Town Pop. 10,731

Living in Southwater: Liveability Score 53/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Southwater is 53/100, built from 9 categories. Lifestyle is where Southwater most outperforms the national norm: 51/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Among the 12 scored places sharing the RH13 postcode district, Southwater ranks 3rd.

Safety (91) and economic health (83) sit at 80/100 or above. Below 30/100: transport (28) and healthcare (29). That puts Southwater in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the RH13 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.

Southwater scores 53 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Southwater.
Or compare:
RH13 0AA RH13 5AA RH13 6AA RH13 8AA RH13 9AA RH13

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
91
62.3 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 247 crimes
↓ 31% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 127 crimes
↓ 22% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 66 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 56 crimes
↓ 20% below national average
Other theft 46 crimes
↓ 31% below national average
other 127 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Supermarket 33 crimes
  2. 2 Sports/Recreation Area 29 crimes
  3. 3 Kensett Avenue 27 crimes

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

Environment
76
Air Quality NO₂ 6.2 · PM2.5 6.5 · PM10 10.2 µg/m³
74
Green Space 81
Parks Ample 8
Sports Pitches Ample 29
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses Ample 4
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 12

Services

Schools
31
3 schools in area · 10 within 4km
3Good
  • Castlewood Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Southwater Infant AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Southwater Junior AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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

Healthcare
29
A&E departmentsWorthing Hospital13.5 mi
East Surrey Hospital14.4 mi
Royal Sussex County Hospital16.6 mi
Hospital waitsUniversity Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust2.6 mi
Routine referral (median)15 wks
Treated within 18 weeks55.1%
A&E seen within 4 hrs63.9%
1 GP surgery in area 3 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity2,445 patients per GP
2dentists1pharmacy

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
48
Full fibre (FTTP)76.4%
available across Horsham
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
88%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
88.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 224 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
83
Employment rate64%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed64%Unemployed2.1%Retired20.9%Student5.4%Other inactive7.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial46.8%Skilled & technical34.4%Routine & elementary18.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications11.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)18.2%Level 3 (A levels)19.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)34.2%Apprenticeship4.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.2%
Home ownership75.9%
Among the least-deprived 17% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
42
Council tax Horsham · 2026-27
A £1,627
B £1,899
C £2,170
D £2,441
E £2,983
F £3,526
G £4,068
H £4,882
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
28
Christ's Hospital 1.5 mi
Horsham 2.8 mi
Littlehaven 3.9 mi
J11 M23 7.5 mi
J11 M23 8.2 mi
J10A M23 10.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
51
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 3
Retail Shopping Adequate 7
Takeaways Adequate 4
Fitness Ample 8

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £432,500 70
Detached £565,000 27
Semi-detached £425,000 15
Terraced £361,500 20
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£181k £348k £520k £686k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Tower Hill 54 1.5 mi away ⇄
Barns Green 44 1.8 mi away ⇄
Brooks Green 36 2.1 mi away ⇄
Itchingfield 36 2.4 mi away ⇄
Broadbridge Heath 43 2.6 mi away ⇄
Horsham 70 3.1 mi away ⇄
Mannings Heath 43 3.2 mi away ⇄
Slinfold 33 3.6 mi away ⇄
Warnham 49 4.2 mi away ⇄
Billingshurst 46 4.4 mi away ⇄
Cowfold 51 4.6 mi away ⇄
Littleworth 0 4.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Southwater a nice place to live?

Southwater is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Southwater 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 Southwater?

Southwater is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 91/100. There were 669 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Southwater?

Among the top-rated schools in Southwater are Castlewood Primary School, Southwater Infant Academy and Southwater Junior Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 3 rated schools in Southwater in total.

What are house prices like in Southwater?

The current median house price in Southwater is £432,500, around 52% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £565,000, semi-detached £425,000, terraced £361,500. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 12%. There were 70 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Southwater in context

See where Southwater ranks among the best places to live in West Sussex

Postcode districts in Southwater

RH13 55 ⇄

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