Postcode · Maidstone

ME18 5BS area guide

Who lives in ME18 5BS, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: Kings Hill & Wateringbury
Council: Tonbridge and Malling
Region: South East
Neighbourhood population: 1,968 (2024)

ME18 5BSMaidstone

At a glance

What ME18 5BS is like

ME18 5BS is a postcode in the Kings Hill & Wateringbury area of Tonbridge and Malling. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 1,968 people. 76.6% of households own their home, 13.6% rent privately and 8.8% are in social housing. The largest age group is 50–54, and 55.7% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is less than half the England and Wales average. Homes in ME18 5 sold for a median of £410,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How ME18 5BS compares

Headline figures for ME18 5BS, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

7.0/ 10

Around the middle. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

2/ 10

Lower than most: 10.0 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£410,000

Median over 53 sales in ME18 5, −13.2% on the year before.

TransportMore

3.7/ 10

Limited: 1 station within a mile, 10 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 4 inspected schools within 2.0 miles.

Household incomeMore

£90,624

Average annual income before tax, higher than 97% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where ME18 5BS differs most from the national average.

01
Low crimePositive
10.0 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
02
Prices fallingLook closer
The median sale price in ME18 5 is down 13.2% on the year before.
03
An older population
23.5% of residents are 65 or over, against 18.4% across England.
04
Well-rated schoolsPositive
100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.
05
Few private renters
Only 13.6% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England.

Questions

ME18 5BS FAQs

Is ME18 5BS a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 7.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 10.0 per 1,000 people a year, band 2 of 10 nationally. 100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 3.7 out of 10 (limited).

How much does a house cost in ME18 5BS?

The median sale price over the last year was £410,000.

Homes in ME18 5 sold for a median of £410,000 across 53 sales in the year to August 2026, −13.2% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is ME18 5BS safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 10.0 offences per 1,000 people a year around ME18 5BS, less than half the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 2 of 10.

Who lives in ME18 5BS?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 50–54, at 9.1% of residents. 76.6% of households own their home. The most common property type is detached (49%).

Which council covers ME18 5BS?

The local authority for ME18 5BS is Tonbridge and Malling.

ME18 5BS comes under Tonbridge and Malling in the South East. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is ME18 5BS?

Connectivity scores 3.7 out of 10.

There are 10 bus stops within 800m and 1 station or tram stop within a mile, scoring 3.7 out of 10 (limited). The nearest station is Wateringbury Rail Station, 0.4 miles away.

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.

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