Living in Harlow
Police recorded 99 crimes per 1,000 residents in Harlow in the year to April 2026, above the average of 82 across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Homes sell for a median of about £4,059 per m², above the typical council in England and Wales (£3,342). 29.4% of households rent from the council or a housing association, well above the UK average of 17.5%. About 5.8% of homes are in areas where road or rail noise reaches 65 dB, against 6.9% across Great Britain. 90% of homes are within a five-minute walk of a public park (Great Britain: 56%).
Harlow at a glance
| Measure | Harlow | Comparison | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social housing (share of households) | 29.4% | UK 17.5% | 15th highest of 374 |
| Recorded crime per 1,000 residents | 99 | E, W & NI 82 | 57th highest of 327 |
| Anti-social behaviour per 1,000 residents | 11 | E, W & NI 16 | |
| Homes in areas with 65 dB+ road or rail noise | 5.8% | GB 6.9% | 206th quietest of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a public park | 90% | GB 56% | 8th of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a play space | 85% | GB 60% | |
| Median house price per m² | £4,059 | E&W council median £3,342 | 105th highest of 314 |
| Schools rated Good or Outstanding | 87% | E&W 87% | |
| Median broadband speed available | 1,000 Mbit/s | Council median 1,000 Mbit/s |
How much crime is there in Harlow?
From May 2025 to April 2026, police recorded 9,202 crimes in Harlow — 99 per 1,000 residents, above the average of 82 across England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the 57th highest of 327 councils. That is about the same as the previous 12 months. The most common offences were violence and sexual offences (44%), public order (9%) and criminal damage and arson (9%). Police also logged 989 incidents of anti-social behaviour (11 per 1,000 residents).
Rates are per resident, so council areas with busy city centres, shopping or nightlife districts show higher rates than residents alone would suggest. See where crime is recorded on the map →
How much social housing is there in Harlow?
Harlow ranks 15th of 374 UK local authorities by social-housing share. Of its 37,854 households, 11,111 are social homes (29.4%) — renting from the council or a housing association, according to the 2021–22 Census.
How does Harlow compare with the UK average?
At +11.9 percentage points versus the UK average of 17.5%, Harlow sits well above the national level. It is among the highest shares in the country.
How noisy is Harlow?
In Harlow, about 5.8% of homes are in areas where modelled road or rail noise reaches 65 dB Lden or more — the level Defra and the WHO treat as high. The Great Britain average is 6.9%, and Harlow is the 206th quietest of 363 councils mapped.
Estimated from the official strategic noise maps: the share of each census area at 65 dB or more, weighted by its households. See noisy roads and railways on the map →
How close are parks in Harlow?
90% of homes in Harlow are within 400 m — about a five-minute walk — of a public park or garden, and 85% are that close to a children's play space. Across Great Britain the figures are 56% and 60%, which puts Harlow 8th of 363 councils for access to a park.
Straight-line distance from the centre of each census area to the edge of the nearest site in OS Open Greenspace, weighted by households. See parks and play spaces on the map →
Schools, prices and more in Harlow
What the map's other datasets say about Harlow.
Schools
On the Department for Education's register, Harlow has 42 schools — 41 state-funded and 1 independent. That includes 30 primary and 7 secondary schools. Of the 15 with a published Ofsted grade, 87% are Good or Outstanding.
Nurseries
There are 48 nurseries and pre-schools on Ofsted's childcare register in Harlow, offering about 2,172 registered childcare places. Childminders are not counted — Ofsted withholds their addresses.
Deprivation
The median neighbourhood in Harlow sits in decile 4 of 10 on its nation's deprivation index, and 5% of its 58 neighbourhoods fall in the most-deprived national fifth.
House prices
The median neighbourhood price is about £4,059 per m², from Land Registry sold prices matched to EPC floor areas.
Broadband
Median available download speed is about 1,000 Mbit/s — what can be ordered, not what residents have bought (Ofcom Connected Nations).
Explore Harlow on the map
Areas with a similar share of social housing
Sources: 2021–22 Census (social housing); data.police.uk, May 2025 to April 2026 (crime); strategic noise maps, Round 4 (noise); OS Open Greenspace (parks) · Page updated 27 September 2026 · Download the data (CSV, all 374 councils).