Town Pop. 33,284

Living in Nelson (Pendle): Liveability Score 61/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Nelson (Pendle) is 61/100, built from 9 categories. Schools is where Nelson (Pendle) most outperforms the national norm: 82/100 against a median of 23/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 26/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the BB8 postcode district scores higher. Nelson (Pendle) leads all 4. The BB8 district averages 50/100, putting Nelson (Pendle) 11 points above its own postcode area. On schools specifically, Nelson (Pendle) sits 22 points above the BB8 district figure of 60/100. For the surrounding area, see BB8 postcode district.

61
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.

Nelson (Pendle) scores 61 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Nelson (Pendle).
Or compare:
BB8 0AA BB8 7AA BB8 8AA BB8 9AA BB8 BB9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
26
126.5 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 1,545 crimes
↑ 39% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 1,126 crimes
↑ 122% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 303 crimes
↑ 34% above national average
Other theft 251 crimes
↑ 21% above national average
Public order 200 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 784 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 153 crimes
  2. 2 Shopping Area 105 crimes
  3. 3 Kendal Street 89 crimes

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

Environment
68
Air Quality NO₂ 8.3 · PM2.5 6.2 · PM10 9.3 µg/m³
74
Green Space 58
Parks Ample 32
Sports Pitches Ample 20
Allotments Ample 7
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Adequate 5
Bowling Greens Ample 8
Playgrounds Ample 14

Services

Schools
82
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 28 in area · 42 within 4km
4Outstanding19Good3Requires Improvement2Ungraded
  • Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Pendle Community High School & CollegeSpecial · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Pendle View Primary SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Walton Lane Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2021
    Outstanding
  • Barrowford SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Bradley Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Bradley Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Castercliff Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Colne Primet Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Great Marsden St John's Primary School A Church of England AcademyPrimary · 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
75
A&E departmentsBurnley General Hospital1.3 mi
Airedale General Hospital9.7 mi
Fairfield Hospital15.4 mi
Hospital waitsLancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)6 wks
Treated within 18 weeks94.2%
4 GP surgeries in area 9 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity3,503 patients per GP
5dentists8pharmacies

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
98
Full fibre (FTTP)91.5%
available across Pendle
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
99.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
99.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 671 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
13
Employment rate47.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed47.1%Unemployed4.4%Retired15.4%Student7.8%Other inactive25.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial20.6%Skilled & technical31.9%Routine & elementary47.5%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications32.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.2%Level 3 (A levels)13.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)19.7%Apprenticeship5.4%Other (incl. vocational)4.3%
Home ownership54.6%
Among the most-deprived 10% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
33
Council tax Pendle · 2026-27
A £1,760
B £2,053
C £2,347
D £2,640
E £3,227
F £3,813
G £4,400
H £5,280
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
72
Nelson 0.4 mi
Brierfield 1.5 mi
Colne 1.6 mi
J13 M65 0.7 mi
J13 M65 0.8 mi
J12 M65 1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
55
Pubs & Bars Adequate 4
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 13
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 16
Retail Shopping Ample 75
Takeaways Ample 13
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £96,500 155
Detached £249,950 11
Semi-detached £162,000 28
Terraced £86,000 114
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£67k £129k £193k £255k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Barrowford 60 1.2 mi away ⇄
Brierfield 62 1.3 mi away ⇄
Colne 51 2.1 mi away ⇄
Fence 58 2.1 mi away ⇄
Trawden 55 2.9 mi away ⇄
Foulridge 52 3.1 mi away ⇄
Worsthorne 49 3.4 mi away ⇄
Burnley 60 3.5 mi away ⇄
Higham (Pendle) 54 3.7 mi away ⇄
Sough 53 5.0 mi away ⇄
Padiham 50 5.0 mi away ⇄
Sabden 48 5.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Nelson (Pendle) a nice place to live?

Nelson (Pendle) is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Nelson (Pendle) is 61/100, 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 Nelson (Pendle)?

Crime levels in Nelson (Pendle) are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 26/100. There were 4,209 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Nelson (Pendle)?

Among the top-rated schools in Nelson (Pendle) are Barrowford St Thomas Church of England Primary School, Pendle Community High School & College and Pendle View Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 28 rated schools in Nelson (Pendle) in total.

What are house prices like in Nelson (Pendle)?

The current median house price in Nelson (Pendle) is £96,500, around 66% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £249,950, semi-detached £162,000, terraced £86,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 32%. There were 155 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Nelson (Pendle) in context

See where Nelson (Pendle) ranks among the best places to live in Lancashire

Postcode districts in Nelson (Pendle)

BB8 50 ⇄
BB9 58 ⇄

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