Town Pop. 23,874

Living in Portishead: Liveability Score 57/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Portishead is 57/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is lifestyle: 54/100 against a national town median of 21/100. Safety falls furthest short: 65/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That is the highest score of the 4 places in the BS20 postcode district. No category drops below 40/100, which is unusual: most UK towns carry at least one clear weak spot. On the national picture that lands Portishead in the top quarter of all the places we score. For the surrounding area, see BS20 postcode district.

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.

Portishead scores 57 but individual postcodes tell the full story

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

Or compare:

BS20 0AA BS20 1BE BS20 6AA BS20 7AA BS20 8AS BS20

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

75.1 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3

Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months

Violence and sexual offences 692 crimes

↓ 13% below national average

Anti-social behaviour 315 crimes

↓ 13% below national average

Public order 187 crimes

↑ 20% above national average

Shoplifting 172 crimes

≈ similar to national average

Other theft 122 crimes

↓ 18% below national average

other 305 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Police Station 183 crimes
2 Supermarket 150 crimes
3 Shopping Area 106 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 7.2 · PM2.5 5.6 · PM10 8.8 µg/m³

Green Space 59

Parks Ample 30

Sports Pitches Ample 13

Allotments Adequate 2

Golf Courses None

Tennis Courts Ample 7

Bowling Greens Adequate 2

Playgrounds Ample 18

Services

Schools

7 schools in area · 8 within 4km

1Outstanding6Good

St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Gordano SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
Good
High Down Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
High Down Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Portishead Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
Good
Trinity Anglican-Methodist Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare

A&E departmentsSt Michael's Hospital6.5 mi

Southmead Hospital6.6 mi

Bristol Royal Infirmary6.7 mi

Hospital waitsRoyal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust6.8 mi

Routine referral (median)12 wks

Treated within 18 weeks62.7%

A&E seen within 4 hrs70.6%

2 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'

GP capacity1,647 patients per GP

7dentists3pharmacies

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)83.8%

available across North Somerset

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

90.1%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

92.3%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.8%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 545 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate58.3%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed58.3%Unemployed2%Retired30.2%Student3%Other inactive6.5%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial49.2%Skilled & technical31%Routine & elementary19.7%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications12.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.4%Level 3 (A levels)17.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)40.1%Apprenticeship5.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.2%

Home ownership76%

Among the least-deprived 17% of areas in England

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

Bills

Council tax North Somerset · 2026-27

A £1,661

B £1,937

C £2,214

D £2,491

E £3,045

F £3,598

G £4,152

H £4,982

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 C

Water Wessex Water

Average bill regional £581/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Avonmouth 3.5 mi

Portway Park and Ride 3.8 mi

St Andrews Road 4 mi

J19 M5 2.5 mi

J19 M5 3.1 mi

J20 M5 4.1 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 14

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 29

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 10

Retail Shopping Ample 93

Takeaways Adequate 10

Fitness Ample 24

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£385,000	247
Detached	£525,000	80
Semi-detached	£402,500	46
Terraced	£375,000	57
Flat / Maisonette	£219,000	64

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Portishead a nice place to live?

Portishead is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Portishead is 57/100, 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 Portishead?

Portishead has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 65/100. There were 1,793 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Portishead?

Among the top-rated schools in Portishead are St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Gordano School and High Down Infant School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 7 rated schools in Portishead in total.

What are house prices like in Portishead?

The current median house price in Portishead is £385,000, around 35% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £525,000, semi-detached £402,500, terraced £375,000, flat £219,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 5%. There were 247 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Portishead in context

See where Portishead ranks among the best places to live in Somerset

Postcode districts in Portishead

BS20 56 ⇄

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