Town Pop. 25,500

Living in Thetford: Liveability Score 51/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Thetford scores 51/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 55/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 47/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the IP24 postcode district scores higher. Thetford leads all 4. Notably, nothing falls below 41/100. Most UK towns have at least one category in the 30s or worse. That puts Thetford in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: IP24 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.

Thetford scores 51 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Thetford.
Or compare:
IP24 1AA IP24 2AA IP24 3AA IP24 9AX IP24 IP25

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
47
97.1 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 977 crimes
↑ 15% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 384 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 237 crimes
↑ 37% above national average
Public order 173 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Shoplifting 151 crimes
↓ 24% below national average
other 554 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 239 crimes
  2. 2 Stapleford Way 107 crimes
  3. 3 Well Street 83 crimes

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

Environment
72
Air Quality NO₂ 6.9 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 12.2 µg/m³
71
Green Space 75
Parks Ample 19
Sports Pitches Ample 19
Allotments Ample 6
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 13

Services

Schools
41
10 schools in area
6Good1Requires Improvement1Inadequate2Ungraded
  • Admirals AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Drake Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Raleigh Infant AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Redcastle Family SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • The Pinetree SchoolAlternative provision · inspected 2023
    Good
  • The Thetford AcademySecondary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Queensway Infant AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Requires Improvement
  • Queensway Junior AcademyPrimary · inspected 2022
    Inadequate
  • Norwich Road AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded
  • The Bishop's Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2025
    Ungraded

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare
55
A&E departmentsRAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital7.4 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital22.9 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department22.9 mi
Hospital waitsWest Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust0 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.1%
2 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'
GP capacity2,119 patients per GP
2dentists4pharmacies

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
45
Full fibre (FTTP)66.1%
available across Breckland
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
72.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
74.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.2%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 525 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
45
Employment rate62.8%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed62.8%Unemployed3%Retired19.5%Student3.2%Other inactive11.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial26.1%Skilled & technical30.4%Routine & elementary43.5%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications25.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)13.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15%Level 3 (A levels)15.3%Level 4+ (degree & above)19.5%Apprenticeship6.9%Other (incl. vocational)4.1%
Home ownership53.8%
Among the most-deprived 40% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
48
Council tax Breckland · 2026-27
A £1,629
B £1,901
C £2,172
D £2,444
E £2,987
F £3,530
G £4,073
H £4,888
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
50
Thetford 0.2 mi
Brandon 5.8 mi
Harling Road 7.3 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
58
Pubs & Bars Adequate 7
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 31
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 32
Retail Shopping Ample 202
Takeaways Ample 28
Fitness Ample 16

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £220,000 127
Detached £317,000 40
Semi-detached £230,000 35
Terraced £185,000 45
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£116k £198k £283k £365k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Barnham (West Suffolk) 39 2.6 mi away ⇄
Fakenham Magna 0 5.0 mi away ⇄
Longfield Green 27 5.3 mi away ⇄
Brandon (West Suffolk) 47 5.7 mi away ⇄
Coney Weston 29 6.3 mi away ⇄
Weeting 37 6.7 mi away ⇄
Harling Road 40 7.2 mi away ⇄
Barningham 35 7.4 mi away ⇄
Bardwell 32 7.6 mi away ⇄
Mundford 37 7.7 mi away ⇄
Great Hockham 36 7.7 mi away ⇄
Ickburgh 38 8.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Thetford a nice place to live?

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

Thetford has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 47/100. There were 2,476 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Thetford?

Among the top-rated schools in Thetford are Admirals Academy, Drake Primary School and Raleigh Infant Academy, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 10 rated schools in Thetford in total.

What are house prices like in Thetford?

The current median house price in Thetford is £220,000, around 23% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £317,000, semi-detached £230,000, terraced £185,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 9%. There were 127 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Thetford in context

See where Thetford ranks among the best places to live in Norfolk

Postcode districts in Thetford

IP24 48 ⇄
IP25 41 ⇄

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