Area report
Is Honiton a good place to live?
East Devon, South West, England
Report completeness: 80%. Score is based on the categories with data loaded for this area.
In short
Honiton scores 68 out of 100 overall, putting it in the top 43 per cent of the 539 UK areas we have scored. Its biggest lead is employment, scoring 88 against the English median of 61; its biggest shortfall is lifestyle, 37 against 56.
- Nearest scored area: Sidmouth, about 8 miles away, scoring 66.
- Median overall score across the 539 areas in our index: 67 out of 100.
- Report completeness 80 per cent: categories without data are excluded rather than estimated.
How detailed is this report?
Open data is published at different levels of detail, and this report always uses the most granular level available rather than pretending otherwise.
- Point-level for this exact location: Lifestyle (amenities within about 2 km of this exact point); Healthcare (facilities within about 2 km, hospitals within about 8 km); Transport (stops within 800 m and the nearest railway station); Air quality (the 1 km grid cell containing this point).
- Council-level, covering all of East Devon: Cost of living, Affordability, Housing, Employment, Broadband, Education. Every postcode and town in the council shares these figures.
- Not scored here: Weather (the nearest Met Office historic station, Yeovilton, is 45 km away), too far to describe this location, so it is left out of the overall score.
Research this area further with trusted open data: police.uk street-level crime map, HM Land Registry sold prices, ONS local area profiles, Ofcom broadband checker. This report is open-source intelligence: everything is built from published government and public datasets you can check yourself.
Affordability
Source: HM Land RegistryWith a ten per cent deposit, the average Honiton home needs borrowing of 8 times a single UK median full-time salary of £39,039, beyond the 4.5 times most lenders will go to, so it takes a second income or a larger deposit. Try your own figures below.
Guidance only, using standard lending multiples and typical outgoings. Not a mortgage offer or financial advice. TrackPostcode.UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority; always seek independent professional advice before financial decisions.
Housing
Source: HM Land RegistryUK House Price Index for East Devon, all property types. Steady growth scores best; sharp falls and overheating both score lower.
Crime and safety
Source: police.ukCrime data could not be loaded for this location.
Weather and outdoors
Source: Met OfficeNo weather score for Honiton. The nearest Met Office historic station, Yeovilton, is 45 km away, beyond the 40 km we accept, so its climate would describe somewhere else. Weather is left out of the overall score here rather than borrowed. Why.
Broadband and mobile
Source: Ofcom Connected NationsOfcom Connected Nations coverage for East Devon: the share of premises that can get each service, not the share that has taken it up.
Schools and education
Source: DfE and devolved governmentsLocal authority average, key stage 4, state-funded schools. Source: Department for Education. Each nation publishes its own measure, so this compares within England only. How education is scored.
Healthcare
Source: OpenStreetMapCounted from OpenStreetMap around this exact point; a nearby GP and pharmacy carry the most weight. How it is scored. Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Employment
Source: ONS / NOMISONS Annual Population Survey for East Devon, via NOMIS. Most UK councils fall between about 62% and 82% employment.
Environment
Source: Defra UK-AIRDefra modelled background air for the 1 km grid cell around this point (Crown copyright), scored against the WHO 2021 guidelines.
Transport
Source: DfT NaPTANDfT NaPTAN stops around this exact point. Twelve or more stops within 800 m, and a station within 1 km, each earn full marks.
Cost of living
Source: ONSAverage private rent, from the ONS Price Index of Private Rents. Rent stands in for cost of living because it is the largest living cost and the one that varies most between places.
Lifestyle and amenities
Source: OpenStreetMapWhat is nearby
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Food and drink | 34 |
| Shops | 124 |
| Health services | 9 |
| Schools and learning | 4 |
| Parks and sport | 50 |
| Culture and community | 1 |
Counted from OpenStreetMap within about 2 km of this exact point; private gardens are not counted. Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Who Honiton suits
Of the 2 profiles we score, Honiton suits young professionals best, at 70 out of 100.
