City Pop. 261,233

Living in Plymouth: Liveability Score 65/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Plymouth comes out at 65/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Transport is where Plymouth most outperforms the national norm: 82/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 35/100 against a town median of 88/100.

The PL1 district averages 60/100, putting Plymouth 5 points above its own postcode area. That sits 15 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the PL1 postcode district.

OUT OF 100

Good

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.

Plymouth scores 65 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Plymouth.

Or compare:

PL1 1AE PL1 2AA PL1 3AB PL1 4AB PL1 5AA PL1 9BN PL1 PL2 PL3 PL4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

109.3 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 12,465 crimes

↑ 43% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 4,378 crimes

↑ 11% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 2,341 crimes

↑ 32% above national average

Shoplifting 1,958 crimes

≈ similar to national average

Other theft 1,855 crimes

↑ 15% above national average

other 5,567 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Parking Area 1,807 crimes
2 Supermarket 1,441 crimes
3 Nightclub 302 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 7.1 · PM2.5 5.5 · PM10 9.7 µg/m³

Green Space 55

Parks Ample 130

Sports Pitches Ample 141

Allotments Ample 33

Golf Courses Ample 4

Tennis Courts Ample 28

Bowling Greens Ample 9

Playgrounds Ample 180

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 102 in area

9Outstanding74Good2Requires Improvement3Inadequate14Ungraded

Brook Green Centre for LearningSpecial · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Ernesettle Community SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Glen Park Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
High View SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Marine Academy PrimaryPrimary · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Mayflower AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Mill Ford SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Prince Rock Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Tor Bridge Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
ACE Schools PlymouthAlternative provision · inspected 2024
Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare

A&E departmentsDerriford Hospitalin area

Liskeard Community Hospital11.6 mi

Torbay Hospital20.9 mi

Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust1 mi

Routine referral (median)10 wks

Treated within 18 weeks65.6%

A&E seen within 4 hrs67%

7 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'

GP capacity1,758 patients per GP

24dentists22pharmacies

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

Full fibre (FTTP)77%

available across Plymouth

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

94.3%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

94.6%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

98.4%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 5,699 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate55.4%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed55.4%Unemployed3.2%Retired22.1%Student7.1%Other inactive12.3%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial33.3%Skilled & technical33.3%Routine & elementary33.4%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications17.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.1%Level 3 (A levels)21.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.6%Apprenticeship7.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%

Home ownership58.6%

Around the England average for deprivation

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax Plymouth · 2026-27

A £1,628

B £1,899

C £2,171

D £2,442

E £2,985

F £3,527

G £4,070

H £4,884

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

Plymouth 1.4 mi

Devonport 2.3 mi

Dockyard 2.5 mi

No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 157

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 270

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 185

Retail Shopping Ample 1066

Takeaways Ample 182

Fitness Ample 78

Places like Plymouth Pro

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£225,000	1,948
Detached	£395,000	232
Semi-detached	£260,000	511
Terraced	£211,000	847
Flat / Maisonette	£135,000	358

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Plymouth a nice place to live?

Yes, Plymouth is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Plymouth is 65/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Plymouth?

Plymouth has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 35/100. There were 28,564 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Plymouth?

Among the top-rated schools in Plymouth are Brook Green Centre for Learning, Ernesettle Community School and Glen Park Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 102 rated schools in Plymouth in total.

What are house prices like in Plymouth?

The current median house price in Plymouth is £225,000, around 21% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £395,000, semi-detached £260,000, terraced £211,000, flat £135,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 15%. There were 1,948 sales recorded in the past 12 months.