#1Hildenborough
4,943 peopleScore 72.2·#60 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Strongest: schools A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: hazard risk D−
Hildenborough, #1 on this list · Photo: Stacey Harris · CC BY-SA 2.0Kent rankings · Small towns
Best small towns in Kent
Hildenborough ranks first of 56 small towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents in Kent, with an A+. 9 of the 56 grade A− or better.
The overall score, among towns of 2,500 to 9,999; the letter is the same UK grade every town gets. The rank across England, Wales and Northern Ireland sits beside each letter. How grades work
#1A+
#2Joyden's Wood
4,912 peopleScore 69.7·#108 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Strongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C−
#3Bearsted
8,349 peopleScore 67.9·#132 of 1,289 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Strongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C−
All 56 towns, ranked
By overall score; the letter is the same UK grade as on each town’s page. Each rank across England, Wales and Northern Ireland links to the national list. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among UK towns of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbours on the list often share a letter.
56 towns.
#TownScoreGrade · UK rankWhat drives it
1Hildenborough4,943 people72.2top 3.9%A+#60 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: hazard risk D−
2Joyden's Wood4,912 people69.7top 6.9%A#108 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C−
3Bearsted8,349 people67.9top 8.9%A#132 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C−
4Otford and Kemsing7,332 people64.6top 13.8%A#202 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: cost of living D
5Rusthall and Langton Green7,783 people64.6top 13.9%A#204 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A+, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living C
6Dunton Green3,241 people63.1top 15.9%A−#234 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, health A·lowest: hazard risk C−
7Kings Hill9,963 people63.0top 16.1%A−#238 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health A+, jobs & income A+·lowest: cost of living C−
8Southborough9,632 people60.6top 21.6%A−#321 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A, walkability A·lowest: cost of living C
9South Darenth and Sutton at Hone4,091 people59.1top 24.1%A−#361 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A+, cost of living B+·lowest: hazard risk C−
10Cuxton3,039 people57.8top 26.9%B+#398 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: safety A, jobs & income A−·lowest: cost of living C−
11Hextable4,100 people57.1top 28.0%B+#413 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living C
12Hawkhurst3,683 people55.4top 32.2%B+#480 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A, hazard risk B+·lowest: safety C
13Istead Rise3,398 people55.2top 32.6%B+#486 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, safety A·lowest: cost of living D
14Meopham4,349 people53.1top 36.4%B#539 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D
15Cranbrook3,962 people52.8top 37.0%B#547 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A, hazard risk A·lowest: safety C−
16Westerham3,390 people52.3top 38.3%B#567 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health A, walkability A−·lowest: hazard risk D
17Marden3,489 people52.1top 38.7%B#573 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools A, walkability A−·lowest: cost of living C−
18West Malling4,251 people50.2top 42.5%B#628 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health A−, jobs & income B+·lowest: safety C
19Cliffe Woods2,689 people49.9top 43.2%B#636 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: safety A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D
20Ash (Dover)2,529 people49.1top 45.2%B−#663 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, schools A−·lowest: cost of living C−
21Ebbsfleet Valley2,989 people48.3top 46.9%B−#686 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, jobs & income A·lowest: safety D−
22Borough Green4,712 people47.3top 49.3%B−#717 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health A−, jobs & income A−·lowest: schools D
23Higham2,642 people46.4bottom 48.5%B−#745 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, health A−·lowest: cost of living D
24Cliffe2,531 people45.5bottom 46.9%B−#762 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, schools B+·lowest: walkability D
25West Kingsdown4,306 people45.4bottom 46.6%B−#767 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, safety B·lowest: cost of living C
26Pembury5,783 people45.1bottom 45.8%B−#776 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A−, walkability B+·lowest: safety C−
27Stone6,438 people44.8bottom 44.7%C+#792 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, hazard risk A·lowest: safety D−
28Coxheath8,453 people44.4bottom 43.5%C+#804 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health B, jobs & income B·lowest: cost of living C
29Hawkinge8,499 people43.8bottom 42.3%C+#820 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, schools A−·lowest: cost of living D
30Hadlow3,168 people43.3bottom 40.9%C+#838 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: safety B, walkability B·lowest: schools C−
31Halling2,926 people43.2bottom 40.7%C+#840 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A−, hazard risk B+·lowest: schools C−
32Edenbridge7,903 people41.3bottom 36.7%C+#888 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A−, schools B·lowest: hazard risk D
