Area report
Is Wealden a good place to live?
Wealden, South East, England
Report completeness: 80%. Score is based on the categories with data loaded for this area.
In short
Wealden scores 58 out of 100 overall, which places it below the median of the 539 UK areas we have scored. Its biggest lead is weather, scoring 89 against the English median of 72; its biggest shortfall is transport, 18 against 75.
- Nearest scored area: Lewes, about 10 miles away, scoring 64.
- 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: Weather (from the Met Office Eastbourne station, 20 km away); 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 Wealden: 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 Wealden home needs borrowing of 8.9 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 Wealden, 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 OfficeOutdoor suitability
Wealden averages about 1,815 sunshine hours a year, towards the sunnier end of the UK range, with relatively low rainfall for the UK (about 729 mm a year). Summer days typically reach around 21.4°C and winter nights fall to about 5°C.
Averages over 6 years (2020-2025) from the Met Office Eastbourne 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 Wealden: 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: OpenStreetMapHealthcare data is being sourced. We only publish figures once they are loaded from OpenStreetMap, so nothing here is estimated or invented.
Employment
Source: ONS / NOMISONS Annual Population Survey for Wealden, 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: OpenStreetMapLifestyle data is being sourced. We only publish figures once they are loaded from OpenStreetMap, so nothing here is estimated or invented.
Who Wealden suits
Of the 1 profiles we score, Wealden suits remote workers best, at 64 out of 100.
Wealden suits most households about equally: from the bottom 20% for remote workers to the bottom 10% for families of the 539 areas we have scored.
| Household | Score | Standing | What it weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote workers | 64 | bottom 20% | Weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. |
| Retirees | 60 | bottom 19% | Weighted towards healthcare, safety, environment and cost of living. |
| Students | 57 | bottom 16% | Weighted towards cost of living, lifestyle, transport and safety. |
| Young professionals | 60 | bottom 15% | Weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. |
| Families | 56 | bottom 10% | Weighted towards schools, safety, housing and healthcare. |
The same twelve scores, weighted per household. Set your own weights in the relocation quiz.
Stands out on
- Weather
- Environment
Worth checking carefully
- Affordability
- Transport
- Education
Built only from the categories with data; 3 are still to load for this area.
How Wealden compares
| Category | Wealden | England median | UK median | vs England median | UK position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 55 | 71 | 72 | -16 | bottom 22% |
| Affordability | 34 | 64 | 68 | -30 | bottom 15% |
| Weather | 89 | 72 | 72 | +17 | top 3% |
| Employment | 69 | 61 | 59 | +8 | top 18% |
| Housing | 67 | 83 | 83 | -16 | bottom 24% |
| Transport | 18 | 75 | 75 | -57 | bottom 1% |
| Broadband | 77 | 88 | 88 | -11 | bottom 17% |
| Environment | 93 | 89 | 91 | +4 | top 40% |
| Education | 30 | 39 | 40 | -9 | bottom 18% |
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 Wealden does well. Measured against everywhere else in the index, the standouts are weather (89, 17 above the median) and employment (69, 8 above the median).
Where it falls short. Transport (18, 57 below), affordability (34, 30 below) and housing (67, 16 below).
Near Wealden, and places like it
Of the 6 scored areas within about 50 miles of Wealden, 4 score higher: Bexhill-on-Sea (67), Lewes (64), Eastbourne (62) and Newhaven (62). Wealden scores 58. Bexhill-on-Sea is ahead mainly on transport (+58).
| Area | Distance | Where | Overall | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewes | 9.6 miles | Lewes, South East, England | 64 | Good |
| Eastbourne | 12 miles | Eastbourne, South East, England | 62 | Good |
| Newhaven | 12 miles | Lewes, South East, England | 62 | Good |
| Bexhill-on-Sea | 13 miles | Rother, South East, England | 67 | Good |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells | 14 miles | Tunbridge Wells, South East, England | 49 | Fair |
| Haywards Heath | 14 miles | Mid Sussex, South East, England | 58 | Good |
Straight-line distances, so roads are longer. Any place not listed can be searched directly.
| Area | Where | Overall | Average gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romford | Dorset, South West, England | 62 | 8.8 |
| Blandford Forum | Dorset, South West, England | 64 | 9.4 |
| Romsey | Test Valley, South East, England | 61 | 10.4 |
| Bridport | Dorset, South West, England | 63 | 10.4 |
| Ferndown | Dorset, South West, England | 64 | 10.4 |
Average score gap across every category both areas have, so smaller is closer. Neighbouring areas are left out.
