Town Pop. 1,494

Living in Salcombe: Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Salcombe comes out at 42/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, environment stands out most: 81/100 where the typical UK town scores 64/100. Furthest below the national norm is broadband, at 22/100 against a town median of 60/100.

That sits 8 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the middle half of the towns and villages we score. Safety (92) also clears 80/100. Below 30/100: transport (12), schools (16), lifestyle (21), healthcare (22) and bills (28). For the surrounding area, see TQ8 postcode district.

42
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.

Loading map…

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.

Salcombe scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Salcombe.
Or compare:
TQ8 8AA TQ8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
83 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 50 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Burglary 14 crimes
↑ 169% above national average
Other theft 14 crimes
↑ 52% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 14 crimes
↓ 38% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 9 crimes
↓ 12% below national average
other 23 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 20 crimes
  2. 2 Motherhill Court 8 crimes
  3. 3 Buckley Street 7 crimes

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

Environment
81
Air Quality NO₂ 2.37 · PM2.5 4.719 · PM10 8.251 µg/m³
82
Green Space 78
Parks Ample 5
Sports Pitches Adequate 3
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
16
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Ungraded
  • Salcombe Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · 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
22
A&E departmentsTorbay Hospital19 mi
Derriford Hospital19.2 mi
Liskeard Community Hospital33.3 mi
Hospital waitsTorbay And South Devon NHS Foundation Trust0.6 mi
Routine referral (median)10 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66.4%
A&E seen within 4 hrs66.2%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,645 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

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
22
Full fibre (FTTP)58.4%
available across South Hams
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
50.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
50.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
96.6%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 144 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
67
Employment rate48.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed48.6%Unemployed2.3%Retired37.1%Student2.3%Other inactive9.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial36.9%Skilled & technical41.4%Routine & elementary21.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.9%Level 3 (A levels)17%Level 4+ (degree & above)36.1%Apprenticeship7.1%Other (incl. vocational)1.9%
Home ownership70%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
28
Council tax South Hams · 2026-27
A £1,743
B £2,034
C £2,324
D £2,615
E £3,196
F £3,777
G £4,358
H £5,230
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 D
Water South West Water
Average bill regional £600/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
12
Ivybridge 12.4 mi
Totnes 14.5 mi
Paignton 16.8 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
21
Pubs & Bars Adequate 5
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 9
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 3
Retail Shopping Adequate 9
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness Adequate 2

Places like Salcombe Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like Salcombe, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £550,500 14
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Flat
£712k £993k £1.3m £1.6m 2022 2023 2024 2025

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

Nearby places

Malborough 39 1.6 mi away ⇄
West Charleton 35 2.8 mi away ⇄
South Milton 35 3.2 mi away ⇄
Kingsbridge 38 3.5 mi away ⇄
Inner Hope 39 3.6 mi away ⇄
Thurlestone 35 4.4 mi away ⇄
Chillington 38 4.5 mi away ⇄
Stokenham 40 5.2 mi away ⇄
Bigbury-on-Sea 32 6.1 mi away ⇄
Aveton Gifford 38 6.1 mi away ⇄
Loddiswell 35 6.2 mi away ⇄
Slapton (South Hams) 36 6.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Salcombe a nice place to live?

Salcombe has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Salcombe is 42/100, 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 Salcombe?

Salcombe is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 124 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are house prices like in Salcombe?

The current median house price in Salcombe is £550,500, around 93% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 48%.

Salcombe in context

See the best places to live in Devon, ranked

Postcode districts in Salcombe

TQ8 41 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode