Town Pop. 21,641

Living in Workington: Liveability Score 47/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Workington scores 47/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 55/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 24/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Among the 8 scored places sharing the CA14 postcode district, Workington ranks 4th. On transport specifically, Workington sits 9 points above the CA14 district figure of 46/100. Also scoring 80 or better: broadband (83). The same breakdown for the wider area is on the CA14 postcode district.

47
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.

Workington scores 47 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Workington.
Or compare:
CA14 1AA CA14 2AA CA14 3AA CA14 4AA CA14 5AA CA14 9BW CA14 CA95

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
24
151 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 1,400 crimes
↑ 94% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 344 crimes
↑ 134% above national average
Public order 332 crimes
↑ 135% above national average
Shoplifting 323 crimes
↑ 91% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 202 crimes
↓ 39% below national average
other 666 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Shopping Area 331 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 152 crimes
  3. 3 Petrol Station 121 crimes

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

Environment
66
Air Quality NO₂ 4.1 · PM2.5 4.5 · PM10 7.6 µg/m³
82
Green Space 29
Parks Ample 12
Sports Pitches Ample 18
Allotments Ample 11
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 16

Services

Schools
56
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 13 in area · 17 within 4km
1Outstanding8Good2Requires Improvement2Ungraded
  • Ashfield Infant & Nursery SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Beckstone Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Northside Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, WorkingtonPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • St Michael's Nursery and Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Good
  • St Patrick's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Westfield Nursery and Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Workington AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Ashfield Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Requires Improvement

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
27
A&E departmentsCumberland Infirmary28.8 mi
Royal Lancaster Infirmary49.5 mi
Blackpool Victoria Hospital58.6 mi
Hospital waitsNorth Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.3%
A&E seen within 4 hrs62.6%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,821 patients per GP
4dentists8pharmacies

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
83
Full fibre (FTTP)73.1%
available across Cumberland
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.1%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.1%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.9%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 666 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
37
Employment rate54.7%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.7%Unemployed2.9%Retired25.3%Student2.8%Other inactive14.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial26.8%Skilled & technical30.4%Routine & elementary42.8%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications23.3%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.6%Level 3 (A levels)17.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)21.6%Apprenticeship8.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.8%
Home ownership61.5%
Among the most-deprived 33% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
42
Council tax Cumberland · 2026-27
A £1,674
B £1,953
C £2,232
D £2,511
E £3,069
F £3,627
G £4,185
H £5,022
Energy North West England region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
55
Workington 0.7 mi
Harrington 1.5 mi
Flimby 4.1 mi
No motorway junctions within 30 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
52
Pubs & Bars Ample 31
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 21
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 17
Retail Shopping Ample 168
Takeaways Ample 26
Fitness Adequate 4

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £127,000 153
Detached £235,000 21
Semi-detached £160,000 43
Terraced £103,500 84
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£88k £144k £202k £258k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

High Harrington 51 1.4 mi away ⇄
Stainburn 55 1.6 mi away ⇄
Winscales 45 2.1 mi away ⇄
Seaton (Allerdale) 47 2.2 mi away ⇄
Siddick 34 2.3 mi away ⇄
Distington 50 2.7 mi away ⇄
Great Clifton 36 3.0 mi away ⇄
Lowca 51 3.8 mi away ⇄
Flimby 42 4.2 mi away ⇄
Parton 46 4.6 mi away ⇄
Greysouthen 31 4.7 mi away ⇄
Broughton Moor 45 5.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Workington a nice place to live?

Workington has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Workington is 47/100, 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 Workington?

Crime levels in Workington are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 24/100. There were 3,267 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Workington?

Among the top-rated schools in Workington are Ashfield Infant & Nursery School, Beckstone Primary School and Northside Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 13 rated schools in Workington in total.

What are house prices like in Workington?

The current median house price in Workington is £127,000, around 55% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £235,000, semi-detached £160,000, terraced £103,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 26%. There were 153 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Workington in context

See where Workington ranks among the best places to live in Cumbria

Postcode districts in Workington

CA14 45 ⇄
CA95 44 ⇄

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