Town Pop. 864

Living in South Chailey: Liveability Score 35/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

South Chailey scores 35/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 10/100 versus a median of 60/100. That makes it the 6th highest-scoring of the 10 places in the BN8 postcode district.

That is 15 points below the national benchmark of 50, the bottom quarter of all UK towns and villages. Safety (82) sits at 80/100 or above. Healthcare (3), transport (17), schools (18), lifestyle (21) and bills (22) all fall below 30/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: BN8 postcode district.

35
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.

South Chailey scores 35 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with South Chailey.
Or compare:
BN8 4AA BN8 5AA BN8 6AA BN8

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
82
143.5 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 63 crimes
↑ 119% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 20 crimes
↑ 52% above national average
Other theft 9 crimes
↑ 68% above national average
Other crime 6 crimes
↑ 245% above national average
Public order 5 crimes
↓ 11% below national average
other 21 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Further/Higher Educational Building 20 crimes
  2. 2 St. Helena Lane 14 crimes
  3. 3 The Martlets 14 crimes

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

Environment
66
Air Quality NO₂ 5.483 · PM2.5 6.456 · PM10 10.943 µg/m³
74
Green Space 47
Parks None
Sports Pitches None
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
18
1 school in area · 6 within 4km
1Good
  • Chailey SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
3
A&E departmentsRoyal Sussex County Hospital9 mi
Eastbourne District General Hospital16.2 mi
Worthing Hospital16.6 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
Nearest GP surgeryMid Downs Medical Practice3 mi
GP capacity1,860 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
10
Full fibre (FTTP)71.4%
available across Lewes
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
13.4%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
13.4%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 33 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
69
Employment rate58.9%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.9%Unemployed3.2%Retired21.8%Student7.2%Other inactive8.9%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial45.9%Skilled & technical36.2%Routine & elementary17.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications11.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)17%Level 3 (A levels)17.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.7%Apprenticeship3.8%Other (incl. vocational)2.1%
Home ownership69.5%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
22
Council tax Lewes · 2026-27
A £1,837
B £2,144
C £2,450
D £2,756
E £3,368
F £3,981
G £4,593
H £5,512
Energy South East England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
17
Plumpton 1.7 mi
Cooksbridge 2.5 mi
Wivelsfield 4.6 mi
J11 M23 12.6 mi
J11 M23 12.6 mi
J10A M23 12.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
21
Pubs & Bars None
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in South Chailey in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Plumpton Green 39 1.8 mi away ⇄
Barcombe Cross 33 2.1 mi away ⇄
North Chailey 40 2.5 mi away ⇄
Wivelsfield Green 51 2.7 mi away ⇄
Newick 41 2.7 mi away ⇄
Plumpton 43 2.9 mi away ⇄
Wivelsfield 50 3.3 mi away ⇄
Barcombe Mills 0 3.5 mi away ⇄
Isfield 38 3.8 mi away ⇄
Scayne's Hill 47 3.9 mi away ⇄
Ditchling 45 4.0 mi away ⇄
Westmeston 0 4.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is South Chailey a nice place to live?

South Chailey has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for South Chailey is 35/100, 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 South Chailey?

South Chailey is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 82/100. There were 124 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in South Chailey?

Among the top-rated schools in South Chailey is Chailey School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in South Chailey in total.

South Chailey in context

See the best places to live in East Sussex, ranked

Postcode districts in South Chailey

BN8 38 ⇄

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