Town Pop. 544

Living in Ruardean Woodside: Liveability Score 54/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Ruardean Woodside scores 54/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is broadband: 93/100 against a national town median of 60/100. Ruardean Woodside places 2nd of 8 in the GL17 postcode district.

It scores 7 points above the GL17 postcode district as a whole, which averages 47/100. Its broadband score runs 52 points above the GL17 district's 41/100. Safety (91) sits at 80/100 or above. Wider context for the surrounding area: GL17 postcode district.

54
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.

Ruardean Woodside scores 54 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Ruardean Woodside.
Or compare:
GL17 0AA GL17 1AT GL17 9AD GL17

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
91
46 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Anti-social behaviour 9 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Violence and sexual offences 6 crimes
↓ 67% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 2 crimes
↓ 46% below national average
Other theft 2 crimes
↓ 40% below national average
Vehicle crime 2 crimes
↓ 23% below national average
other 4 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Sports/Recreation Area 5 crimes
  2. 2 Ashfield Road 4 crimes
  3. 3 Eddys Lane 2 crimes

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

Environment
73
Air Quality NO₂ 3.6 · PM2.5 5.6 · PM10 8.8 µg/m³
79
Green Space 59
Parks Some 1
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds None

Services

Schools
30
2 schools in area · 5 within 4km
2Good
  • Ruardean Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Woodside Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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

Healthcare
18
A&E departmentsLydney & District Hospital8 mi
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital13 mi
Hereford County Hospital15.7 mi
Hospital waitsGloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1.5 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks74.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs64.6%
Nearest GP surgeryForest Health Care2.3 mi
GP capacity2,044 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
93
Full fibre (FTTP)79.2%
available across Forest of Dean
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.5%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 19 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
70
Employment rate55.2%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.2%Unemployed2.1%Retired30.6%Student3.5%Other inactive8.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial36.2%Skilled & technical36.8%Routine & elementary27%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.7%Level 3 (A levels)17.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)29%Apprenticeship7.4%Other (incl. vocational)3.3%
Home ownership88.7%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
45
Council tax Forest of Dean · 2026-27
A £1,629
B £1,900
C £2,172
D £2,443
E £2,986
F £3,529
G £4,072
H £4,886
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 E
Water Severn Trent Water
Average bill regional £424/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
49
Lydney 9.2 mi
Cam and Dursley 12 mi
Gloucester 13.1 mi
J4 M50 5.7 mi
J3 M50 6.4 mi
J3 M50 6.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
13
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Ruardean Woodside in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Ruardean 50 0.6 mi away ⇄
Drybrook 45 1.1 mi away ⇄
Welsh Bicknor 40 1.7 mi away ⇄
Cinderford 54 2.3 mi away ⇄
Mitcheldean 55 2.6 mi away ⇄
Ruspidge 58 3.2 mi away ⇄
Littledean 53 3.3 mi away ⇄
Lea (Herefordshire) 35 3.9 mi away ⇄
Berry Hill 47 4.0 mi away ⇄
Longhope 47 4.1 mi away ⇄
Pope's Hill 51 4.1 mi away ⇄
Broadwell and Coalway 44 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Ruardean Woodside a nice place to live?

Ruardean Woodside is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Ruardean Woodside is 54/100, 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 Ruardean Woodside?

Ruardean Woodside is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 91/100. There were 4,336 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Ruardean Woodside?

Among the top-rated schools in Ruardean Woodside are Ruardean Church of England Primary School and Woodside Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Ruardean Woodside in total.

Ruardean Woodside in context

See the best places to live in Gloucestershire, ranked

Postcode districts in Ruardean Woodside

GL17 47 ⇄

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