Town Pop. 4,782

Living in Sowerby Bridge: Liveability Score 55/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Sowerby Bridge comes out at 55/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 81/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Safety falls furthest short: 23/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

Among the 3 scored places sharing the HX6 postcode district, Sowerby Bridge ranks 2nd. On the national picture that lands Sowerby Bridge in the top quarter of all the places we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the HX6 postcode district.

55
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.

Sowerby Bridge scores 55 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sowerby Bridge.
Or compare:
HX6 1AA HX6 2AA HX6 3AA HX6 4AA HX6

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
23
287.1 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 550 crimes
↑ 245% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 325 crimes
↑ 347% above national average
Public order 108 crimes
↑ 248% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 87 crimes
↑ 168% above national average
Other theft 79 crimes
↑ 166% above national average
other 224 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Moorland View 73 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 51 crimes
  3. 3 The Nook 51 crimes

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

Environment
75
Air Quality NO₂ 8.3 · PM2.5 6.3 · PM10 9.5 µg/m³
73
Green Space 76
Parks Ample 13
Sports Pitches Ample 7
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 5
Bowling Greens Adequate 3
Playgrounds Adequate 5

Services

Schools
68
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 13 in area · 32 within 4km
1Outstanding11Good1Ungraded
  • Luddendenfoot AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Bolton Brow Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Christ Church CofE VA Junior School, Sowerby BridgePrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • New Road Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Norland CE SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Ryburn Valley High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Sacred Heart Catholic Voluntary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Triangle CofE VC Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Trinity Academy GrammarSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Trinity Academy St Peter'sPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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
46
A&E departmentsCalderdale Royal Hospital1.6 mi
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary4.9 mi
Bradford Royal Infirmary7.8 mi
Hospital waitsCalderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks76%
A&E seen within 4 hrs87.8%
1 GP surgery in area 6 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,859 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
71
Full fibre (FTTP)77%
available across Calderdale
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
90%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
90%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 172 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
35
Employment rate58.4%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.4%Unemployed3.2%Retired22.3%Student3.5%Other inactive12.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial36.9%Skilled & technical32.4%Routine & elementary30.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.4%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.2%Level 3 (A levels)18.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)30.5%Apprenticeship6.7%Other (incl. vocational)1.9%
Home ownership58.1%
Among the most-deprived 31% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
52
Council tax Calderdale · 2026-27
A £1,613
B £1,882
C £2,151
D £2,420
E £2,958
F £3,496
G £4,033
H £4,840
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
81
Sowerby Bridge 0.7 mi
Mytholmroyd 2.9 mi
Halifax 3.1 mi
J23 M62 4 mi
J24 M62 4.2 mi
J24 M62 4.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
54
Pubs & Bars Adequate 5
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 4
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 6
Retail Shopping Ample 21
Takeaways Adequate 5
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 £195,000 29
Semi-detached £216,250 11
Terraced £172,172 16
5-year monthly trend
All Semi Terraced
£134k £171k £209k £246k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Luddenden Foot 51 1.7 mi away ⇄
Barkisland 58 2.0 mi away ⇄
Halifax 61 2.4 mi away ⇄
Ripponden 54 2.5 mi away ⇄
Mytholmroyd 46 3.0 mi away ⇄
Holywell Green and Stainland 62 3.0 mi away ⇄
Cragg Vale 45 3.0 mi away ⇄
Elland 57 3.5 mi away ⇄
Outlane 62 3.7 mi away ⇄
Hebden Bridge 49 4.6 mi away ⇄
Scapegoat Hill 69 4.8 mi away ⇄
Shelf and Northowram 59 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sowerby Bridge a nice place to live?

Sowerby Bridge is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Sowerby Bridge is 55/100, 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 Sowerby Bridge?

Crime levels in Sowerby Bridge are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 23/100. There were 1,373 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sowerby Bridge?

Among the top-rated schools in Sowerby Bridge are Luddendenfoot Academy, Bolton Brow Primary Academy and Christ Church CofE VA Junior School, Sowerby Bridge, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 13 rated schools in Sowerby Bridge in total.

What are house prices like in Sowerby Bridge?

The current median house price in Sowerby Bridge is £195,000, around 32% below the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £216,250, terraced £172,172. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 19%. There were 29 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Sowerby Bridge in context

See the best places to live in West Yorkshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Sowerby Bridge

HX6 59 ⇄

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