HP area guide
Who lives in HP, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.
- Council
- Buckinghamshire
- Region
- South East
- Population
- 603,547 (2024)
HPPostcode area · Hemel Hempstead
What HP is like
The HP postcode area in South East covers 14,105 live postcodes and is home to about 603,547 people in 230,911 households. 67.8% of households own their home, 15.6% rent privately and 15.4% are in social housing. The largest age group is 50–54, and 60.7% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is below the England and Wales average. Homes in HP sold for a median of £440,000 over the year to August 2026.
How HP compares
Headline figures for HP, set against England as a whole.
Around the middle. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).
Around the middle: 22.9 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.
Average annual income before tax, higher than 82% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.
Worth knowing before you invest
Where HP differs most from the national average.
- 01Well-rated schoolsPositive
93% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.
HP FAQs
01Is HP a good place to live?Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.
Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.
02How much does a house cost in HP?The median sale price over the last year was £440,000.
The median sale price over the last year was £440,000.
03Is HP safe?How recorded crime here compares with the national average.
How recorded crime here compares with the national average.
04Who lives in HP?Age, home ownership and housing from the census.
Age, home ownership and housing from the census.
05Which council covers HP?The local authority for HP is Buckinghamshire.
The local authority for HP is Buckinghamshire.
06How well connected is HP?Connectivity scores 1.3 out of 10.
Connectivity scores 1.3 out of 10.
Sources: Census 2021 (ONS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.