Town Pop. 12,952

Living in Sidmouth: Liveability Score 43/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Sidmouth scores 43/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Furthest below the national norm is broadband, at 38/100 against a town median of 60/100. That is the highest score of the 5 places in the EX10 postcode district.

Also scoring 80 or better: safety (86). Schools (14), transport (26), healthcare (27) and bills (29) all fall below 30/100. On the national picture that lands Sidmouth in the middle half of all the places we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the EX10 postcode district.

43
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.

Sidmouth scores 43 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sidmouth.
Or compare:
EX10 0AA EX10 1BR EX10 8AB EX10 9AA EX10

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
86
56.7 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 341 crimes
↓ 21% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 90 crimes
↓ 55% below national average
Other theft 74 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 69 crimes
↓ 22% below national average
Public order 35 crimes
↓ 58% below national average
other 126 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 50 crimes
  2. 2 Fairmead 39 crimes
  3. 3 Baker Close 33 crimes

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

Environment
60
Air Quality NO₂ 3.8 · PM2.5 5.2 · PM10 8.7 µg/m³
80
Green Space 12
Parks Ample 10
Sports Pitches Ample 12
Allotments Adequate 2
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Ample 9
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 8

Services

Schools
14
2 schools in area · 4 within 4km
1Good1Ungraded
  • Sidmouth CollegeSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Sidmouth Church of England (VA) 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
27
A&E departmentsRoyal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)10.9 mi
Torbay Hospital18.7 mi
Musgrove Park Hospital21.6 mi
Hospital waitsRoyal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs70.6%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,178 patients per GP
2dentists3pharmacies

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
38
Full fibre (FTTP)75.1%
available across East Devon
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
66.6%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
66.6%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 536 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
63
Employment rate40.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed40.7%Unemployed1.7%Retired46.7%Student2.6%Other inactive8.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial42.5%Skilled & technical35.5%Routine & elementary22%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.1%Level 3 (A levels)15.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)36.6%Apprenticeship6.5%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%
Home ownership74.9%
Among the least-deprived 30% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
29
Council tax East Devon · 2026-27
A £1,730
B £2,018
C £2,307
D £2,595
E £3,172
F £3,748
G £4,325
H £5,190
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
26
Feniton 6.9 mi
Whimple 7.3 mi
Honiton 7.7 mi
J30 M5 10 mi
J30 M5 10.1 mi
J29 M5 10.1 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
34
Pubs & Bars Ample 10
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 15
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 8
Retail Shopping Ample 51
Takeaways Some 3
Fitness Ample 7

Places like Sidmouth 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 Sidmouth, 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 £415,000 145
Detached £580,000 59
Semi-detached £358,500 20
Terraced £325,000 31
Flat / Maisonette £265,000 35
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£235k £406k £583k £755k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Sidbury 42 2.1 mi away ⇄
Newton Poppleford 43 2.8 mi away ⇄
Tipton St John 34 2.8 mi away ⇄
Otterton 40 3.3 mi away ⇄
Colaton Raleigh 38 3.5 mi away ⇄
East Budleigh 39 4.3 mi away ⇄
Ottery St Mary 47 4.6 mi away ⇄
West Hill (East Devon) 38 4.7 mi away ⇄
Allercombe 0 5.5 mi away ⇄
Budleigh Salterton 51 5.7 mi away ⇄
Beer 45 6.3 mi away ⇄
Feniton 42 6.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sidmouth a nice place to live?

Sidmouth has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Sidmouth is 43/100, 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 Sidmouth?

Sidmouth is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 86/100. There were 735 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sidmouth?

Among the top-rated schools in Sidmouth is Sidmouth College, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Sidmouth in total.

What are house prices like in Sidmouth?

The current median house price in Sidmouth is £415,000, around 46% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £580,000, semi-detached £358,500, terraced £325,000, flat £265,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 7%. There were 145 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Sidmouth in context

See the best places to live in Devon, ranked

Postcode districts in Sidmouth

EX10 40 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

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

Score my postcode