Is Eastbourne a good place to live? Here's what the data says, according to a national newspaper

The Sunday Times has tried to pinpoint the most ‘liveable’ place in the country using data from every local authority in Britain.

The list ranked each district based on nine different metrics, including: quality of education (based on Ofsted reports and Progress 8 – a measure of how much children improve during secondary school), GP satisfaction, NHS waiting lists, average house price and the number of listed buildings, community-listed companies and parks with Green Flags.

Out of 291 authorities, Eastbourne was ranked as the 277th best place to live.

According to the data, Eastbourne has a crime rate of 109.8 incidents per 1,000 people as of March 2024, the 45th highest crime-rate in the country.

Eastbourne came out lowest in relation to its schools, placing at 256 in the whole country. According to the data, just seven per cent of schools in Eastbourne are rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

The town came out highest in relation to the number of community-interest companies, at number 33. For every 10,000 people, there are eight community-interest companies, according to the data.

Disagreeing with the ranking, MP Josh Babarinde said: "As the sunniest town in the UK, with 94 beautiful individual beaches, and as the gateway to the magnificent South Downs National Park, I’m so proud to call Eastbourne my home.

“Our restaurant and cafe culture is buzzing, our arts scene is thriving, our schools are excelling (I went to many of them myself) and our community is the most compassionate and tight-knit I know.

“It’s for all these reasons that TimeOut named Eastbourne their best place to visit, that the International Tennis Tournament comes to town every year, and that Airbourne was just named the best free Airshow in the country for the third time!

“We’re a special town and those of us who live, work and play here know that all too well.”

Compared to neighbouring authorities, Eastbourne came out lowest in The Times’ list. Hastings placed at 242; Wealden placed at 130, and Lewes placed at 120.

Councillor Margaret Bannister, Eastbourne Borough Council’s lead member for tourism, leisure, accessibility and community safety, said the town is ‘widely considered one of the most desirable locations for residents and visitors’.

She said: “The town is the gateway to the South Downs National Park and boasts one of the most picturesque and unspoilt seafronts anywhere in the UK.

“Eastbourne regularly features as a top destination - from Time Out’s best place to visit and the UK’s best free airshow, to the best location for stargazing, iconic coastal walks, dog-friendly holidays, instagrammable views and so much more.

“Eastbourne is also the sunniest town in the UK - a fact that is not lost on the millions of tourists who visit every year and the residents who are lucky enough to have their home here.

“Good schools, excellent health services, wonderful parks and gardens, highly regarded restaurants and hotels, public and private sports and leisure facilities, and a cultural offering that includes acclaimed theatres and the world-renowned Towner gallery - it's easy to see why people want to live, work and visit Eastbourne.”