Town Pop. 1,324

Living in Rufford (West Lancashire): Liveability Score 49/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Rufford (West Lancashire) is 49/100, built from 9 categories. Broadband is where Rufford (West Lancashire) most outperforms the national norm: 98/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Rufford (West Lancashire) places 7th of 12 in the L40 postcode district.

Against the wider L40 district average of 56/100, that is 7 points below. Its broadband score runs 40 points above the L40 district's 58/100. Safety (92) also clears 80/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: L40 postcode district.

49
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.

Rufford (West Lancashire) scores 49 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Rufford (West Lancashire).
Or compare:
L40 0AA L40 1AA L40 2AB L40 3AA L40 4AA L40 5AA L40 6AB L40 7AA L40

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
63.4 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Below the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Anti-social behaviour 30 crimes
↑ 49% above national average
Violence and sexual offences 22 crimes
↓ 50% below national average
Other theft 10 crimes
↑ 23% above national average
Burglary 8 crimes
↑ 71% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 6 crimes
↓ 34% below national average
other 8 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Wheatsheaf Mews 18 crimes
  2. 2 Station Road 15 crimes
  3. 3 Sandy Lane 8 crimes

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

Environment
58
Air Quality NO₂ 4.9 · PM2.5 5.7 · PM10 10.3 µg/m³
77
Green Space 15
Parks Adequate 3
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
22
1 school in area · 6 within 4km
1Good
  • Rufford CofE 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
10
A&E departmentsChildren's A&E4.7 mi
Southport and Formby District General Hospital6 mi
Royal Preston Hospital11.1 mi
Hospital waitsLancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust2.2 mi
Routine referral (median)6 wks
Treated within 18 weeks94.2%
Nearest GP surgeryLathom House Surgery2.4 mi
GP capacity4,523 patients per GP
0dentists1pharmacy

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
98
Full fibre (FTTP)81%
available across West Lancashire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
99.1%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
99.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 39 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
66
Employment rate52.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed52.1%Unemployed1.6%Retired33.5%Student3.8%Other inactive9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial45.6%Skilled & technical33.8%Routine & elementary20.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications13%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13%Level 3 (A levels)16.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)40%Apprenticeship6.1%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership85.7%
Among the least-deprived 29% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
48
Council tax West Lancashire · 2026-27
A £1,637
B £1,910
C £2,183
D £2,456
E £3,002
F £3,548
G £4,093
H £4,912
Energy Merseyside & North Wales region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
33
Rufford 0.5 mi
Burscough Bridge 2.2 mi
New Lane 2.5 mi
J27 M6 5.9 mi
J27 M6 6.2 mi
J4 M58 6.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
28
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience Some 1
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £272,500 12
5-year monthly trend
All
£224k £270k £316k £362k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Holmeswood 47 1.9 mi away ⇄
Mawdesley 46 2.1 mi away ⇄
Burscough 58 2.7 mi away ⇄
Croston 50 2.8 mi away ⇄
Towngate 43 2.8 mi away ⇄
Ring o' Bells 53 3.0 mi away ⇄
Hill Dale 51 3.0 mi away ⇄
Bretherton 56 3.2 mi away ⇄
Newburgh (West Lancashire) 54 3.2 mi away ⇄
Parbold 57 3.6 mi away ⇄
Mere Brow 37 3.7 mi away ⇄
Tarleton and Hesketh Bank 49 3.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Rufford (West Lancashire) a nice place to live?

Rufford (West Lancashire) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Rufford (West Lancashire) is 49/100, 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 Rufford (West Lancashire)?

Rufford (West Lancashire) is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 84 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Rufford (West Lancashire)?

Among the top-rated schools in Rufford (West Lancashire) is Rufford CofE School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Rufford (West Lancashire) in total.

What are house prices like in Rufford (West Lancashire)?

The current median house price in Rufford (West Lancashire) is £272,500, in line with the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 20%.

Rufford (West Lancashire) in context

See the best places to live in Lancashire, ranked

Postcode districts in Rufford (West Lancashire)

L40 56 ⇄

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