Town Pop. 1,612

Living in Upchurch: Liveability Score 49/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Upchurch scores 49/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Against the wider ME8 district average of 69/100, that is 20 points below. On lifestyle specifically, Upchurch sits 40 points below the ME8 district figure of 73/100.

Also scoring 80 or better: safety (89). Below 30/100: healthcare (19) and transport (28). That puts Upchurch in the middle half of the UK towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: ME8 postcode district.

49
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.

Upchurch scores 49 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Upchurch.
Or compare:
ME8 0AA ME8 1AG ME8 6AA ME8 7AA ME8 8AA ME8 9AA ME8 ME9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
89
82.5 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 54 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 19 crimes
↓ 22% below national average
Other theft 16 crimes
↑ 60% above national average
Vehicle crime 10 crimes
↑ 29% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 8 crimes
↓ 26% below national average
other 26 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Spade Lane 21 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 17 crimes
  3. 3 Sports/Recreation Area 12 crimes

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

Environment
67
Air Quality NO₂ 8.9 · PM2.5 7 · PM10 10.9 µg/m³
70
Green Space 61
Parks Ample 7
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses Ample 4
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Some 1

Services

Schools
33
2 schools in area · 14 within 4km
2Good
  • Holywell Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Riverside Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good

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

Healthcare
19
A&E departmentsMedway Maritime Hospital3.7 mi
Maidstone Hospital9.1 mi
Southend University Hospital12.2 mi
Hospital waitsMedway NHS Foundation Trust1.6 mi
Routine referral (median)13 wks
Treated within 18 weeks62%
A&E seen within 4 hrs74.7%
Nearest GP surgeryOrchard Family Practice1.6 mi
GP capacity2,674 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
71
Full fibre (FTTP)76%
available across Swale
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
84%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
89.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
100%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 37 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
58
Employment rate61%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed61%Unemployed1.9%Retired25.1%Student2.8%Other inactive9.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial40.3%Skilled & technical39.9%Routine & elementary19.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications18.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.2%Level 3 (A levels)18.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.6%Apprenticeship6.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership85.1%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
45
Council tax Swale · 2026-27
A £1,604
B £1,871
C £2,139
D £2,406
E £2,941
F £3,475
G £4,010
H £4,812
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
28
Rainham 1.4 mi
Newington 1.8 mi
Gillingham 4 mi
J5 M2 3 mi
J5 M2 3.4 mi
J4 M2 3.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
33
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes None
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Some 2
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness None

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House Prices

Not enough recent sales

Fewer than 10 sales were recorded in Upchurch 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

Ham Green 0 1.0 mi away ⇄
Lower Halstow 39 1.2 mi away ⇄
Newington 43 1.8 mi away ⇄
Hartlip 42 1.9 mi away ⇄
Gillingham (Medway) 66 2.9 mi away ⇄
Iwade 53 3.7 mi away ⇄
Kingsnorth (Medway) 44 3.7 mi away ⇄
Borden 53 4.0 mi away ⇄
Bredhurst 37 4.1 mi away ⇄
Sittingbourne 57 4.6 mi away ⇄
Hoo St Werburgh 45 4.9 mi away ⇄
Bredgar 43 4.9 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Upchurch a nice place to live?

Upchurch has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Upchurch is 49/100, 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 Upchurch?

Upchurch is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 89/100. There were 133 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Upchurch?

Among the top-rated schools in Upchurch are Holywell Primary School and Riverside Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Upchurch in total.

Upchurch in context

See the best places to live in Kent, ranked

Postcode districts in Upchurch

ME8 69 ⇄
ME9 40 ⇄

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