Town Pop. 1,498

Living in Rickinghall and Botesdale: Liveability Score 46/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Rickinghall and Botesdale is 46/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 34/100 against a national town median of 18/100. Rickinghall and Botesdale places 4th of 18 in the IP22 postcode district.

Safety (94) also clears 80/100. Below 30/100: lifestyle (12), schools (14) and transport (18). That puts Rickinghall and Botesdale in the middle half of the UK towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the IP22 postcode district.

46
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.

Rickinghall and Botesdale scores 46 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Rickinghall and Botesdale.
Or compare:
IP22 1AA IP22 2AA IP22 4AA IP22 5BA IP22 9AA IP22

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
94
57.4 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 29 crimes
↓ 42% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 18 crimes
↓ 21% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 15 crimes
↑ 47% above national average
Public order 5 crimes
↓ 49% below national average
Other theft 4 crimes
↓ 56% below national average
other 15 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 The Street 11 crimes
  2. 2 Park View 10 crimes
  3. 3 Rectory Hill 9 crimes

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

Environment
55
Air Quality NO₂ 5.2 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 12.6 µg/m³
73
Green Space 14
Parks None
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
14
1 school in area
1Good
  • St Botolph's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
Healthcare
34
A&E departmentsRAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital19.1 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital20.6 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department20.6 mi
Hospital waitsWest Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust0.5 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.1%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,613 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
61
Full fibre (FTTP)58.2%
available across Mid Suffolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
83.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
83.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 61 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
67
Employment rate53.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53.1%Unemployed1.9%Retired33.6%Student3.3%Other inactive8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.8%Skilled & technical36.2%Routine & elementary23%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.6%Level 3 (A levels)17.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.5%Apprenticeship6.2%Other (incl. vocational)3%
Home ownership75.6%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
58
Council tax Mid Suffolk · 2026-27
A £1,545
B £1,802
C £2,060
D £2,317
E £2,832
F £3,347
G £3,862
H £4,634
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
18
Diss 5.7 mi
Elmswell 8 mi
Harling Road 8.7 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
12
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping Some 4
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £332,000 13
5-year monthly trend
All Detached
£321k £387k £456k £523k 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Redgrave 42 1.4 mi away ⇄
Hinderclay 44 1.5 mi away ⇄
Wattisfield 34 2.4 mi away ⇄
Wortham 38 2.5 mi away ⇄
Gislingham 35 3.0 mi away ⇄
Mellis 37 3.5 mi away ⇄
South Lopham 40 3.6 mi away ⇄
Upthorpe (West Suffolk) 37 3.7 mi away ⇄
Walsham le Willows 38 3.7 mi away ⇄
Market Weston 33 3.8 mi away ⇄
Hopton 33 3.9 mi away ⇄
Finningham 36 4.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Rickinghall and Botesdale a nice place to live?

Rickinghall and Botesdale has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Rickinghall and Botesdale is 46/100, 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 Rickinghall and Botesdale?

Rickinghall and Botesdale is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 94/100. There were 86 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Rickinghall and Botesdale?

Among the top-rated schools in Rickinghall and Botesdale is St Botolph's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Rickinghall and Botesdale in total.

What are house prices like in Rickinghall and Botesdale?

The current median house price in Rickinghall and Botesdale is £332,000, around 16% above the England and Wales average.

Rickinghall and Botesdale in context

See the best places to live in Suffolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Rickinghall and Botesdale

IP22 46 ⇄

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