Town Pop. 14,720

Living in Penzance: Liveability Score 50/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Penzance comes out at 50/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 79/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Safety falls furthest short: 22/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

No other settlement in the TR18 postcode district scores higher. Penzance leads all 3. That puts Penzance in the middle half of the UK towns and villages we score. For the surrounding area, see TR18 postcode district.

50
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.

Penzance scores 50 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Penzance.
Or compare:
TR18 2AA TR18 3AA TR18 4AA TR18 5AB TR18 9DJ TR18 TR20 TR21

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
22
148.6 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 825 crimes
↑ 68% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 462 crimes
↑ 107% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 228 crimes
↑ 128% above national average
Shoplifting 191 crimes
↑ 67% above national average
Public order 143 crimes
↑ 49% above national average
other 339 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Supermarket 272 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 125 crimes
  3. 3 Union Street 59 crimes

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

Environment
61
Air Quality NO₂ 3.6 · PM2.5 5 · PM10 9.4 µg/m³
80
Green Space 17
Parks Ample 15
Sports Pitches Ample 9
Allotments Ample 6
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Ample 7
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 8

Services

Schools
52
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 12 in area · 14 within 4km
7Good1Requires Improvement4Ungraded
  • Gulval SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Heamoor Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Humphry Davy SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Mounts Bay AcademySecondary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Newlyn SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • St Mary's Catholic School, PenzancePrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Mary's CofE Primary School, PenzancePrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Pensans Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Requires Improvement
  • Alverton Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded
  • Madron Daniel CofE (VA) SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

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
79
A&E departmentsRoyal Cornwall Hospital21.6 mi
The Duchy Hospital21.6 mi
Bodmin Hospital42 mi
Hospital waitsRoyal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)8 wks
Treated within 18 weeks73.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs79.6%
4 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,787 patients per GP
4dentists4pharmacies

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
48
Full fibre (FTTP)62.7%
available across Cornwall
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
86%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
86%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
92%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 535 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
23
Employment rate47.5%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed47.5%Unemployed3.6%Retired29.9%Student3.6%Other inactive15.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial29.7%Skilled & technical34.3%Routine & elementary36.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.3%Level 3 (A levels)17.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.8%Apprenticeship6.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%
Home ownership52.6%
Among the most-deprived 26% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
30
Council tax Cornwall · 2026-27
A £1,727
B £2,015
C £2,303
D £2,591
E £3,167
F £3,743
G £4,318
H £5,182
Energy South 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 South West Water
Average bill regional £600/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
62
Penzance 0.6 mi
St Erth 5.6 mi
Lelant Saltings 6.1 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
53
Pubs & Bars Ample 21
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 34
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 7
Retail Shopping Ample 47
Takeaways Ample 11
Fitness Ample 5

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £273,500 103
Detached £362,000 11
Semi-detached £315,000 17
Terraced £266,750 60
Flat / Maisonette £165,000 15
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£158k £271k £386k £499k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Newlyn 45 1.3 mi away ⇄
Madron 37 1.3 mi away ⇄
Longrock 45 1.4 mi away ⇄
Mousehole 41 2.5 mi away ⇄
Marazion 46 3.3 mi away ⇄
Crowlas 35 3.4 mi away ⇄
St Buryan 39 4.7 mi away ⇄
Goldsithney 38 4.9 mi away ⇄
Canon's Town 36 5.0 mi away ⇄
Perran Downs 46 5.4 mi away ⇄
Rosudgeon 43 5.4 mi away ⇄
Pendeen 35 5.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Penzance a nice place to live?

Penzance is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Penzance is 50/100, 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 Penzance?

Crime levels in Penzance are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 22/100. There were 2,188 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Penzance?

Among the top-rated schools in Penzance are Gulval School, Heamoor Community Primary School and Humphry Davy School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 12 rated schools in Penzance in total.

What are house prices like in Penzance?

The current median house price in Penzance is £273,500, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £362,000, semi-detached £315,000, terraced £266,750, flat £165,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 25%. There were 103 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Penzance in context

See where Penzance ranks among the best places to live in Cornwall

Postcode districts in Penzance

TR18 48 ⇄
TR20 45 ⇄
TR21 50 ⇄

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