Town Pop. 2,297

Living in Sway: Liveability Score 51/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Sway scores 51/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Broadband is where Sway most outperforms the national norm: 84/100 against a median of 60/100 across UK towns. Among the 11 scored places sharing the SO41 postcode district, Sway ranks 7th.

On broadband specifically, Sway sits 40 points above the SO41 district figure of 44/100. Safety (92), economic health (86) and environment (80) also clear 80/100. Below 30/100: healthcare (5), lifestyle (13) and schools (28). For the surrounding area, see SO41 postcode district.

51
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.

Sway scores 51 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Sway.
Or compare:
SO41 0AA SO41 1AU SO41 3AA SO41 5AB SO41 6AA SO41 8AA SO41 9AA SO41

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
92
63.1 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 51 crimes
↓ 33% below national average
Burglary 24 crimes
↑ 197% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 20 crimes
↓ 43% below national average
Criminal damage and arson 15 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 9 crimes
↓ 37% below national average
other 26 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 South Sway Lane 12 crimes
  2. 2 Station Road 11 crimes
  3. 3 Buldowne Walk 7 crimes

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

Environment
80
Air Quality NO₂ 5.2 · PM2.5 5.4 · PM10 8.4 µg/m³
78
Green Space 85
Parks None
Sports Pitches Adequate 4
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 5
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
28
1 school in area · 6 within 4km
1Outstanding
  • St Luke's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding

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

Healthcare
5
A&E departmentsRoyal Bournemouth Hospital9.4 mi
Hythe Hospital9.9 mi
Southampton General Hospital12.2 mi
Hospital waitsHampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust1.8 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks70%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.3%
Nearest GP surgeryNew Forest Central Medical Group2.5 mi
GP capacity1,549 patients per GP
0dentists1pharmacy

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
84
Full fibre (FTTP)71.8%
available across New Forest
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
95.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
95.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 56 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
86
Employment rate48.4%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed48.4%Unemployed1.8%Retired36.7%Student2.9%Other inactive10.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial47.6%Skilled & technical35.9%Routine & elementary16.5%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications12.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)7.2%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.5%Level 3 (A levels)16.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)41.7%Apprenticeship5.4%Other (incl. vocational)3.3%
Home ownership84.1%
Among the least-deprived 20% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
47
Council tax New Forest · 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 Southern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Wessex Water
Average bill regional £581/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
38
Sway 0.2 mi
Brockenhurst 2.6 mi
New Milton 3 mi
J1 M27 9.1 mi
J1 M27 9.5 mi
J2 M27 11.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
13
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 1
Supermarkets & Convenience None
Retail Shopping None
Takeaways None
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £560,000 16
5-year monthly trend
All Detached
£473k £583k £695k £804k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Tiptoe 53 1.2 mi away ⇄
Mount Pleasant 56 1.7 mi away ⇄
Wootton (New Forest) 0 1.7 mi away ⇄
Sandy Down 0 2.1 mi away ⇄
Ashley (New Forest) 53 2.2 mi away ⇄
Bashley 53 2.2 mi away ⇄
Hordle 52 2.2 mi away ⇄
Brockenhurst 51 2.6 mi away ⇄
Everton (New Forest) 43 2.9 mi away ⇄
New Milton 52 3.1 mi away ⇄
Lymington 60 3.2 mi away ⇄
Pilley 57 3.3 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Sway a nice place to live?

Sway is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Sway is 51/100, 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 Sway?

Sway is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 92/100. There were 145 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Sway?

Among the top-rated schools in Sway is St Luke's Church of England Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Sway in total.

What are house prices like in Sway?

The current median house price in Sway is £560,000, around 96% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 8%.

Sway in context

See the best places to live in Hampshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Sway

SO41 55 ⇄

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