Town Pop. 36,737

Living in Skelmersdale: Liveability Score 53/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Skelmersdale comes out at 53/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Healthcare is where Skelmersdale most outperforms the national norm: 60/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 39/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That makes it the 4th highest-scoring of the 12 places in the L40 postcode district. That puts Skelmersdale in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the L40 postcode district.

53
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.

Skelmersdale scores 53 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Skelmersdale.
Or compare:
L40 0AA L40 1AA L40 2AB L40 3AA L40 4AA L40 5AA L40 6AB L40 7AA L40 WN8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
39
113 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 1,505 crimes
↑ 23% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 1,052 crimes
↑ 88% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 359 crimes
↑ 44% above national average
Other theft 215 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 181 crimes
↓ 25% below national average
other 841 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 167 crimes
  2. 2 Shopping Area 137 crimes
  3. 3 Carfield 103 crimes

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

Environment
66
Air Quality NO₂ 9.2 · PM2.5 6.4 · PM10 11.3 µg/m³
72
Green Space 53
Parks Ample 12
Sports Pitches Ample 26
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 30

Services

Schools
64
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 25 in area · 29 within 4km
3Outstanding15Good2Requires Improvement5Ungraded
  • Crawford Village Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • Elm Tree Community Primary SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Kingsbury Primary Special SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Crow Orchard Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Dalton St Michael's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Delph Side Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Hillside Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Holland Moor Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Hope High SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Lathom High School : A Technology CollegeSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good

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
60
A&E departmentsChildren's A&E2.3 mi
Aintree University Hospital7.3 mi
Southport and Formby District General Hospital8.2 mi
Hospital waitsLancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)6 wks
Treated within 18 weeks94.2%
5 GP surgeries in area 6 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,897 patients per GP
5dentists6pharmacies

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
60
Full fibre (FTTP)81%
available across West Lancashire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
83.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
84%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 521 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
30
Employment rate57.4%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.4%Unemployed3.6%Retired19.6%Student4.8%Other inactive14.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial28.1%Skilled & technical30.6%Routine & elementary41.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications23.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.6%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.6%Level 3 (A levels)17.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)23.4%Apprenticeship5.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership57.7%
Among the most-deprived 32% 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 North 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 United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
54
Upholland 2.1 mi
Rainford 2.2 mi
Parbold 2.9 mi
J4 M58 0.7 mi
J4 M58 0.8 mi
J5 M58 1.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
42
Pubs & Bars Ample 10
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 7
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 18
Retail Shopping Ample 89
Takeaways Ample 16
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 £150,000 179
Detached £275,000 32
Semi-detached £179,000 58
Terraced £120,000 81
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£70k £142k £216k £287k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Orrell 55 2.9 mi away ⇄
Newburgh (West Lancashire) 54 2.9 mi away ⇄
Parbold 57 3.0 mi away ⇄
Ring o' Bells 53 3.4 mi away ⇄
Rainford 58 3.4 mi away ⇄
Appley Bridge 59 3.4 mi away ⇄
Shevington 49 3.9 mi away ⇄
Hill Dale 51 4.0 mi away ⇄
Burscough 58 4.6 mi away ⇄
Ormskirk 67 4.6 mi away ⇄
Billinge 60 4.7 mi away ⇄
Hunger Hill (West Lancashire) 45 4.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Skelmersdale a nice place to live?

Skelmersdale is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Skelmersdale is 53/100, 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 Skelmersdale?

Skelmersdale has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 39/100. There were 4,153 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Skelmersdale?

Among the top-rated schools in Skelmersdale are Crawford Village Primary School, Elm Tree Community Primary School and Kingsbury Primary Special School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 25 rated schools in Skelmersdale in total.

What are house prices like in Skelmersdale?

The current median house price in Skelmersdale is £150,000, around 47% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £275,000, semi-detached £179,000, terraced £120,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 9%. There were 179 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Skelmersdale in context

See the best places to live in Lancashire, ranked

Postcode districts in Skelmersdale

L40 56 ⇄
WN8 54 ⇄

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