Town Pop. 32,379

Living in Tonbridge: Liveability Score 55/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Tonbridge is 55/100, built from 9 categories. Lifestyle is where Tonbridge most outperforms the national norm: 57/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Safety falls furthest short: 69/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

It scores 10 points below the TN1 postcode district as a whole, which averages 65/100. On lifestyle specifically, Tonbridge sits 8 points below the TN1 district figure of 65/100. That puts Tonbridge in the top quarter of the UK towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: TN1 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.

Tonbridge scores 55 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Tonbridge.
Or compare:
TN1 1AB TN1 2AA TN1 TN10 TN11 TN12

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
69
81.6 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 919 crimes
↓ 15% below national average
Anti-social behaviour 504 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 282 crimes
↑ 28% above national average
Shoplifting 229 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other theft 146 crimes
↓ 27% below national average
other 563 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Parking Area 229 crimes
  2. 2 Police Station 169 crimes
  3. 3 Supermarket 139 crimes

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

Environment
65
Air Quality NO₂ 7.9 · PM2.5 7.1 · PM10 10.8 µg/m³
71
Green Space 51
Parks Ample 18
Sports Pitches Ample 16
Allotments Ample 5
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Ample 9
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 9

Services

Schools
51
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 15 in area · 17 within 4km
1Outstanding10Good1Requires Improvement3Ungraded
  • Tonbridge Grammar SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Bishop Chavasse Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Cage Green Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Hillview School for GirlsSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Leigh Academy TonbridgeSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Nexus Foundation Special SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Royal Rise Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Slade Primary School and Attached Unit for Children with Hearing ImpairmentPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Sussex Road Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    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
40
A&E departmentsTunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury1.8 mi
Tunbridge Wells Nuffield Hospital3.1 mi
Maidstone Hospital8.7 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
2 GP surgeries in area 3 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,895 patients per GP
8dentists6pharmacies

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)76.4%
available across Tonbridge and Malling
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
93%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
93%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 814 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
64
Employment rate59.2%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.2%Unemployed2.6%Retired23.6%Student4.9%Other inactive9.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial44.3%Skilled & technical33%Routine & elementary22.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.4%Level 3 (A levels)15.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)35.5%Apprenticeship5%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership66.1%
Among the least-deprived 32% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
39
Council tax Tonbridge and Malling · 2026-27
A £1,648
B £1,923
C £2,197
D £2,472
E £3,021
F £3,571
G £4,120
H £4,944
Energy South East England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
53
Tonbridge 0.7 mi
Hildenborough 2.6 mi
Leigh 3.1 mi
J2A M26 7.3 mi
J2A M26 7.7 mi
J2 M20 8.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
57
Pubs & Bars Ample 13
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 26
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 19
Retail Shopping Ample 116
Takeaways Ample 23
Fitness Ample 10

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £405,000 218
Detached £720,000 40
Semi-detached £440,000 85
Terraced £367,900 56
Flat / Maisonette £230,000 37
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£205k £408k £618k £821k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Hildenborough 56 1.6 mi away ⇄
Pittswood 54 2.2 mi away ⇄
Bidborough 47 2.8 mi away ⇄
Southborough 66 2.9 mi away ⇄
Leigh (Sevenoaks) 36 2.9 mi away ⇄
Hadlow 51 3.0 mi away ⇄
Golden Green 38 3.0 mi away ⇄
Five Oak Green 44 3.4 mi away ⇄
Pembury 47 4.0 mi away ⇄
Speldhurst 47 4.3 mi away ⇄
Plaxtol 45 4.3 mi away ⇄
Royal Tunbridge Wells 64 4.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Tonbridge a nice place to live?

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

Tonbridge has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 69/100. There were 2,643 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Tonbridge?

Among the top-rated schools in Tonbridge are Tonbridge Grammar School, Bishop Chavasse Primary School and Cage Green Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 15 rated schools in Tonbridge in total.

What are house prices like in Tonbridge?

The current median house price in Tonbridge is £405,000, around 42% above the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £720,000, semi-detached £440,000, terraced £367,900, flat £230,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 11%. There were 218 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Tonbridge in context

See where Tonbridge ranks among the best places to live in Kent

Postcode districts in Tonbridge

TN1 65 ⇄
TN10 57 ⇄
TN11 45 ⇄
TN12 39 ⇄
TN2 57 ⇄
TN3 48 ⇄
TN4 64 ⇄
TN5 44 ⇄
TN9 57 ⇄

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