Town Pop. 159

Living in Merstone: Liveability Score 36/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Merstone comes out at 36/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 19/100 versus a median of 60/100. That places it last of the 6 scored places in the PO30 postcode district.

The PO30 district averages 45/100, putting Merstone 9 points below its own postcode area. Its transport score runs 19 points below the PO30 district's 51/100. That is 14 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. For the surrounding area, see PO30 postcode district.

36
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.

Merstone scores 36 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Merstone.
Or compare:
PO30 1AE PO30 2AA PO30 3AA PO30 4AA PO30 5AA PO30 9BT PO30

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
82
446.5 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 33 crimes
↑ 523% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 10 crimes
↑ 825% above national average
Other theft 5 crimes
↑ 406% above national average
Drugs 5 crimes
↑ 852% above national average
Public order 4 crimes
↑ 288% above national average
other 14 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Pritchetts Way 9 crimes
  2. 2 Sports/Recreation Area 9 crimes
  3. 3 Budbridge Lane 7 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 4.676 · PM2.5 5.55 · PM10 10.24 µg/m³
77
Green Space 34
Parks None
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
4

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsGosport War Memorial Minor Injuries Unit10 mi
St Mary’s NHS Treatment Centre12.5 mi
Hythe Hospital14.6 mi
Hospital waitsHampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust2.7 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks70%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.3%
Nearest GP surgeryNewport Health Centre3.1 mi
GP capacity1,913 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
19
Full fibre (FTTP)87.1%
available across Isle of Wight
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
34.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
34.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 8 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
64
Employment rate50%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed50%Unemployed1.8%Retired37%Student3.3%Other inactive8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial33.4%Skilled & technical40.9%Routine & elementary25.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications22.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.2%Level 3 (A levels)16%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.2%Apprenticeship7.3%Other (incl. vocational)4.1%
Home ownership79.6%
Among the most-deprived 36% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
26
Council tax Isle of Wight · 2026-27
A £1,751
B £2,042
C £2,334
D £2,626
E £3,210
F £3,793
G £4,377
H £5,252
Energy Southern 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
32
Shanklin 4 mi
Lake 4.2 mi
Sandown 4.2 mi
J2 M275 12.6 mi
J2 M275 12.9 mi
J1 M275 13.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
21
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Merstone 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

Arreton 39 1.1 mi away ⇄
Rookley 39 1.2 mi away ⇄
Hale Common 0 1.5 mi away ⇄
Godshill (Isle of Wight) 44 1.9 mi away ⇄
Newchurch (Isle of Wight) 45 2.1 mi away ⇄
Winford (Isle of Wight) 46 2.5 mi away ⇄
Alverstone Garden Village 49 2.9 mi away ⇄
Newport (Isle of Wight) 49 3.2 mi away ⇄
Wroxall 42 3.6 mi away ⇄
Havenstreet 45 3.9 mi away ⇄
Shanklin 48 4.0 mi away ⇄
Sandown 46 4.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Merstone a nice place to live?

Merstone has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Merstone is 36/100, 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 Merstone?

Merstone is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 82/100. There were 71 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Merstone in context

See the best places to live in Isle of Wight, ranked

Postcode districts in Merstone

PO30 45 ⇄

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