33Iwade4,533 people40.9bottom 35.7%C+#900 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: safety A−, jobs & income B+·lowest: schools D−
34Darenth2,588 people40.3bottom 34.5%C#915 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, schools B·lowest: health C−
35Paddock Wood7,616 people39.3bottom 32.1%C#941 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A−, health B·lowest: hazard risk D−
36Teynham3,128 people38.5bottom 30.4%C#962 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B, cost of living B·lowest: safety C−
37Halfway Houses4,396 people38.4bottom 30.2%C#964 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk B+, cost of living B−·lowest: jobs & income C
38Newington2,691 people38.4bottom 29.9%C#969 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, jobs & income B+·lowest: safety C−
39Staplehurst6,181 people36.7bottom 25.5%C#1,022 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, jobs & income B−·lowest: schools D
40Whitfield6,509 people36.7bottom 25.3%C#1,024 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability C+·lowest: safety C−
41Tenterden7,775 people36.7bottom 25.2%C#1,026 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk B+, health B+·lowest: schools D−
42Chartham3,569 people35.2bottom 21.3%C−#1,061 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health B+, jobs & income B−·lowest: hazard risk D−
43Headcorn3,293 people35.0bottom 20.8%C−#1,066 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, health B·lowest: safety D
44Lenham and Harrietsham4,763 people34.6bottom 19.5%C−#1,080 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: health B+, walkability B·lowest: schools D
45Sandwich4,258 people33.1bottom 16.4%C−#1,117 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A−, schools C+·lowest: safety D
46Aylesham5,788 people32.8bottom 15.7%C−#1,125 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B·lowest: schools D
47Sturry4,857 people32.3bottom 14.3%D#1,141 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, jobs & income C+·lowest: hazard risk D
48Queenborough3,915 people32.0bottom 13.7%D#1,146 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability A−, hazard risk B+·lowest: safety D
49Dymchurch3,097 people29.4bottom 9.8%D#1,189 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: schools B, walkability B−·lowest: hazard risk D−
50Hoo St Werburgh8,758 people26.4bottom 5.3%D#1,236 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability C+, jobs & income C·lowest: hazard risk D
51Lydd3,911 people26.2bottom 5.0%D#1,239 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income D−
52Eastchurch3,381 people25.4bottom 4.4%D−#1,246 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability A−·lowest: safety D−
53Littlestone-on-Sea5,271 people23.4bottom 2.8%D−#1,263 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: safety B, walkability C·lowest: schools D−
54St Mary's Bay2,966 people23.2bottom 2.6%D−#1,265 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: walkability B−, safety B−·lowest: jobs & income D
55Minster (Thanet)4,739 people23.0bottom 2.5%D−#1,266 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability C+·lowest: cost of living D−
56New Romney3,870 people21.4bottom 1.4%D−#1,278 of 1,289 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B+·lowest: schools D−
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the best small town to live in Kent?
Hildenborough ranks first of 56 (A+): schools (A+) and jobs & income (A+) are its strongest grades; hazard risk (D−) is its lowest. Joyden's Wood and Bearsted follow.
How are these towns ranked?
By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades (cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability, flood risk) from public data, each comparing a town with every UK town. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents with an overall grade. Towns without one are counted above with the reason.
Go deeper
All Kent rankings →More Kent lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live87 towns · #1 HildenboroughMost affordable towns87 towns · #1 SheernessSafest towns87 towns · #1 CuxtonTowns with the best schools87 towns · #1 HildenboroughHealthiest towns87 towns · #1 Otford and KemsingBest towns for jobs & income87 towns · #1 SevenoaksMost walkable towns87 towns · #1 CanterburyTowns with the lowest flood risk87 towns · #1 Ash (Dover) and 27 moreBest towns for the outdoors87 towns · #1 FolkestoneMost historic towns87 towns · #1 SandwichTowns with the most civic life87 towns · #1 Ash (Dover)Towns with the highest household incomes87 towns · #1 Kings HillDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest council tax87 towns · #1 GillinghamDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters87 towns · #1 SheernessDescribed, no lettersTowns with the warmest summers87 towns · #1 DartfordDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers87 towns · #1 HawkingeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the fewest frosts87 towns · #1 RamsgateDescribed, no lettersDriest towns87 towns · #1 QueenboroughDescribed, no lettersWettest towns87 towns · #1 HawkingeDescribed, no letters
County by county
Best small towns, county by county
BedfordshireBerkshireBuckinghamshireCambridgeshireCheshireClwydCornwallCounty DurhamCumbriaDerbyshireDevonDorsetDyfedEast Riding of YorkshireEssexGloucestershireGwentHampshireHertfordshireKentLancashireLeicestershireLincolnshireMid GlamorganNorfolkNorth YorkshireNorthamptonshireNottinghamshireOxfordshireSomersetSouth YorkshireStaffordshireSuffolkSurreyTyne and WearWarwickshireWest SussexWest YorkshireWiltshire
Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.