Honiton is a markedly better fit for some households than others. It ranks in the top 23% of the 539 areas we have scored for young professionals, and the bottom 39% for retirees. That gap comes from the same twelve categories weighted differently, which is why one overall score can never answer the question on its own.
| Household | Score | Standing | What it weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Young professionals | 70 | top 23% | Weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. |
| Families | 67 | top 25% | Weighted towards schools, safety, housing and healthcare. |
| Remote workers | 70 | top 44% | Weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. |
| Students | 67 | bottom 46% | Weighted towards cost of living, lifestyle, transport and safety. |
| Retirees | 65 | bottom 39% | Weighted towards healthcare, safety, environment and cost of living. |
The same twelve scores, weighted per household. Set your own weights in the relocation quiz.
Stands out on
- Employment
- Housing
- Environment
Worth checking carefully
- Healthcare
- Education
- Lifestyle
Built only from the categories with data; 2 are still to load for this area.
How Honiton compares
| Category | Honiton | England median | UK median | vs England median | UK position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 72 | 71 | 72 | +1 | bottom 48% |
| Affordability | 46 | 64 | 68 | -18 | bottom 21% |
| Employment | 88 | 61 | 59 | +27 | top 1% |
| Housing | 96 | 83 | 83 | +13 | top 12% |
| Transport | 68 | 75 | 75 | -7 | bottom 25% |
| Broadband | 76 | 88 | 88 | -12 | bottom 14% |
| Environment | 97 | 89 | 91 | +8 | top 27% |
| Healthcare | 43 | 54 | 52 | -11 | bottom 33% |
| Education | 41 | 39 | 40 | +2 | top 46% |
| Lifestyle | 37 | 56 | 54 | -19 | bottom 10% |
Medians and positions are across the 539 areas in our index. Safety and education are measured differently in each nation, so read those two rows against the England median only.
What Honiton does well. Measured against everywhere else in the index, the standouts are employment (88, 27 above the median), housing (96, 13 above the median) and environment (97, 8 above the median).
Where it falls short. Lifestyle (37, 19 below), affordability (46, 18 below) and broadband (76, 12 below).
Near Honiton, and places like it
Of the 6 scored areas within about 50 miles of Honiton, 2 score higher: Taunton (69) and Exmouth (69). Honiton scores 68. Taunton is ahead mainly on lifestyle (+44), while Honiton keeps the advantage on employment (+25).
| Area | Distance | Where | Overall | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidmouth | 8.4 miles | East Devon, South West, England | 66 | Good |
| Chard | 11 miles | Somerset, South West, England | 63 | Good |
| Tiverton | 15 miles | Mid Devon, South West, England | 66 | Good |
| Taunton | 15 miles | Somerset, South West, England | 69 | Good |
| Exmouth | 16 miles | East Devon, South West, England | 69 | Good |
| Exeter | 16 miles | Exeter, South West, England | 64 | Good |
Straight-line distances, so roads are longer. Any place not listed can be searched directly.
| Area | Where | Overall | Average gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melksham | Wiltshire, South West, England | 65 | 4.4 |
| Diss | South Norfolk, East of England, England | 67 | 5.7 |
| Newton Abbot | Teignbridge, South West, England | 67 | 6.5 |
| Calne | Wiltshire, South West, England | 64 | 6.5 |
| Trowbridge | Wiltshire, South West, England | 66 | 6.6 |
Average score gap across every category both areas have, so smaller is closer. Neighbouring areas are left out.
What a home in Honiton actually costs
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPIThe average home in Honiton is £345,757, 28 per cent above the median of the areas we have scored. With a ten per cent deposit of £34,576, repaying the rest costs about £2,005 a month, £1,035 more than renting at the local average of £970, and needs a household income of about £69,200 to borrow.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average property price | £345,757 (June 2026) |
| Change over 12 months | +3.5%, rising |
| Against our index median | 28% above the £270,569 median across every area we have scored |
| 10% deposit | £34,576 |
| 15% deposit | £51,864 |
| Price to earnings | 8.9 times UK median full-time earnings of £39,039 |
| Monthly repayment | £2,005 on a £311,181 mortgage (10% deposit, 6% over 25 years) |
| Against renting | £1,035 more than the £970 average monthly rent |
| Income to borrow it | About £69,200 a year at 4.5 times income |
Council-wide average across all property types; the multiple uses UK median full-time earnings (April 2025 (ONS ASHE)). Illustrative arithmetic, not a mortgage assessment or financial advice; TrackPostcode.UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Air quality in Honiton, against the limits
Source: Defra modelled background mapsFine particulates, at 5.5, sit inside the UK 2040 target of 10 but above the World Health Organization guideline of 5, as in most of Britain. Nitrogen dioxide, at 5.1, is well inside the UK limit of 40 and inside the WHO guideline of 10.
| Pollutant | Honiton | UK objective | WHO guideline | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine particulates (PM2.5) | 5.5 | 10 | 5 | Inside the UK target, above the WHO guideline |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 5.1 | 40 | 10 | Inside both |
Neighbourhood background levels from the Defra 1 km model; readings beside a busy road are higher. UK figures are the legal limit (NO₂) and 2040 target (PM2.5); WHO figures are health guidelines, not law.
Questions about Honiton
Is Honiton a good place to live?
Honiton has an overall liveability score of 68 out of 100 (good) on TrackPostcode.UK, based on 80% of categories currently loaded. It scores best on housing and employment. The score combines cost, affordability, safety, weather and more from open government data.
What is the crime rate in Honiton?
Recorded crime for Honiton is shown in the crime and safety section, from police.uk for England and Wales or Scottish Government statistics for Scotland.
What is the weather like in Honiton?
The weather section shows annual sunshine, rainfall and typical temperatures for Honiton from Met Office climate data for the location.
How expensive is it to live in Honiton?
Average private rent in the East Devon area is about £970 a month (Jun-26, ONS), giving Honiton a cost-of-living score of 72 out of 100. Use the affordability calculator to estimate what you could comfortably afford here.
What are house prices like in Honiton?
The average property price in East Devon is about £345,757 (2026-06, HM Land Registry). Prices changed +3.5% over the year. See the affordability section for how that compares to local earnings.
Can I afford to buy a house in Honiton?
The average property in East Devon costs about £345,757, which is 8.9 times earnings against assumed full-time earnings of £39,039 a year (ONS ASHE), giving an affordability score of 46 out of 100. Mainstream lenders usually cap borrowing at around four to four and a half times income, so a ratio above that generally means a larger deposit, a second income or a cheaper property than the local average. With a ten per cent deposit, repaying the rest costs about £2,005 a month at 6% over 25 years, £1,035 more than the £970 average local rent. The affordability calculator on this page estimates it from your own salary and savings.
How fast is broadband in Honiton?
About 94.2% of premises in East Devon can get superfast broadband of 30 Mbit/s or more, and 75.2% can get a gigabit-capable connection, giving a broadband score of 76 out of 100 (Ofcom Connected Nations). These are council-area availability figures - the share of premises able to order each service, not the speed any single line achieves - so check the exact address with the Ofcom broadband checker before committing to it.
What is the job market like in Honiton?
87.5% of 16 to 64 year olds in East Devon are in work (NOMIS latest, retrieved Sep 2026, ONS Annual Population Survey via NOMIS), giving an employment score of 88 out of 100. UK local authorities typically range from about 62% to 82%. This is a whole-authority figure, so it describes the local labour market rather than any one town within it.
Are the schools good in Honiton?
East Devon records 46.7 on Attainment 8 average score (202425), giving an education score of 41 out of 100. Each nation publishes its own attainment measure and they are not interchangeable, so education scores compare within England, Scotland or Wales and not across them. Attainment is published for the whole council or county rather than for a school catchment, so check individual schools with the inspectorate before deciding.
What is the air quality like in Honiton?
For the 1 km grid square containing Honiton, fine particulates (PM2.5) average 5.54 µg/m³ against a World Health Organization guideline of 5 and nitrogen dioxide averages 5.05 µg/m³ against a guideline of 10 (2024, Defra Pollution Climate Mapping, Crown copyright). That gives an environment score of 97 out of 100; an area meeting both guideline levels scores 100. These are modelled background concentrations for the square, not a reading taken at the roadside.
What is there to do in Honiton?
Within about two kilometres of this point there are 222 mapped amenities, including 34 places to eat and drink, 124 shops, 50 parks and sports facilities and 1 cultural and community venues, giving a lifestyle score of 37 out of 100. Counts come from OpenStreetMap and are measured at this exact location rather than averaged across the council, so they reflect how well served this particular spot is. Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Are there GPs and dentists near Honiton?
Within about two kilometres of this point there are 3 GP surgeries, 4 pharmacies and 2 dentists. 1 hospital is within about eight kilometres. That gives a healthcare score of 43 out of 100. Facilities are counted from OpenStreetMap and the score describes how close services are, not waiting times, capacity or clinical quality.
Does Honiton have good transport links?
The nearest railway station is Honiton Rail Station, about 0.4 km away, and there are 26 bus, tram or metro stops within an 800 metre walk, giving a transport score of 68 out of 100. Stops come from the DfT NaPTAN dataset and are counted for this exact point, so the figure measures access rather than how frequently anything runs.
Which council area is Honiton in?
Honiton is in the East Devon local authority, South West, England. It falls within the Honiton St Michael's ward and the Honiton and Sidmouth parliamentary constituency. Cost of living, housing, affordability, employment, broadband and education figures in this report are published at local-authority level, so every postcode and town inside East Devon shares them. Weather, crime, amenities, healthcare, transport and air quality are measured for this point instead.
Is Honiton a good place for young professionals?
Honiton scores 70 out of 100 on our young professionals profile, which is weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. That is close to its general score of 68, so the weighting neither flatters nor penalises this area.
Is Honiton a good place for students?
Honiton scores 67 out of 100 on our students profile, which is weighted towards cost of living, lifestyle, transport and safety. That is close to its general score of 68, so the weighting neither flatters nor penalises this area. Every area we score is ranked on this basis at /best-places-for-students/.
How does Honiton compare with the rest of England?
Honiton sits in the top 43% of the 539 UK areas we have scored. The median area in the index scores 67 out of 100. It is furthest above the benchmark for its nation on employment, housing and environment. It is furthest below on lifestyle, affordability and broadband. Categories are compared against the area's own nation where the samples allow it, because crime and school attainment are measured differently either side of the border.
What are the best places to live near Honiton?
Of the areas we have scored within about 50 miles of Honiton, the highest are Taunton (69 out of 100, about 15 miles away), Exmouth (69 out of 100, about 16 miles away) and Sidmouth (66 out of 100, about 8 miles away). Honiton itself scores 68. Distances are straight-line from this point, and each of those names links to its own full report.
Which places are most similar to Honiton?
Across the twelve category scores, the closest matches elsewhere in Britain are Melksham (Wiltshire, South West, England), Diss (South Norfolk, East of England, England) and Newton Abbot (Teignbridge, South West, England). Similarity is the average gap across every category both areas have data for, with immediate neighbours excluded, so these are places that score alike rather than places that look alike or sit nearby.
What area does this report cover?
Weather, crime, local amenities, healthcare access, transport access and air quality are measured for this exact point. Cost of living, affordability, housing, employment and broadband come from official statistics for the East Devon council area, so nearby postcodes and towns in the same council share those figures. Education comes from the local authority, or from the county where attainment is only published at county level. The "How detailed is this report" section explains each level.