Town Pop. 21,305

Living in Ossett: Liveability Score 62/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Ossett is 62/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is transport: 77/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 48/100 against a town median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the WF5 postcode district scores higher. Ossett leads all 3. Notably, nothing falls below 47/100. Most UK towns have at least one category in the 30s or worse. That sits 12 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: WF5 postcode district.

62
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.

Ossett scores 62 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ossett.
Or compare:
WF5 0AB WF5 5AJ WF5 8AB WF5 9AA WF5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
48
98.8 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 970 crimes
↑ 37% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 232 crimes
↓ 28% below national average
Public order 181 crimes
↑ 31% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 139 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 132 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 451 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Union Street 93 crimes
  2. 2 Princess Crescent 74 crimes
  3. 3 Parking Area 54 crimes

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

Environment
63
Air Quality NO₂ 11.1 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 11.4 µg/m³
68
Green Space 53
Parks Ample 55
Sports Pitches Ample 17
Allotments Ample 4
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens Adequate 3
Playgrounds Ample 12

Services

Schools
60
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 16 in area · 41 within 4km
11Good1Requires Improvement4Ungraded
  • Bywell Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Dimple Well Infant School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Gawthorpe Community AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Hanging Heaton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Highfield SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Horbury Bridge Church of England Junior and Infant AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Orchard Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Ossett Academy and Sixth Form CollegeSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Ossett Flushdyke Junior and Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Ossett South Parade PrimaryPrimary · 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
53
A&E departmentsDewsbury & District Hospital2.1 mi
Pinderfields Hospital2.8 mi
Leeds General Infirmary7.2 mi
Hospital waitsMid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs74.1%
1 GP surgery in area 11 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity2,855 patients per GP
3dentists4pharmacies

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
96
Full fibre (FTTP)94.7%
available across Wakefield
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 601 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
47
Employment rate57.5%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.5%Unemployed2.6%Retired26.2%Student3.3%Other inactive10.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial34%Skilled & technical34.1%Routine & elementary31.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.8%Level 3 (A levels)18%Level 4+ (degree & above)24.7%Apprenticeship7.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership65.8%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
62
Council tax Wakefield · 2026-27
A £1,531
B £1,787
C £2,042
D £2,297
E £2,807
F £3,318
G £3,828
H £4,594
Energy Yorkshire region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Yorkshire Water
Average bill regional £437/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
77
Dewsbury 2.4 mi
Batley 2.8 mi
Wakefield Westgate 2.9 mi
J40 M1 1 mi
J40 M1 1 mi
J41 M1 2.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
63
Pubs & Bars Ample 26
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 17
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 12
Retail Shopping Ample 129
Takeaways Ample 29
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £225,000 122
Detached £317,500 32
Semi-detached £225,000 50
Terraced £178,000 33
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£76k £185k £297k £406k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Horbury 62 1.6 mi away ⇄
Kirkhamgate 53 1.8 mi away ⇄
Coxley (Wakefield) 50 1.9 mi away ⇄
Dewsbury 60 2.3 mi away ⇄
Middlestown and Overton 49 2.5 mi away ⇄
Netherton (Wakefield) 59 2.5 mi away ⇄
Wakefield 61 3.0 mi away ⇄
East Ardsley 57 3.1 mi away ⇄
Crigglestone and Durkar 57 3.2 mi away ⇄
Batley 66 3.9 mi away ⇄
Hall Green 49 4.1 mi away ⇄
Flockton 45 4.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ossett a nice place to live?

Ossett is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Ossett is 62/100, 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 Ossett?

Ossett has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 48/100. There were 2,105 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Ossett?

Among the top-rated schools in Ossett are Bywell Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, Dimple Well Infant School and Nursery and Gawthorpe Community Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 16 rated schools in Ossett in total.

What are house prices like in Ossett?

The current median house price in Ossett is £225,000, around 21% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £317,500, semi-detached £225,000, terraced £178,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 20%. There were 122 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Ossett in context

See where Ossett ranks among the best places to live in West Yorkshire

Postcode districts in Ossett

WF5 62 ⇄

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