The safest place to live in Kent

The safest place in Kent

When choosing a place to live, safety is often at the front of people’s minds – especially if they are looking to raise a family. With its scenic reputation and excellent transport links into London, Kent is often the choice of young couples moving out of London to start a family. So, where is the safest place to live in Kent?

Our research into crime statistics from across the county shows that pockets of safety and low crime rates can be found scattered across Kent, though the High Weald area is particularly safe. At the other end of the scale, those places with more instances of crime are located relatively close together.

Kent crime statistics

Using street-level data about crime and policing in the UK, OneDome’s Locality Reality algorithm gave Longfield a score of 10 for safety. With a population of around 5,000 people, the village of Longfield centres around a small high street with local shops and The Railway Tavern pub, while there is also a country market on Fridays. The village is served by Longfield railway station which provides trains into London Victoria and Dover Priory.

Interestingly, other places that are the safest places to live in Kent based on crime rates are in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Affluent commuter town Tunbridge Wells and nearby village Groombridge are equally as safe a place to live as Longfield.

Closely behind is Cranbrook with a score of 9.96, which is famed for its grammar school and historic architecture. Other high performers were the affluent villages Hawkhurst and Langton Green, which scored 9.93 and 9.90 respectively. Most of these spots command a hefty price tag, so if having the lowest crime rate possible is a priority, it may cost you.

At the other end of the scale, the crime data shows industrial town Sittingbourne to be the least safe area with a score of 2. Many won’t be surprised it’s closely followed by the Isle of Sheppey’s Eastchurch (2.97). However, the gentrified market town of Faversham scoring low (3) is unexpected. All three of the worst performing areas sit under the local authority of Swale.

Saving searchers time

Locality Reality is a unique way of mapping a specific area of England or Wales. It also allows home buyers, renters and the  curious to learn about and compare areas on a postcode level. The platform is free to use and has so far attracted nearly 2 million visitors to the site.

When generating a ‘safety’ score, the platform shows details of personal crime, property crime, statutory crime and other crime. Moreover, it helps potential home buyers break down the crime statistics in their preferred areas.

Using a mix of data sources, Locality Reality calculates an individual score for seven key criteria. This includes education, green spaces, transport and safety. Users need only type in their postcode to find out their Locality Reality score.

How safe is Kent?

Overall, the county of Kent ranks 10th in England for safety, with an average score of 7.7. It is beaten by its neighbouring county, East Sussex, but ranks higher than more rural counties such as Devon, Suffolk and Shropshire. Oxfordshire has been identified as the safest county in England.

Are you moving to Kent or within the county itself and want to know where to live?

Find out more about living in Kent with our Locality Reality app.