Town Pop. 594

Living in Swaffham Prior: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Swaffham Prior is 41/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, broadband stands out most: 87/100 where the typical UK town scores 60/100. Among the 9 scored places sharing the CB25 postcode district, Swaffham Prior ranks 4th.

On broadband specifically, Swaffham Prior sits 33 points above the CB25 district figure of 54/100. That sits 9 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the middle half of the towns and villages we score. Below 30/100: healthcare (7), transport (15), schools (17) and lifestyle (18). For the surrounding area, see CB25 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.

Swaffham Prior scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Swaffham Prior.
Or compare:
CB25 0AA CB25 9AA CB25

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
78
198.7 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 54 crimes
↑ 173% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 31 crimes
↑ 243% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 10 crimes
↑ 147% above national average
Vehicle crime 9 crimes
↑ 217% above national average
Public order 6 crimes
↑ 55% above national average
other 8 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Fairview Grove 31 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 12 crimes
  3. 3 Heath Road 10 crimes

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

Environment
53
Air Quality NO₂ 4.834 · PM2.5 6.876 · PM10 12.045 µg/m³
73
Green Space 7
Parks Ample 9
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
17
1 school in area · 3 within 4km
1Good
  • Swaffham Prior Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good

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

Healthcare
7
A&E departmentsUrgent Care Cambridge6.8 mi
Cambridge Biomedical Campus8.3 mi
RAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital13.8 mi
Hospital waitsCambridgeshire And Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust2 mi
Routine referral (median)22 wks
Treated within 18 weeks37.2%
Nearest GP surgeryDr A J Wills & Partners2 mi
GP capacity1,194 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
87
Full fibre (FTTP)78.3%
available across East Cambridgeshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
97.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
97.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
98.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 15 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
74
Employment rate61%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61%Unemployed2.3%Retired24.5%Student4.2%Other inactive8%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial49.9%Skilled & technical31.5%Routine & elementary18.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.9%Level 3 (A levels)15.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)43.7%Apprenticeship6.3%Other (incl. vocational)2%
Home ownership67.2%
Among the least-deprived 37% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
38
Council tax East Cambridgeshire · 2026-27
A £1,657
B £1,933
C £2,209
D £2,485
E £3,037
F £3,589
G £4,142
H £4,970
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
15
Waterbeach 4.3 mi
Dullingham 4.6 mi
Newmarket 4.8 mi
J14 M11 9.7 mi
J13 M11 9.8 mi
J31 M11 10 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
18
Pubs & Bars Some 1
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Swaffham Prior in the last 12 months, which isn't enough for a reliable median. Smaller villages often fall below this in any given year. Figures come from HM Land Registry Price Paid data and are updated monthly, so this may fill in later.

Nearby places

Swaffham Bulbeck 40 1.5 mi away ⇄
Burwell 50 2.0 mi away ⇄
Lode 41 2.4 mi away ⇄
Bottisham 46 2.7 mi away ⇄
Exning 39 3.2 mi away ⇄
Stow cum Quy 36 3.9 mi away ⇄
Great Wilbraham 34 4.4 mi away ⇄
Newmarket 60 4.4 mi away ⇄
Landwade 31 4.6 mi away ⇄
Snailwell 0 4.7 mi away ⇄
Horningsea 29 4.9 mi away ⇄
Waterbeach 46 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Swaffham Prior a nice place to live?

Swaffham Prior has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Swaffham Prior 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 Swaffham Prior?

Swaffham Prior is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 78/100. There were 118 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Swaffham Prior?

Among the top-rated schools in Swaffham Prior is Swaffham Prior Church of England Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Swaffham Prior in total.

Swaffham Prior in context

See the best places to live in Cambridgeshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Swaffham Prior

CB25 42 ⇄

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