Town Pop. 1,570

Living in West Malling: Liveability Score 42/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

West Malling scores 42/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, schools stands out most: 49/100 where the typical UK town scores 23/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 46/100 versus a median of 88/100.

Among the 9 scored places sharing the ME19 postcode district, West Malling ranks 4th. The ME19 district averages 54/100, putting West Malling 12 points below its own postcode area. That sits 8 points below the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the middle half of the towns and villages we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the ME19 postcode district.

42
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.

West Malling scores 42 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with West Malling.
Or compare:
ME19 4AB ME19 5AA ME19 6AA ME19

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
46
198.1 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 122 crimes
↑ 133% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 58 crimes
↑ 143% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 34 crimes
↑ 219% above national average
Shoplifting 27 crimes
↑ 121% above national average
Vehicle crime 21 crimes
↑ 179% above national average
other 49 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Windmill Lane West 54 crimes
  2. 2 Shopping Area 37 crimes
  3. 3 High Street 26 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 9 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 11.6 µg/m³
70
Green Space 51
Parks Ample 21
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Some 2
Bowling Greens None
Playgrounds Ample 8

Services

Schools
49
9 schools in area · 17 within 4km
1Outstanding7Good1Ungraded
  • Kings Hill School Primary and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Leybourne, St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2026
    Good
  • More Park Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Ryarsh Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • The Rosewood SchoolAlternative provision · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Valley Invicta Primary School At Kings HillPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Valley Invicta Primary School At Leybourne ChasePrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • West Malling Church of England Primary School and McGinty Speech and Language SrpPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Offham Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    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
24
A&E departmentsMaidstone Hospital3.3 mi
Medway Maritime Hospital7.5 mi
Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury9.8 mi
Hospital waitsKent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)5 wks
Treated within 18 weeks99.9%
A&E seen within 4 hrs99.1%
Nearest GP surgeryWest Malling Group Practice1.6 mi
GP capacity1,981 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
24
Full fibre (FTTP)76.4%
available across Tonbridge and Malling
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
73.2%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
73.9%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
97.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 130 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
64
Employment rate57.7%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed57.7%Unemployed1.5%Retired26.5%Student3.1%Other inactive11.1%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial48.1%Skilled & technical33.6%Routine & elementary18.4%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications17.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.7%Level 3 (A levels)17.5%Level 4+ (degree & above)33.9%Apprenticeship5.6%Other (incl. vocational)2.3%
Home ownership66.4%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
49
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 C
Water Southern Water
Average bill regional £683/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
36
West Malling 0.7 mi
East Malling 1.7 mi
New Hythe 2.5 mi
J4 M20 1.2 mi
J4 M20 1.4 mi
J3 M20 1.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
36
Pubs & Bars Adequate 7
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 12
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Ample 28
Takeaways Adequate 4
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £377,500 38
Semi-detached £427,500 10
Terraced £357,500 10
Flat / Maisonette £240,000 10
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£233k £377k £525k £669k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Ryarsh 41 1.3 mi away ⇄
Offham 38 1.3 mi away ⇄
Addington 37 1.4 mi away ⇄
Kings Hill 55 1.7 mi away ⇄
Larkfield 56 1.9 mi away ⇄
Trottiscliffe 42 2.7 mi away ⇄
Snodland 47 2.7 mi away ⇄
Wrotham Heath 35 2.8 mi away ⇄
Wateringbury 46 3.1 mi away ⇄
Teston 49 3.2 mi away ⇄
Vigo Village 41 3.2 mi away ⇄
Aylesford 48 3.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is West Malling a nice place to live?

West Malling has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for West Malling is 42/100, 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 West Malling?

West Malling has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 46/100. There were 311 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in West Malling?

Among the top-rated schools in West Malling are Kings Hill School Primary and Nursery, Leybourne, St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and More Park Catholic Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 9 rated schools in West Malling in total.

What are house prices like in West Malling?

The current median house price in West Malling is £377,500, around 32% above the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £427,500, terraced £357,500, flat £240,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 2%. There were 38 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

West Malling in context

See the best places to live in Kent, ranked

Postcode districts in West Malling

ME19 54 ⇄

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