Town Pop. 59,326

Living in Runcorn: Liveability Score 56/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Runcorn comes out at 56/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Schools is where Runcorn most outperforms the national norm: 63/100 against a median of 23/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 41/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Among the 5 scored places sharing the WA4 postcode district, Runcorn ranks 2nd. The WA4 district averages 63/100, putting Runcorn 7 points below its own postcode area. Also scoring 80 or better: broadband (81). Wider context for the surrounding area: WA4 postcode district.

56
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.

Runcorn scores 56 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Runcorn.
Or compare:
WA4 1AA WA4 2AA WA4 3AA WA4 4AA WA4 5AA WA4 6AA WA4 9BD WA4 WA7

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
41
105.4 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 2,886 crimes
↑ 46% above national average
Public order 674 crimes
↑ 75% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 615 crimes
↓ 32% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 448 crimes
↑ 12% above national average
Drugs 384 crimes
↑ 97% above national average
other 1,243 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 214 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 204 crimes
  3. 3 Hospital Way 159 crimes

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

Environment
62
Air Quality NO₂ 10 · PM2.5 6.5 · PM10 11 µg/m³
71
Green Space 41
Parks Ample 33
Sports Pitches Ample 24
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens Ample 10
Playgrounds Ample 35

Services

Schools
63
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 38 in area
1Outstanding22Good4Requires Improvement2Inadequate9Ungraded
  • The Cavendish High AcademySpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Beechwood Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Brookvale Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Castle View Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Gorsewood Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Hillview Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Moore Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Murdishaw West Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Our Lady Mother of the Saviour Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Palace Fields Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare
57
A&E departmentsWarrington Hospital3 mi
Countess of Chester Hospital9.6 mi
Royal Liverpool University Hospital9.9 mi
Hospital waitsWarrington And Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks65.3%
A&E seen within 4 hrs65.7%
6 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,622 patients per GP
7dentists14pharmacies

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
81
Full fibre (FTTP)88.7%
available across Halton
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.1%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,259 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
34
Employment rate55.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.1%Unemployed3.4%Retired22.2%Student3.8%Other inactive15.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial31.2%Skilled & technical32.9%Routine & elementary35.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.7%Level 3 (A levels)18.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)23.4%Apprenticeship5.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership58.2%
Among the most-deprived 34% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
56
Council tax Halton · 2026-27
A £1,578
B £1,841
C £2,104
D £2,367
E £2,893
F £3,419
G £3,945
H £4,734
Energy North 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 United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
59
Runcorn East 1.6 mi
Runcorn 1.6 mi
Frodsham 2.5 mi
J12 M56 1.2 mi
J12 M56 1.4 mi
J11 M56 2.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
49
Pubs & Bars Ample 30
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 27
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 33
Retail Shopping Ample 199
Takeaways Ample 42
Fitness Ample 5

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £180,000 312
Detached £310,000 72
Semi-detached £195,000 108
Terraced £138,500 116
Flat / Maisonette £94,625 16
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£76k £165k £257k £347k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Daresbury 42 2.5 mi away ⇄
Frodsham 57 2.7 mi away ⇄
Widnes 60 3.1 mi away ⇄
Moore 46 3.3 mi away ⇄
Hale Bank 43 3.3 mi away ⇄
Hale (Halton) 52 4.1 mi away ⇄
Kingsley (Cheshire West and Chester) 41 4.5 mi away ⇄
Helsby 51 4.8 mi away ⇄
Cronton 65 4.8 mi away ⇄
Acton Bridge 40 5.5 mi away ⇄
Elton (Cheshire West and Chester) 45 5.6 mi away ⇄
Norley 42 6.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Runcorn a nice place to live?

Runcorn is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Runcorn is 56/100, 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 Runcorn?

Runcorn has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 41/100. There were 6,250 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Runcorn?

Among the top-rated schools in Runcorn are The Cavendish High Academy, Beechwood Primary School and Brookvale Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 38 rated schools in Runcorn in total.

What are house prices like in Runcorn?

The current median house price in Runcorn is £180,000, around 37% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £310,000, semi-detached £195,000, terraced £138,500, flat £94,625. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 14%. There were 312 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Runcorn in context

See where Runcorn ranks among the best places to live in Cheshire

Postcode districts in Runcorn

WA4 63 ⇄
WA7 56 ⇄

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