Town Pop. 292

Living in Pakenham: Liveability Score 36/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Pakenham is 36/100, built from 9 categories. Furthest below the national norm is broadband, at 26/100 against a town median of 60/100. Pakenham places 11th of 16 in the IP31 postcode district.

The IP31 district averages 41/100, putting Pakenham 5 points below its own postcode area. That is 14 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. Also scoring 80 or better: safety (95). Wider context for the surrounding area: IP31 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.

Pakenham scores 36 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Pakenham.
Or compare:
IP31 1AA IP31 2AA IP31 3AA IP31

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
95
109.6 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 18 crimes
↑ 85% above national average
Drugs 3 crimes
↑ 212% above national average
Other theft 3 crimes
↑ 66% above national average
Other crime 2 crimes
↑ 240% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 2 crimes
↓ 55% below national average
other 4 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Church Hill 8 crimes
  2. 2 The Owell 4 crimes
  3. 3 New Road 3 crimes

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

Environment
61
Air Quality NO₂ 5.4 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 12 µg/m³
73
Green Space 34
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
5

School inspection data is not available for this area.

Healthcare
6
A&E departmentsRAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital14 mi
Ipswich Hospital21.4 mi
Colchester General Hospital24.9 mi
Hospital waitsWest Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust2.3 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.1%
Nearest GP surgeryIxworth Surgery2.3 mi
GP capacity1,608 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
26
Full fibre (FTTP)72.9%
available across West Suffolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
62.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
62.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
91.2%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 16 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
64
Employment rate59.4%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.4%Unemployed1.7%Retired28.2%Student1.6%Other inactive9.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial39.6%Skilled & technical35.9%Routine & elementary24.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.8%Level 3 (A levels)20.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)31%Apprenticeship6.2%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership56%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
50
Council tax West Suffolk · 2026-27
A £1,567
B £1,829
C £2,090
D £2,351
E £2,873
F £3,396
G £3,918
H £4,702
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
7
Thurston 1.5 mi
Elmswell 4.4 mi
Bury St Edmunds 4.8 mi
J9A M11 29.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
6
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Pakenham 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

Thurston 41 1.3 mi away ⇄
Ixworth 44 2.0 mi away ⇄
Norton (Mid Suffolk) 37 2.1 mi away ⇄
Great Barton 40 2.2 mi away ⇄
Beyton 29 2.7 mi away ⇄
Tostock 42 2.8 mi away ⇄
Hessett 28 3.7 mi away ⇄
Bardwell 32 4.0 mi away ⇄
Badwell Ash 37 4.1 mi away ⇄
Woolpit 42 4.3 mi away ⇄
Elmswell 47 4.6 mi away ⇄
Stanton (West Suffolk) 47 4.6 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Pakenham a nice place to live?

Pakenham has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Pakenham 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 Pakenham?

Pakenham is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 95/100. There were 32 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

Pakenham in context

See the best places to live in Suffolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Pakenham

IP31 41 ⇄

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