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
20
Full fibre (FTTP)74.6%
available across Reigate and Banstead
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
27.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
27.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
96.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 8 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
59
Employment rate63.8%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed63.8%Unemployed3.3%Retired17.5%Student4.2%Other inactive11.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial45.7%Skilled & technical35.2%Routine & elementary19.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.1%Level 3 (A levels)17%Level 4+ (degree & above)35.9%Apprenticeship4.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership65.6%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
29
Council tax Reigate and Banstead · 2026-27
A £1,711
B £1,997
C £2,282
D £2,567
E £3,137
F £3,708
G £4,278
H £5,134
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
48
Merstham 0.4 mi
Redhill 2.2 mi
Chipstead 2.9 mi
J7 M25 0.4 mi
J8 M23 0.5 mi
J8 M25 0.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
37
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Ample 6

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Merstham in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

South Merstham 52 0.8 mi away ⇄
Gatton 46 1.3 mi away ⇄
Hooley 42 1.5 mi away ⇄
Netherne on-the-Hill 46 1.5 mi away ⇄
Chaldon 51 1.6 mi away ⇄
Brewer Street 0 1.9 mi away ⇄
Nutfield 48 2.3 mi away ⇄
Redhill (Reigate and Banstead) 62 2.7 mi away ⇄
Caterham 53 2.8 mi away ⇄
Lower Kingswood 45 2.8 mi away ⇄
Bletchingley 32 2.9 mi away ⇄
Chipstead and Woodmansterne 56 2.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Merstham a nice place to live?

Merstham has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Merstham is 42/100, 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 Merstham?

Merstham has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 40/100. There were 345 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Merstham?

Among the top-rated schools in Merstham are Furzefield Primary Academy, Merstham Primary School and Woodfield School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 3 rated schools in Merstham in total.

Merstham in context

See the best places to live in Surrey, ranked

Postcode districts in Merstham

RH1 56 ⇄

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