Town Pop. 5,699

Living in South Molton: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

South Molton comes out at 41/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 36/100 against a national town median of 18/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 36/100 versus a median of 60/100.

It scores 5 points above the EX36 postcode district as a whole, which averages 36/100. Its healthcare score runs 14 points above the EX36 district's 22/100. That is 9 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. For the surrounding area, see EX36 postcode district.

41
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 Molton scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with South Molton.
Or compare:
EX36 3AA EX36 4AA EX36 9AG EX36

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
77
86 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 230 crimes
↑ 21% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 65 crimes
↓ 25% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 39 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 36 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 33 crimes
↓ 11% below national average
other 87 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Petrol Station 26 crimes
  2. 2 New Road 19 crimes
  3. 3 Shopping Area 19 crimes

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

Environment
61
Air Quality NO₂ 3.3 · PM2.5 4.8 · PM10 8.7 µg/m³
81
Green Space 13
Parks Adequate 2
Sports Pitches Ample 6
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 6

Services

Schools
29
3 schools in area
2Good1Requires Improvement
  • South Molton Community CollegeSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • South Molton Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • South Molton United CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Requires Improvement
Healthcare
36
A&E departmentsNorth Devon District Hospital10.1 mi
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford)24.7 mi
Musgrove Park Hospital30.5 mi
Hospital waitsRoyal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust0.2 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 capacity1,183 patients per GP
0dentists2pharmacies

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
36
Full fibre (FTTP)66.2%
available across North Devon
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
83%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
83%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 151 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
45
Employment rate52.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed52.4%Unemployed2.5%Retired31.3%Student2.7%Other inactive11.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial30.4%Skilled & technical38.7%Routine & elementary30.9%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.4%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)16.1%Level 3 (A levels)18.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)25.4%Apprenticeship6.9%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership66.3%
Among the most-deprived 39% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
28
Council tax North Devon · 2026-27
A £1,761
B £2,055
C £2,348
D £2,642
E £3,229
F £3,816
G £4,403
H £5,284
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 C
Water South West Water
Average bill regional £600/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
9
Kings Nympton 6.5 mi
Umberleigh 6.6 mi
Portsmouth Arms 6.6 mi
J27 M5 22 mi
J27 M5 22.2 mi
J28 M5 22.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
25
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 6
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 4
Retail Shopping Adequate 8
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness Adequate 4

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £246,250 48
Detached £325,090 15
Semi-detached £257,000 12
Terraced £212,500 18
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£183k £254k £328k £399k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Hill 0 1.6 mi away ⇄
North Molton 33 2.8 mi away ⇄
East Buckland 0 4.5 mi away ⇄
Swimbridge 45 6.3 mi away ⇄
Chulmleigh 37 7.4 mi away ⇄
High Bickington 33 7.9 mi away ⇄
Landkey 42 7.9 mi away ⇄
Chawleigh 38 8.4 mi away ⇄
Bratton Fleming 35 8.5 mi away ⇄
Goodleigh 38 8.7 mi away ⇄
Westacott 53 9.1 mi away ⇄
Witheridge 31 9.2 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is South Molton a nice place to live?

South Molton has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for South Molton is 41/100, 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 Molton?

South Molton is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 77/100. There were 490 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in South Molton?

Among the top-rated schools in South Molton are South Molton Community College and South Molton Community Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 3 rated schools in South Molton in total.

What are house prices like in South Molton?

The current median house price in South Molton is £246,250, around 14% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £325,090, semi-detached £257,000, terraced £212,500. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 5%. There were 48 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

South Molton in context

See the best places to live in Devon, ranked

Postcode districts in South Molton

EX36 36 ⇄

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