Town Pop. 1,910

Living in Wells-next-the-Sea: Liveability Score 48/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Wells-next-the-Sea is 48/100, built from 9 categories. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 51/100 against a national town median of 18/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is broadband: 15/100 versus a median of 60/100.

Against the wider NR23 district average of 40/100, that is 8 points above. Its healthcare score runs 30 points above the NR23 district's 21/100. Safety (81) sits at 80/100 or above. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the NR23 postcode district.

48
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.

Loading map…

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.

Wells-next-the-Sea scores 48 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Wells-next-the-Sea.
Or compare:
NR23 1AA NR23

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
81
74.3 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 61 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Anti-social behaviour 17 crimes
↓ 41% below national average
Other theft 14 crimes
↑ 18% above national average
Public order 12 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Other crime 11 crimes
↑ 190% above national average
other 27 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Parking Area 14 crimes
  2. 2 Market Lane 12 crimes
  3. 3 Newgate Lane 11 crimes

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

Environment
75
Air Quality NO₂ 4.5 · PM2.5 6.6 · PM10 11.7 µg/m³
74
Green Space 78
Parks Adequate 4
Sports Pitches Ample 11
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Some 2

Services

Schools
33
2 schools in area
2Good
  • Alderman Peel High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Wells-Next-the-Sea Primary and Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
Healthcare
51
A&E departmentsNorfolk and Norwich University Hospital27.4 mi
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital:Emergency Department27.4 mi
Pilgrim Hospital35.5 mi
Hospital waitsNorfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)11 wks
Treated within 18 weeks63.7%
A&E seen within 4 hrs83%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity477 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
15
Full fibre (FTTP)50.7%
available across North Norfolk
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
27.3%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
27.3%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.1%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 143 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
38
Employment rate45.8%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed45.8%Unemployed2.1%Retired38.1%Student1.4%Other inactive12.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial31.1%Skilled & technical36.5%Routine & elementary32.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications22.5%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)12%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.7%Level 3 (A levels)13.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.1%Apprenticeship7.1%Other (incl. vocational)4%
Home ownership52.9%
Among the most-deprived 36% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
46
Council tax North Norfolk · 2026-27
A £1,640
B £1,913
C £2,187
D £2,460
E £3,007
F £3,553
G £4,100
H £4,920
Energy Eastern England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Anglian Water
Average bill regional £498/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
26
Sheringham 15 mi
West Runton 16.5 mi
Cromer 18.5 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
42
Pubs & Bars Adequate 8
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 16
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 3
Retail Shopping Ample 50
Takeaways Some 1
Fitness None

Places like Wells-next-the-Sea Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like Wells-next-the-Sea, but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £443,000 17
5-year monthly trend
All
£398k £449k £502k £553k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Little Walsingham 32 4.3 mi away ⇄
Burnham Overy Staithe 38 4.5 mi away ⇄
Binham 32 4.7 mi away ⇄
North Creake 37 5.2 mi away ⇄
Burnham Market 39 5.3 mi away ⇄
Langham (North Norfolk) 35 5.9 mi away ⇄
Blakeney (North Norfolk) 34 6.9 mi away ⇄
Thursford Green 0 7.0 mi away ⇄
Brancaster Staithe 42 7.4 mi away ⇄
Wiveton 33 7.7 mi away ⇄
Sculthorpe 36 7.8 mi away ⇄
Cley next the Sea 44 8.1 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Wells-next-the-Sea a nice place to live?

Wells-next-the-Sea has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Wells-next-the-Sea is 48/100, 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 Wells-next-the-Sea?

Wells-next-the-Sea is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 81/100. There were 142 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Wells-next-the-Sea?

Among the top-rated schools in Wells-next-the-Sea are Alderman Peel High School and Wells-Next-the-Sea Primary and Nursery School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 2 rated schools in Wells-next-the-Sea in total.

What are house prices like in Wells-next-the-Sea?

The current median house price in Wells-next-the-Sea is £443,000, around 55% above the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 2%.

Wells-next-the-Sea in context

See the best places to live in Norfolk, ranked

Postcode districts in Wells-next-the-Sea

NR23 40 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode