Town Pop. 3,114

Living in Thurston: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Thurston is 41/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 50/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Safety falls furthest short: 54/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That makes it the 5th highest-scoring of the 16 places in the IP31 postcode district. Its transport score runs 26 points above the IP31 district's 24/100. That is 9 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. For the surrounding area, see IP31 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.

Thurston scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Thurston.
Or compare:
IP31 1AA IP31 2AA IP31 3AA IP31

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
54
95.1 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 157 crimes
↑ 51% above national average
Shoplifting 33 crimes
↑ 36% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 20 crimes
↓ 58% below national average
Other theft 18 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 17 crimes
↓ 15% below national average
other 51 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Mill Lane 49 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 36 crimes
  3. 3 Meadow Lane 34 crimes

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

Environment
67
Air Quality NO₂ 5.7 · PM2.5 7 · PM10 12.2 µg/m³
72
Green Space 54
Parks Ample 17
Sports Pitches Ample 5
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
22
2 schools in area · 6 within 4km
1Good1Ungraded
  • Thurston Community CollegeSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Thurston Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded

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
3
A&E departmentsRAF Lakenheath Medical Hospital14.3 mi
Ipswich Hospital20.2 mi
Colchester General Hospital23.2 mi
Hospital waitsWest Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust3 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks66%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.1%
Nearest GP surgeryMount Farm Surgery3.1 mi
GP capacity1,334 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
50
Full fibre (FTTP)58.2%
available across Mid Suffolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
77.9%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
77.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 120 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
64
Employment rate59.7%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.7%Unemployed1.4%Retired31.1%Student2.5%Other inactive5.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.4%Skilled & technical34%Routine & elementary22.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications14.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.6%Level 3 (A levels)18.8%Level 4+ (degree & above)33.7%Apprenticeship6.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.5%
Home ownership81.4%
Among the least-deprived 27% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
58
Council tax Mid Suffolk · 2026-27
A £1,545
B £1,802
C £2,060
D £2,317
E £2,832
F £3,347
G £3,862
H £4,634
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
Thurston 0.3 mi
Bury St Edmunds 4.3 mi
Elmswell 4.3 mi
J9A M11 28.8 mi
J9A M11 29.3 mi
J9 M11 29.8 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
31
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Some 5
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness None

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £290,000 40
Detached £385,000 19
Semi-detached £255,000 17
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£242k £317k £394k £468k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Pakenham 36 1.3 mi away ⇄
Beyton 29 1.6 mi away ⇄
Great Barton 40 2.2 mi away ⇄
Norton (Mid Suffolk) 37 2.3 mi away ⇄
Tostock 42 2.3 mi away ⇄
Hessett 28 2.6 mi away ⇄
Ixworth 44 3.4 mi away ⇄
Woolpit 42 3.8 mi away ⇄
Drinkstone Green 29 4.0 mi away ⇄
Sicklesmere 44 4.1 mi away ⇄
Bury St Edmunds 63 4.1 mi away ⇄
Elmswell 47 4.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Thurston a nice place to live?

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

Thurston has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 54/100. There were 296 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Thurston?

Among the top-rated schools in Thurston is Thurston Community College, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Thurston in total.

What are house prices like in Thurston?

The current median house price in Thurston is £290,000, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £385,000, semi-detached £255,000. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 15%. There were 40 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Thurston in context

See where Thurston ranks among the best places to live in Suffolk

Postcode districts in Thurston

IP31 41 ⇄

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