Town Pop. 23,887

Living in Retford: Liveability Score 61/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Retford scores 61/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is lifestyle: 95/100 against a national town median of 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 54/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the DN22 postcode district scores higher. Retford leads all 19. Against the wider DN22 district average of 53/100, that is 8 points above. That sits 11 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 10% of the towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the DN22 postcode district.

61
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.

Retford scores 61 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Retford.
Or compare:
DN22 0AA DN22 1DQ DN22 4AB DN22 5AB DN22 6AA DN22 7AA DN22 8AA DN22 9AA DN22

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
54
87.7 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 819 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 328 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Shoplifting 205 crimes
↑ 10% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 181 crimes
↑ 12% above national average
Other theft 112 crimes
↓ 24% below national average
other 449 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 104 crimes
  2. 2 Churchgate 70 crimes
  3. 3 Petrol Station 70 crimes

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

Environment
78
Air Quality NO₂ 6.8 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 12.7 µg/m³
71
Green Space 97
Parks Ample 5
Sports Pitches Ample 12
Allotments Ample 11
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Ample 14
Bowling Greens Ample 4
Playgrounds Ample 11

Services

Schools
48
10 schools in area · 11 within 4km
8Good1Requires Improvement1Ungraded
  • Bracken Lane Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Carr Hill Primary and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Hallcroft Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Ordsall Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Retford Oaks AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • The Elizabethan AcademySecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Thrumpton Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • St Swithun's Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Requires Improvement
  • St Giles SchoolSpecial · 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
64
A&E departmentsBassetlaw Hospital5.9 mi
Doncaster Royal Infirmary14.7 mi
Kings Mill Hospital16.3 mi
Hospital waitsDoncaster And Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.6 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks61.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs77.5%
3 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,254 patients per GP
4dentists5pharmacies

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
71
Full fibre (FTTP)74.3%
available across Bassetlaw
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 599 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
42
Employment rate54.9%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.9%Unemployed2.7%Retired27.9%Student2.9%Other inactive11.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial33.1%Skilled & technical32.6%Routine & elementary34.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications20%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.2%Level 3 (A levels)18.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)25.8%Apprenticeship6.9%Other (incl. vocational)3%
Home ownership65.8%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
33
Council tax Bassetlaw · 2026-27
A £1,763
B £2,057
C £2,351
D £2,645
E £3,233
F £3,821
G £4,408
H £5,290
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
56
Retford 0.5 mi
Worksop 7.4 mi
Gainsborough Lea Road 8.6 mi
J34 A1(M) 6.5 mi
J34 A1 7.1 mi
J3 M18 13.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
95
Pubs & Bars Ample 24
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 22
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 16
Retail Shopping Ample 109
Takeaways Adequate 9
Fitness Ample 10

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £181,750 178
Detached £292,250 48
Semi-detached £175,250 72
Terraced £157,500 44
Flat / Maisonette £101,000 14
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£85k £167k £251k £333k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Clarborough 39 2.5 mi away ⇄
Ranby 31 2.7 mi away ⇄
Sutton cum Lound 37 2.7 mi away ⇄
Gamston (Bassetlaw) 29 3.0 mi away ⇄
Lound 30 3.1 mi away ⇄
Elkesley 29 3.2 mi away ⇄
Barnby Moor 34 3.2 mi away ⇄
Markham Moor 0 4.7 mi away ⇄
North Wheatley 38 4.7 mi away ⇄
Clayworth 35 4.7 mi away ⇄
Woodbeck 22 4.9 mi away ⇄
South Leverton 23 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Retford a nice place to live?

Retford is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Retford is 61/100, 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 Retford?

Retford has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 54/100. There were 2,094 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Retford?

Among the top-rated schools in Retford are Bracken Lane Primary Academy, Carr Hill Primary and Nursery School and Hallcroft Infant and Nursery School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 10 rated schools in Retford in total.

What are house prices like in Retford?

The current median house price in Retford is £181,750, around 36% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £292,250, semi-detached £175,250, terraced £157,500, flat £101,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 3%. There were 178 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Retford in context

See where Retford ranks among the best places to live in Nottinghamshire

Postcode districts in Retford

DN22 53 ⇄

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