Town Pop. 109

Living in Needham: Liveability Score 47/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Needham comes out at 47/100 on the 8 categories we can score here. Broadband is where Needham most outperforms the national norm: 99/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is lifestyle, at 5/100 against a town median of 21/100.

No other settlement in the IP20 postcode district scores higher. Needham leads all 5. Needham is a place of extremes: 99/100 for broadband against 3/100 for healthcare, a 96-point spread wider than roughly nine in ten UK towns. It scores 8 points above the IP20 postcode district as a whole, which averages 39/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: IP20 postcode district.

47
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.

Needham scores 47 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Needham.
Or compare:
IP20 0AA IP20 9AA IP20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
93
412.8 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 34 crimes
↑ 837% above national average
Burglary 3 crimes
↑ 686% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 2 crimes
↑ 20% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 2 crimes
↑ 169% above national average
Other crime 1 crimes
↑ 360% above national average
other 3 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 11 crimes
  2. 2 Syleham Road 9 crimes
  3. 3 High Road 6 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 5.444 · PM2.5 6.708 · PM10 12.154 µg/m³
73
Green Space 24
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
—
1 school in area
1Ungraded
  • The Harleston Sancroft Academy (a 3-16 Church of England School)Secondary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

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

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsNorfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department15.7 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital15.7 mi
Ipswich Hospital22.3 mi
Hospital waitsNorfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1.5 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks63.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs83%
Nearest GP surgeryHarleston Medical Practice1.5 mi
GP capacity2,586 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
99
Full fibre (FTTP)68.2%
available across South Norfolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
100%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
100%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 5 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
72
Employment rate54.5%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.5%Unemployed2.2%Retired35.8%Student2.1%Other inactive5.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial38.1%Skilled & technical38.3%Routine & elementary23.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.2%Level 3 (A levels)17.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.6%Apprenticeship6.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership76.4%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
44
Council tax South Norfolk · 2026-27
A £1,655
B £1,931
C £2,207
D £2,483
E £3,035
F £3,587
G £4,138
H £4,966
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
8
Diss 6.5 mi
Halesworth 10.1 mi
Brampton 11.4 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
5
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Needham 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

Harleston 47 1.4 mi away ⇄
Pulham St Mary 49 2.6 mi away ⇄
Wingfield 36 2.9 mi away ⇄
Fressingfield 35 3.3 mi away ⇄
Pulham Market 46 3.6 mi away ⇄
Wortwell 34 3.6 mi away ⇄
Dickleburgh 42 3.7 mi away ⇄
Metfield 35 4.1 mi away ⇄
Alburgh Street 32 4.2 mi away ⇄
Heckfield Green 36 4.3 mi away ⇄
Tivetshall St Mary and Tivetshall St Margaret 40 4.6 mi away ⇄
Stradbroke 24 4.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Needham a nice place to live?

Needham has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Needham is 47/100, 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 Needham?

Needham is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 93/100. There were 45 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Needham in context

See the best places to live in Norfolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Needham

IP20 39 ⇄

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