Looking towards 20-22 Spruce Crescent, Poringland

Poringland, #1 on this list · Photo: TCExplorer · CC BY-SA 2.0

Norfolk · 2026

Best places to live in Norfolk

Q: What is the best place to live in Norfolk?

Poringland ranks first of 51 graded towns of 2,500+: health (A) and hazard risk (A) are its strongest grades; walkability (C−) is its lowest. Queen's Hills and Spixworth follow.

Poringland ranks first of 51 Norfolk towns of 2,500+ residents, and #167 of 2,138 UK towns. 11 of the 51 grade A− or better; scores run from 68.5 down to 17.9.

The overall score, sorted within Norfolk; the letter compares each town with every UK town, and its rank among UK towns sits beside it. How grades work

Poringland

Norfolk · 7,105 people

Score 68.5·#167 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: health A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C⁻

Queen's Hills

Norfolk · 4,465 people

Score 67.5·#200 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C⁺

Spixworth

Norfolk · 3,418 people

Score 67.1·#209 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: safety A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C⁻

All 51 towns, ranked

By overall score against UK towns; ranks are within Norfolk, and each UK rank 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.

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52 towns, 51 ranked.

#TownScoreGrade · UK rankWhat drives it

1Poringland7,105 people68.5top 8.1%A#167 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: health A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C⁻

2Queen's Hills4,465 people67.5top 9.7%A#200 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C⁺

3Spixworth3,418 people67.1top 10.1%A#209 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C⁻

4Wymondham16,334 people66.6top 10.9%A#225 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A⁺, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety C

5Hethersett7,018 people65.5top 12.5%A#259 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, health B⁺·lowest: walkability B⁻

6Taverham and Drayton14,989 people65.4top 12.6%A#261 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A, jobs & income A·lowest: walkability C⁺

7Mulbarton3,807 people65.4top 12.6%A#262 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A⁺, health A⁻·lowest: hazard risk C⁻

8Cringleford4,686 people62.6top 16.5%A⁻#344 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, walkability A·lowest: safety C⁺

9Long Stratton5,218 people61.8top 18.4%A⁻#384 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A·lowest: schools C

10Brundall4,378 people61.4top 19.7%A⁻#411 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A, jobs & income A⁻·lowest: hazard risk C⁻

11Horsford4,396 people58.8top 24.8%A⁻#520 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, hazard risk B⁺·lowest: walkability C⁻

12Aylsham7,183 people55.8top 30.9%B⁺#652 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: health B⁺, cost of living B·lowest: hazard risk C

13Costessey2,608 people55.6top 31.5%B⁺#664 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety B⁺, cost of living B⁺·lowest: walkability C

14Blofield2,667 people52.6top 37.3%B#788 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, safety B⁺·lowest: walkability D

15Dersingham4,753 people52.1top 38.6%B#815 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living C⁻

16Snettisham2,709 people48.3top 47.0%B⁻#995 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A⁺, safety A·lowest: jobs & income D

17Harleston5,077 people48.1top 47.4%B⁻#1,005 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A⁻, walkability B⁺·lowest: jobs & income D

18Feltwell2,919 people47.5top 48.8%B⁻#1,035 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A, schools B·lowest: walkability D

19Watton11,549 people44.7bottom 44.5%C⁺#1,179 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B⁺, hazard risk B⁺·lowest: jobs & income C⁻

20Diss9,599 people44.2bottom 43.2%C⁺#1,208 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability A⁻·lowest: schools D

21West Winch2,828 people42.2bottom 38.6%C⁺#1,307 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, safety A⁻·lowest: walkability D

22Stalham3,383 people41.1bottom 36.2%C⁺#1,358 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B⁺·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

23Ormesby St Margaret2,741 people40.6bottom 35.0%C⁺#1,384 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D

24Attleborough11,236 people40.5bottom 34.8%C#1,388 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B, hazard risk B·lowest: schools D