What a home in Wealden actually costs
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPIThe average home in Wealden is £386,787, 43 per cent above the median of the areas we have scored. With a ten per cent deposit of £38,679, repaying the rest costs about £2,243 a month, £977 more than renting at the local average of £1,266, and needs a household income of about £77,400 to borrow.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average property price | £386,787 (June 2026) |
| Change over 12 months | -0.7%, falling |
| Against our index median | 43% above the £270,569 median across every area we have scored |
| 10% deposit | £38,679 |
| 15% deposit | £58,018 |
| Price to earnings | 9.9 times UK median full-time earnings of £39,039 |
| Monthly repayment | £2,243 on a £348,108 mortgage (10% deposit, 6% over 25 years) |
| Against renting | £977 more than the £1,266 average monthly rent |
| Income to borrow it | About £77,400 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 Wealden, against the limits
Source: Defra modelled background mapsFine particulates, at 6.2, 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 4.7, is well inside the UK limit of 40 and inside the WHO guideline of 10.
| Pollutant | Wealden | UK objective | WHO guideline | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine particulates (PM2.5) | 6.2 | 10 | 5 | Inside the UK target, above the WHO guideline |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 4.7 | 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 Wealden
Is Wealden a good place to live?
Wealden has an overall liveability score of 58 out of 100 (good) on TrackPostcode.UK, based on 80% of categories currently loaded. It scores best on weather and broadband. The score combines cost, affordability, safety, weather and more from open government data.
What is the crime rate in Wealden?
Recorded crime for Wealden 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 Wealden?
Wealden averages 1,815 sunshine hours and about 729 mm of rain a year, giving an outdoor score of 89 out of 100. Summer highs average 21.4°C and winter lows 5°C. Based on the Met Office Eastbourne station, 20 km away.
How expensive is it to live in Wealden?
Average private rent in the Wealden area is about £1,266 a month (Jun-26, ONS), giving Wealden a cost-of-living score of 55 out of 100. Use the affordability calculator to estimate what you could comfortably afford here.
What are house prices like in Wealden?
The average property price in Wealden is about £386,787 (2026-06, HM Land Registry). Prices changed -0.7% over the year. See the affordability section for how that compares to local earnings.
Can I afford to buy a house in Wealden?
The average property in Wealden costs about £386,787, which is 9.9 times earnings against assumed full-time earnings of £39,039 a year (ONS ASHE), giving an affordability score of 34 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 £2,243 a month at 6% over 25 years, £977 more than the £1,266 average local rent. The affordability calculator on this page estimates it from your own salary and savings.
How fast is broadband in Wealden?
About 97.7% of premises in Wealden can get superfast broadband of 30 Mbit/s or more, and 68.6% can get a gigabit-capable connection, giving a broadband score of 77 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 Wealden?
80.5% of 16 to 64 year olds in Wealden are in work (NOMIS latest, retrieved Sep 2026, ONS Annual Population Survey via NOMIS), giving an employment score of 69 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 Wealden?
Wealden records 44.3 on Attainment 8 average score (202425), giving an education score of 30 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 Wealden?
For the 1 km grid square containing Wealden, fine particulates (PM2.5) average 6.21 µg/m³ against a World Health Organization guideline of 5 and nitrogen dioxide averages 4.67 µg/m³ against a guideline of 10 (2024, Defra Pollution Climate Mapping, Crown copyright). That gives an environment score of 93 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.
Does Wealden have good transport links?
The nearest railway station is Buxted Rail Station, about 8.5 km away, and there are 0 bus, tram or metro stops within an 800 metre walk, giving a transport score of 18 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 Wealden in?
Wealden is in the Wealden local authority, South East, England. It falls within the Chiddingly, East Hoathly & Waldron ward and the Sussex Weald 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 Wealden shares them. Weather, crime, amenities, healthcare, transport and air quality are measured for this point instead.
Is Wealden a good place for remote workers?
Wealden scores 64 out of 100 on our remote workers profile, which is weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. That is 6 points above its general score of 58, because this profile weights the twelve categories differently. Every area we score is ranked on this basis at /best-places-for-remote-workers/.
How does Wealden compare with the rest of England?
Wealden sits in the bottom 15% 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 weather and employment. It is furthest below on transport, affordability and housing. 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 Wealden?
Of the areas we have scored within about 50 miles of Wealden, the highest are Bexhill-on-Sea (67 out of 100, about 13 miles away), Lewes (64 out of 100, about 10 miles away) and Eastbourne (62 out of 100, about 12 miles away). Wealden itself scores 58. Distances are straight-line from this point, and each of those names links to its own full report.
Which places are most similar to Wealden?
Across the twelve category scores, the closest matches elsewhere in Britain are Romford (Dorset, South West, England), Blandford Forum (Dorset, South West, England) and Romsey (Test Valley, 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 Wealden 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.