City Pop. 96,878

Living in Wakefield: Liveability Score 61/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Wakefield comes out at 61/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Transport is where Wakefield most outperforms the national norm: 80/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. Safety falls furthest short: 24/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That sits 11 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 10% of the towns and villages we score. Also scoring 80 or better: broadband (82). For the surrounding area, see WF1 postcode district.

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.

Wakefield scores 61 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Wakefield.

Or compare:

WF1 1AA WF1 2AA WF1 3AA WF1 4AA WF1 5AB WF1 9AF WF1 WF2 WF3 WF4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

141.1 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 6,251 crimes

↑ 94% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 1,276 crimes

↓ 13% below national average

Public order 1,123 crimes

↑ 78% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 923 crimes

↑ 40% above national average

Other theft 853 crimes

↑ 42% above national average

other 3,243 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Tuke Grove 328 crimes
2 Petrol Station 255 crimes
3 Supermarket 253 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 11.2 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 12.1 µg/m³

Green Space 45

Parks Ample 77

Sports Pitches Ample 89

Allotments Ample 16

Golf Courses Ample 5

Tennis Courts Ample 30

Bowling Greens Ample 15

Playgrounds Ample 45

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 44 in area

5Outstanding34Good2Requires Improvement3Ungraded

Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Jerry Clay AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Kingsland Primary SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse GatePrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Trinity Academy CathedralSecondary · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE (VA) School 3-11yrsPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Crigglestone Mackie Hill Junior and Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
Good
Crigglestone Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2025
Good
Crigglestone St James CofE Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Good
East Ardsley Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
Good

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsPinderfields Hospitalin area

Dewsbury & District Hospital4.3 mi

Leeds General Infirmary5.6 mi

Hospital waitsSouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi

Routine referral (median)5 wks

Treated within 18 weeks96.4%

10 GP surgeries in area 11 within 4km best 'Good'

GP capacity1,946 patients per GP

18dentists20pharmacies

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

Full fibre (FTTP)94.7%

available across Wakefield

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

96.4%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

96.3%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

98.8%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 2,327 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate57.1%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed57.1%Unemployed3.2%Retired22.3%Student3.8%Other inactive13.6%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial34.3%Skilled & technical31.5%Routine & elementary34.2%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications22.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.3%Level 3 (A levels)15.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.5%Apprenticeship6.4%Other (incl. vocational)3%

Home ownership61.1%

Around the England average for deprivation

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax Wakefield · 2026-27

A £1,531

B £1,787

C £2,042

D £2,297

E £2,807

F £3,318

G £3,828

H £4,594

Energy Yorkshire region

Typical bill regional £1,641/yr

Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026

Typical home efficiency local EPC band D

Water Yorkshire Water

Average bill regional £437/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Wakefield Westgate 0.2 mi

Wakefield Kirkgate 0.8 mi

Sandal and Agbrigg 1.8 mi

J40 M1 2.1 mi

J39 M1 2.3 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 118

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 145

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 105

Retail Shopping Ample 614

Takeaways Ample 174

Fitness Ample 13

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£225,000	559
Detached	£349,950	161
Semi-detached	£225,500	222
Terraced	£167,500	123
Flat / Maisonette	£105,000	53

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Wakefield a nice place to live?

Wakefield is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Wakefield is 61/100, 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 Wakefield?

Crime levels in Wakefield are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 24/100. There were 13,669 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Wakefield?

Among the top-rated schools in Wakefield are Crigglestone Dane Royd Junior and Infant School, Jerry Clay Academy and Kingsland Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 44 rated schools in Wakefield in total.

What are house prices like in Wakefield?

The current median house price in Wakefield is £225,000, around 21% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £349,950, semi-detached £225,500, terraced £167,500, flat £105,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 3%. There were 559 sales recorded in the past 12 months.