25Martham3,633 people40.4bottom 34.7%C#1,391 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, safety A⁻·lowest: cost of living D

26Sheringham7,087 people40.2bottom 34.4%C#1,398 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D

27Heacham3,978 people38.4bottom 30.0%C#1,490 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety B⁺, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income D

28Downham Market11,349 people37.0bottom 26.5%C#1,565 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B⁺·lowest: jobs & income C⁻

29Dereham20,788 people36.4bottom 24.5%C⁻#1,609 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B⁺, cost of living B⁻·lowest: schools C⁻

30Bradwell11,632 people35.3bottom 21.5%C⁻#1,674 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety B, hazard risk B·lowest: cost of living D

31Hopton on Sea2,575 people34.7bottom 19.9%C⁻#1,708 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B·lowest: cost of living D

32Thetford25,502 people34.4bottom 19.1%C⁻#1,726 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living B·lowest: safety D

33Hoveton and Wroxham3,620 people34.4bottom 18.9%C⁻#1,729 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: health B⁻, safety B⁻·lowest: cost of living D⁻

34Cromer7,522 people34.1bottom 18.6%C⁻#1,737 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁺, hazard risk A·lowest: jobs & income D

35Watlington2,593 people31.8bottom 13.4%D#1,848 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety B⁺, jobs & income C⁺·lowest: schools D⁻

36Norwich200,744 people31.8bottom 13.3%D#1,851 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁺, hazard risk B⁻·lowest: safety D

37Hunstanton4,230 people31.0bottom 12.3%D#1,873 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, schools C⁺·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

38Holt4,014 people31.0bottom 12.2%D#1,875 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, hazard risk A·lowest: cost of living D⁻

39King's Lynn47,604 people30.7bottom 11.8%D#1,882 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living B⁻·lowest: safety D

40Belton3,603 people30.4bottom 11.3%D#1,895 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety B⁺, health C·lowest: hazard risk D

41Caister-on-Sea9,095 people30.1bottom 10.8%D#1,904 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk B, walkability B⁻·lowest: cost of living D

42Elm and Emneth4,555 people29.5bottom 10.1%D#1,920 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety B⁻, schools C·lowest: hazard risk D

43Swaffham8,434 people29.2bottom 9.5%D#1,932 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income D

44Mundesley2,777 people28.9bottom 8.7%D#1,950 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B⁺, safety B·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

45Fakenham8,390 people28.9bottom 8.7%D#1,951 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁻, hazard risk B·lowest: schools D⁻

46North Walsham12,829 people28.3bottom 7.7%D#1,971 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁻, hazard risk B·lowest: jobs & income D

47Gorleston-on-Sea24,474 people27.8bottom 7.1%D#1,984 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living C·lowest: jobs & income D

48Hemsby5,724 people27.1bottom 6.1%D#2,006 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability C⁺·lowest: jobs & income D

49Terrington St Clement2,792 people21.8bottom 1.7%D⁻#2,102 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety C, health C·lowest: hazard risk D

50Great Yarmouth28,979 people21.6bottom 1.5%D⁻#2,106 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁺, cost of living B⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

51Upwell and Outwell3,664 people17.9bottom 0.2%D⁻#2,133 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety C, cost of living C·lowest: schools D⁻

–Marham Garrison town2,608 people61.4top 19.6%A⁻Strongest: safety A⁺, walkability A⁺·lowest: schools D

Military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked: most residents serve in the forces or are students.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the best place to live in Norfolk?

Poringland ranks first of 51 graded towns of 2,500+: health (A) and hazard risk (A) are its strongest grades; walkability (C−) is its lowest. Queen's Hills and Spixworth follow.

How are these towns ranked?

By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades (cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability, hazard risk) from public data, each comparing a town with every UK town. The rank is within Norfolk. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers places of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade. Smaller places, and towns missing figures the overall grade needs, show their subject grades on their own pages; every town in Norfolk is listed on the county page.

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.