Town Pop. 8,508

Living in South Kirkby: Liveability Score 50/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for South Kirkby is 50/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, broadband stands out most: 98/100 where the typical UK town scores 60/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 22/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the S72 postcode district scores higher. South Kirkby leads all 6. It scores 5 points above the S72 postcode district as a whole, which averages 45/100. On broadband specifically, South Kirkby sits 44 points above the S72 district figure of 54/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the S72 postcode district.

50
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.

South Kirkby scores 50 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with South Kirkby.
Or compare:
S72 0AA S72 7AA S72 8AA S72 9AA S72 WF9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
22
159.8 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 586 crimes
↑ 107% above national average
Shoplifting 136 crimes
↑ 105% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 128 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 105 crimes
↑ 81% above national average
Public order 100 crimes
↑ 82% above national average
other 305 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Millars Walk 101 crimes
  2. 2 Park/Open Space 47 crimes
  3. 3 Saxon Avenue 47 crimes

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

Environment
63
Air Quality NO₂ 8.2 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 12.1 µg/m³
70
Green Space 47
Parks Ample 17
Sports Pitches Ample 5
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Adequate 3

Services

Schools
51
6 schools in area · 15 within 4km
5Good1Requires Improvement
  • Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion ResourcePrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • South Kirkby AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • South Kirkby Common Road Infant and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, MoorthorpePrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Northfield Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Requires Improvement

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

Healthcare
54
A&E departmentsPontefract Hospital6 mi
Doncaster Royal Infirmary8.9 mi
Pinderfields Hospital9 mi
Hospital waitsSouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks96.4%
2 GP surgeries in area 4 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity2,929 patients per GP
2dentists2pharmacies

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
98
Full fibre (FTTP)94.7%
available across Wakefield
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
98.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
98.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 223 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
19
Employment rate53.5%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed53.5%Unemployed3.1%Retired23.5%Student3.1%Other inactive16.8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial23%Skilled & technical29.9%Routine & elementary47.1%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications32%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.7%Level 3 (A levels)15.2%Level 4+ (degree & above)16.7%Apprenticeship6%Other (incl. vocational)3%
Home ownership59.2%
Among the most-deprived 17% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
62
Council tax Wakefield · 2026-27
A £1,531
B £1,787
C £2,042
D £2,297
E £2,807
F £3,318
G £3,828
H £4,594
Energy Yorkshire region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Yorkshire Water
Average bill regional £437/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
55
Moorthorpe 0.7 mi
South Elmsall 1.4 mi
Thurnscoe 3.3 mi
J38 A1(M) 4.5 mi
J38 A1(M) 4.5 mi
J37 A1(M) 5.7 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
42
Pubs & Bars Adequate 8
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 6
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 6
Retail Shopping Some 3
Takeaways Ample 13
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £170,000 48
Detached £273,000 12
Semi-detached £170,000 24
Terraced £132,500 11
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£96k £148k £202k £255k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

South Elmsall 53 1.5 mi away ⇄
Hemsworth 46 1.9 mi away ⇄
Upton (Wakefield) 45 2.5 mi away ⇄
Brierley 42 2.5 mi away ⇄
Badsworth 50 2.6 mi away ⇄
Grimethorpe 41 2.7 mi away ⇄
Great Houghton (Barnsley) 34 2.9 mi away ⇄
Thurnscoe 47 3.2 mi away ⇄
South Hiendley 46 3.4 mi away ⇄
Fitzwilliam and Kinsley 41 3.4 mi away ⇄
Thorpe Audlin 48 3.5 mi away ⇄
Ackworth Moor Top 53 3.5 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is South Kirkby a nice place to live?

South Kirkby is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for South Kirkby is 50/100, 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 South Kirkby?

Crime levels in South Kirkby are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 22/100. There were 1,360 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in South Kirkby?

Among the top-rated schools in South Kirkby are Moorthorpe Primary School With Inclusion Resource, South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School and South Kirkby Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 6 rated schools in South Kirkby in total.

What are house prices like in South Kirkby?

The current median house price in South Kirkby is £170,000, around 40% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £273,000, semi-detached £170,000, terraced £132,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 10%. There were 48 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

South Kirkby in context

See the best places to live in West Yorkshire, ranked

Postcode districts in South Kirkby

S72 45 ⇄
WF9 47 ⇄

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