Town Pop. 9,671

Living in Southborough: Liveability Score 66/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Southborough comes out at 66/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Healthcare is where Southborough most outperforms the national norm: 70/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. That is the highest score of the 5 places in the TN2 postcode district.

No category drops below 41/100, which is unusual: most UK towns carry at least one clear weak spot. Against the wider TN2 district average of 57/100, that is 9 points above. That is 16 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 5% of all UK towns and villages. Wider context for the surrounding area: TN2 postcode district.

66
OUT OF 100
Good
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.

Southborough scores 66 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Southborough.
Or compare:
TN2 3AA TN2 4AA TN2 5AA TN2 9BT TN2 TN4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
88
69.8 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 271 crimes
↓ 16% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 97 crimes
↓ 34% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 59 crimes
↓ 10% below national average
Other theft 57 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 50 crimes
↓ 20% below national average
other 141 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 St Andrews Court 32 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 31 crimes
  3. 3 Chestnut Close 24 crimes

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

Environment
60
Air Quality NO₂ 6.9 · PM2.5 6.9 · PM10 10.4 µg/m³
73
Green Space 31
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches Adequate 3
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Adequate 4

Services

Schools
65
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 12 in area · 33 within 4km
1Outstanding7Good1Requires Improvement1Inadequate2Ungraded
  • Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar SchoolSecondary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Skinners' Kent Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Skinners' Temple GrovePrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Southborough CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Augustine's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • St John's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for BoysSecondary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Requires Improvement
  • OA Tunbridge WellsAlternative provision · inspected 2024
    Inadequate

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
70
A&E departmentsTunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury1.2 mi
Tunbridge Wells Nuffield Hospital1.3 mi
Maidstone Hospital12 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust0.5 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
1 GP surgery in area 8 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,884 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

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
75
Full fibre (FTTP)75.5%
available across Tunbridge Wells
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
83.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
87.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 241 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
57
Employment rate62.6%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed62.6%Unemployed2.8%Retired19.6%Student4.6%Other inactive10.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial45.6%Skilled & technical32.4%Routine & elementary22%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15%Level 3 (A levels)16%Level 4+ (degree & above)38.5%Apprenticeship4.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership66.5%
Among the least-deprived 36% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
41
Council tax Tunbridge Wells · 2026-27
A £1,631
B £1,902
C £2,174
D £2,446
E £2,990
F £3,533
G £4,077
H £4,892
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
54
High Brooms 1 mi
Tunbridge Wells 2 mi
Tonbridge 2.3 mi
J2A M26 10.2 mi
J5 M25 10.2 mi
J5 M25 10.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
51
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 7
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 6
Retail Shopping Ample 26
Takeaways Adequate 8
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £485,000 52
Detached £845,500 16
Semi-detached £480,000 17
Terraced £385,000 13
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£205k £470k £743k £1.0m 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Bidborough 47 1.2 mi away ⇄
Royal Tunbridge Wells 64 1.6 mi away ⇄
Speldhurst 47 1.9 mi away ⇄
Bullingstone 46 2.4 mi away ⇄
Rusthall and Langton Green 52 2.5 mi away ⇄
Tonbridge 55 2.9 mi away ⇄
Pembury 47 3.0 mi away ⇄
Leigh (Sevenoaks) 36 3.3 mi away ⇄
Fordcombe 45 3.7 mi away ⇄
Hildenborough 56 3.8 mi away ⇄
Frant 41 4.4 mi away ⇄
Five Oak Green 44 4.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Southborough a nice place to live?

Yes, Southborough is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Southborough is 66/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Southborough?

Southborough is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 88/100. There were 675 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Southborough?

Among the top-rated schools in Southborough are Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School, Bidborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School and Skinners' Kent Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 12 rated schools in Southborough in total.

What are house prices like in Southborough?

The current median house price in Southborough is £485,000, around 70% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £845,500, semi-detached £480,000, terraced £385,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 29%. There were 52 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Southborough in context

See where Southborough ranks among the best places to live in Kent

Postcode districts in Southborough

TN2 57 ⇄
TN4 64 ⇄

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