Town Pop. 13,831

Living in Northwich: Liveability Score 58/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Northwich is 58/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 66/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 32/100 versus a median of 88/100.

Northwich places 5th of 9 in the CW8 postcode district. On healthcare specifically, Northwich sits 17 points above the CW8 district figure of 49/100. That sits 8 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 10% of the towns and villages we score. For the surrounding area, see CW8 postcode district.

58
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.

Loading map…

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.

Northwich scores 58 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Northwich.
Or compare:
CW8 1AB CW8 2AA CW8 3AA CW8 4AA CW8 CW9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
32
154.1 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 885 crimes
↑ 92% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 280 crimes
↑ 33% above national average
Public order 256 crimes
↑ 185% above national average
Shoplifting 239 crimes
↑ 122% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 113 crimes
↑ 21% above national average
other 358 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 205 crimes
  2. 2 Market Street 131 crimes
  3. 3 Sheath Street 91 crimes

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

Environment
70
Air Quality NO₂ 7.5 · PM2.5 6.3 · PM10 10 µg/m³
74
Green Space 62
Parks Ample 69
Sports Pitches Ample 7
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Ample 9
Playgrounds Ample 13

Services

Schools
57
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 18 in area · 25 within 4km
3Outstanding12Good3Ungraded
  • Barnton Community Nursery and Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Cloughwood AcademySpecial · inspected 2021
    Outstanding
  • The County High School, LeftwichSecondary · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • Charles Darwin Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Hartford Church of England High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Hartford Manor Primary School & NurseryPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Kingsmead Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Leftwich Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Lostock Gralam CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Rosebank SchoolSpecial · inspected 2022
    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
66
A&E departmentsWarrington Hospital8.9 mi
Leighton Hospital9.1 mi
Wythenshawe Hospital11 mi
Hospital waitsMid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs63.1%
5 GP surgeries in area 6 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,511 patients per GP
6dentists7pharmacies

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
82
Full fibre (FTTP)87.8%
available across Cheshire West and Chester
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 451 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
41
Employment rate59.2%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.2%Unemployed2.9%Retired22.7%Student2.7%Other inactive12.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial34.9%Skilled & technical31.2%Routine & elementary33.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.1%Level 3 (A levels)18.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.9%Apprenticeship6.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership60.5%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
42
Council tax Cheshire West and Chester · 2026-27
A £1,678
B £1,958
C £2,237
D £2,517
E £3,076
F £3,636
G £4,195
H £5,034
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
64
Northwich 0.7 mi
Greenbank 1 mi
Hartford 2.1 mi
J19 M6 5.3 mi
J19 M6 5.5 mi
J10 M56 5.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
65
Pubs & Bars Ample 23
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 31
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 20
Retail Shopping Ample 188
Takeaways Ample 27
Fitness Ample 13

Places like Northwich Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like Northwich, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £220,000 201
Detached £340,000 29
Semi-detached £249,250 61
Terraced £175,000 81
Flat / Maisonette £112,500 30
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£80k £168k £259k £347k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Wincham and Marston 52 1.4 mi away ⇄
Rudheath 62 1.5 mi away ⇄
Davenham 64 1.6 mi away ⇄
Barnton 62 1.6 mi away ⇄
Hartford 63 1.7 mi away ⇄
Lostock Gralam 56 2.3 mi away ⇄
Comberbach 45 2.3 mi away ⇄
Weaverham 62 2.5 mi away ⇄
Pickmere 49 2.7 mi away ⇄
Whitegate 42 3.1 mi away ⇄
Lach Dennis 41 3.4 mi away ⇄
Plumley 43 3.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Northwich a nice place to live?

Northwich is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Northwich is 58/100, 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 Northwich?

Northwich has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 32/100. There were 2,131 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Northwich?

Among the top-rated schools in Northwich are Barnton Community Nursery and Primary School, Cloughwood Academy and The County High School, Leftwich, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 18 rated schools in Northwich in total.

What are house prices like in Northwich?

The current median house price in Northwich is £220,000, around 23% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £340,000, semi-detached £249,250, terraced £175,000, flat £112,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 21%. There were 201 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Northwich in context

See where Northwich ranks among the best places to live in Cheshire

Postcode districts in Northwich

CW8 56 ⇄
CW9 56 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode