Area report
Is Three Rivers a good place to live?
Three Rivers, East of England, England
Report completeness: 100%. Score is based on the categories with data loaded for this area.
In short
Three Rivers scores 49 out of 100 overall, which places it below the median of the 539 UK areas we have scored. Its biggest lead is education, scoring 61 against the English median of 39; its biggest shortfall is affordability, 0 against 64.
- Nearest scored area: Watford, about 2 miles away, scoring 57.
- Median overall score across the 539 areas in our index: 67 out of 100.
- Report completeness 100 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: Weather (from the Met Office Heathrow station, 20 km away); Crime (recorded within about one mile of this exact point); 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 Three Rivers: Cost of living, Affordability, Housing, Employment, Broadband, Education. Every postcode and town in the council shares these figures.
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 Three Rivers home needs borrowing of 13.4 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 Three Rivers, all property types. Steady growth scores best; sharp falls and overheating both score lower.
Crime and safety
Source: police.ukAll recorded crime by type
| Category | Recorded (2026-08) |
|---|---|
| Violent crime | 20 |
| Anti social behaviour | 10 |
| Other theft | 5 |
| Public order | 4 |
| Vehicle crime | 2 |
| Bicycle theft | 1 |
| Burglary | 1 |
| Criminal damage arson | 1 |
| Shoplifting | 1 |
In 2026-08, 45 crimes were recorded within about a mile of this point in Three Rivers - a moderate volume of recorded crime for a one-mile radius. The most common headline category was violent crime. City and town centres naturally record more incidents than residential streets, so compare like for like.
Recorded crime within about one mile, 2026-08. Busy centres record more than quiet suburbs because more people pass through them than live there, so compare similar types of place. How safety is scored.
Weather and outdoors
Source: Met OfficeOutdoor suitability
Three Rivers averages about 1,526 sunshine hours a year, around the middle of the UK range, with relatively low rainfall for the UK (about 645 mm a year). Summer days typically reach around 24.2°C and winter nights fall to about 3.6°C.
Averages over 6 years (2020-2025) from the Met Office Heathrow station, 20 km away. How the outdoor score works. Contains Met Office data © Crown copyright.
Broadband and mobile
Source: Ofcom Connected NationsOfcom Connected Nations coverage for Three Rivers: 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 Three Rivers, 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 | 18 |
| Shops | 28 |
| Health services | 3 |
| Schools and learning | 11 |
| Parks and sport | 58 |
| Culture and community | 0 |
Counted from OpenStreetMap within about 2 km of this exact point; private gardens are not counted. Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Who Three Rivers suits
Of the 5 profiles we score, Three Rivers suits remote workers and families equally well, at 53 out of 100.
Three Rivers suits most households about equally: from the bottom 6% for families to the bottom 2% for retirees of the 539 areas we have scored.
| Household | Score | Standing | What it weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Families | 53 | bottom 6% | Weighted towards schools, safety, housing and healthcare. |
| Remote workers | 53 | bottom 4% | Weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. |
| Young professionals | 52 | bottom 4% | Weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. |
| Students | 45 | bottom 4% | Weighted towards cost of living, lifestyle, transport and safety. |
| Retirees | 47 | bottom 2% | 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
- Broadband
- Environment
Worth checking carefully
- Cost of living
- Affordability
- Healthcare
- Lifestyle
How Three Rivers compares
| Category | Three Rivers | England median | UK median | vs England median | UK position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 23 | 71 | 72 | -48 | bottom 4% |
| Affordability | 0 | 64 | 68 | -64 | bottom 3% |
| Safety | 73 | 52 | 52 | +21 | top 2% |
| Weather | 72 | 72 | 72 | 0 | top 47% |
| Employment | 74 | 61 | 59 | +13 | top 11% |
| Housing | 62 | 83 | 83 | -21 | bottom 18% |
| Transport | 56 | 75 | 75 | -19 | bottom 10% |
| Broadband | 93 | 88 | 88 | +5 | top 31% |
| Environment | 85 | 89 | 91 | -4 | bottom 24% |
| Healthcare | 26 | 54 | 52 | -28 | bottom 6% |
| Education | 61 | 39 | 40 | +22 | top 12% |
| Lifestyle | 29 | 56 | 54 | -27 | bottom 2% |
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 Three Rivers does well. Measured against everywhere else in the index, the standouts are education (61, 22 above the median), safety (73, 21 above the median) and employment (74, 13 above the median).
Where it falls short. Affordability (0, 64 below), cost of living (23, 48 below) and healthcare (26, 28 below).
Near Three Rivers, and places like it
Of the 6 scored areas within about 50 miles of Three Rivers, 6 score higher: Watford (57), Hemel Hempstead (57), Amersham (57) and 3 others. Three Rivers scores 49. Watford is ahead mainly on healthcare (+46), while Three Rivers keeps the advantage on safety (+32).
| Area | Distance | Where | Overall | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watford | 2.3 miles | Watford, East of England, England | 57 | Good |
| Hemel Hempstead | 6.7 miles | Dacorum, East of England, England | 57 | Good |
| Amersham | 6.9 miles | Buckinghamshire, South East, England | 57 | Good |
| Harrow | 7.6 miles | Harrow, London, England | 50 | Fair |
| Uxbridge | 7.7 miles | Hillingdon, London, England | 50 | Fair |
| Chesham | 7.7 miles | Buckinghamshire, South East, England | 57 | Good |
Straight-line distances, so roads are longer. Any place not listed can be searched directly.
| Area | Where | Overall | Average gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leatherhead | Mole Valley, South East, England | 55 | 7.8 |
| Dorking | Mole Valley, South East, England | 56 | 9.1 |
| Wokingham | Wokingham, South East, England | 51 | 10.2 |
| Redhill | Reigate and Banstead, South East, England | 54 | 10.2 |
| Orpington | Bromley, London, England | 52 | 10.4 |
Average score gap across every category both areas have, so smaller is closer. Neighbouring areas are left out.
Crime in Three Rivers: what kind, not just how much
Source: police.ukWhat is distinctive about the mix here: violence and sexual offences makes up 44 per cent of recorded crime here against 34 per cent typically, other theft makes up 11 per cent of recorded crime here against 6 per cent typically and criminal damage and arson is proportionally lower, at 2 per cent against 7. Shares are the useful comparison because they are unaffected by how busy an area is, which is the thing that otherwise dominates a raw crime count.
| Offence type | Count | Share | Typical share | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 20 | 44.4% | 34.0% | +10.4 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 10 | 22.2% | 17.9% | +4.3 |
| Other theft | 5 | 11.1% | 5.6% | +5.5 |
| Public order | 4 | 8.9% | 7.4% | +1.5 |
| Vehicle crime | 2 | 4.4% | 2.9% | +1.5 |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 2.2% | 0.6% | +1.6 |
| Burglary | 1 | 2.2% | 2.5% | -0.3 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1 | 2.2% | 7.0% | -4.8 |
45 offences recorded within about a mile of this point in August 2026, from police.uk. Counts are of offences reported to the police, so they reflect both crime and the willingness to report it. "Typical share" is the median across the areas in our index that have a breakdown, which is England and Wales only: Police Scotland does not publish to police.uk.
What a home in Three Rivers actually costs
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPIThe average home in Three Rivers is £580,120, 114 per cent above the median of the areas we have scored. With a ten per cent deposit of £58,012, repaying the rest costs about £3,364 a month, £1,550 more than renting at the local average of £1,814, and needs a household income of about £116,000 to borrow.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average property price | £580,120 (June 2026) |
| Change over 12 months | -1.2%, falling |
| Against our index median | 114% above the £270,569 median across every area we have scored |
| 10% deposit | £58,012 |
| 15% deposit | £87,018 |
| Price to earnings | 14.9 times UK median full-time earnings of £39,039 |
| Monthly repayment | £3,364 on a £522,108 mortgage (10% deposit, 6% over 25 years) |
| Against renting | £1,550 more than the £1,814 average monthly rent |
| Income to borrow it | About £116,000 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 Three Rivers, against the limits
Source: Defra modelled background mapsFine particulates, at 7.5, 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 9.6, is well inside the UK limit of 40 and inside the WHO guideline of 10.
| Pollutant | Three Rivers | UK objective | WHO guideline | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine particulates (PM2.5) | 7.5 | 10 | 5 | Inside the UK target, above the WHO guideline |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 9.6 | 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 Three Rivers
Is Three Rivers a good place to live?
Three Rivers has an overall liveability score of 49 out of 100 (fair) on TrackPostcode.UK, based on 100% of categories currently loaded. It scores best on broadband and employment. The score combines cost, affordability, safety, weather and more from open government data.
What is the crime rate in Three Rivers?
About 45 crimes were recorded within roughly a mile of Three Rivers in 2026-08 (police.uk), giving a safety score of 73 out of 100. Town and city centres naturally record more than residential streets.
What is the weather like in Three Rivers?
Three Rivers averages 1,526 sunshine hours and about 645 mm of rain a year, giving an outdoor score of 72 out of 100. Summer highs average 24.2°C and winter lows 3.6°C. Based on the Met Office Heathrow station, 20 km away.
How expensive is it to live in Three Rivers?
Average private rent in the Three Rivers area is about £1,814 a month (Jun-26, ONS), giving Three Rivers a cost-of-living score of 23 out of 100. Use the affordability calculator to estimate what you could comfortably afford here.
What are house prices like in Three Rivers?
The average property price in Three Rivers is about £580,120 (2026-06, HM Land Registry). Prices changed -1.2% over the year. See the affordability section for how that compares to local earnings.
Is Three Rivers safe?
Three Rivers scores 73 out of 100 for safety - very good - measured from recorded crime within about a mile of this point for the latest published month (police.uk). That puts it in the top 2% of every area in our index. A safety score is a comparison with other areas rather than a guarantee about a street. Town and city centres record more crime than residential suburbs largely because more people pass through them, so compare places of a similar type before drawing a conclusion.
Can I afford to buy a house in Three Rivers?
The average property in Three Rivers costs about £580,120, which is 14.9 times earnings against assumed full-time earnings of £39,039 a year (ONS ASHE), giving an affordability score of 0 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 £3,364 a month at 6% over 25 years, £1,550 more than the £1,814 average local rent. The affordability calculator on this page estimates it from your own salary and savings.
How fast is broadband in Three Rivers?
About 98.7% of premises in Three Rivers can get superfast broadband of 30 Mbit/s or more, and 91.9% can get a gigabit-capable connection, giving a broadband score of 93 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 Three Rivers?
82.5% of 16 to 64 year olds in Three Rivers are in work (NOMIS latest, retrieved Sep 2026, ONS Annual Population Survey via NOMIS), giving an employment score of 74 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 Three Rivers?
Three Rivers records 51.7 on Attainment 8 average score (202425), giving an education score of 61 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 Three Rivers?
For the 1 km grid square containing Three Rivers, fine particulates (PM2.5) average 7.48 µg/m³ against a World Health Organization guideline of 5 and nitrogen dioxide averages 9.59 µg/m³ against a guideline of 10 (2024, Defra Pollution Climate Mapping, Crown copyright). That gives an environment score of 85 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 Three Rivers?
Within about two kilometres of this point there are 118 mapped amenities, including 18 places to eat and drink, 28 shops and 58 parks and sports facilities, giving a lifestyle score of 29 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 Three Rivers?
Within about two kilometres of this point there are 2 GP surgeries and 1 dentist. 6 hospitals are within about eight kilometres. That gives a healthcare score of 26 out of 100. Facilities are counted from OpenStreetMap and the score describes how close services are, not waiting times, capacity or clinical quality.
Does Three Rivers have good transport links?
The nearest railway station is Rickmansworth Rail Station, about 2.4 km away, and there are 13 bus, tram or metro stops within an 800 metre walk, giving a transport score of 56 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 Three Rivers in?
Three Rivers is in the Three Rivers local authority, East of England, England. It falls within the Dickinsons ward and the South West Hertfordshire 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 Three Rivers shares them. Weather, crime, amenities, healthcare, transport and air quality are measured for this point instead.
Is Three Rivers a good place for remote workers?
Three Rivers scores 53 out of 100 on our remote workers profile, which is weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. That is 4 points above its general score of 49, because this profile weights the twelve categories differently. Every area we score is ranked on this basis at /best-places-for-remote-workers/.
Is Three Rivers a good place for families?
Three Rivers scores 53 out of 100 on our families profile, which is weighted towards schools, safety, housing and healthcare. That is 4 points above its general score of 49, because this profile weights the twelve categories differently. Every area we score is ranked on this basis at /best-places-for-families/.
How does Three Rivers compare with the rest of England?
Three Rivers sits in the bottom 3% 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 education, safety and employment. It is furthest below on affordability, cost of living and healthcare. 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 Three Rivers?
Of the areas we have scored within about 50 miles of Three Rivers, the highest are Watford (57 out of 100, about 2 miles away), Hemel Hempstead (57 out of 100, about 7 miles away) and Amersham (57 out of 100, about 7 miles away). Three Rivers itself scores 49. Distances are straight-line from this point, and each of those names links to its own full report.
Which places are most similar to Three Rivers?
Across the twelve category scores, the closest matches elsewhere in Britain are Leatherhead (Mole Valley, South East, England), Dorking (Mole Valley, South East, England) and Wokingham (Wokingham, South East, 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 Three Rivers 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.