Postcode district · Chatham

ME4 area guide

Who lives in ME4, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Council: Medway
Region: South East
Population: 47,035 (2024)

ME4Postcode district · Chatham

At a glance

What ME4 is like

The ME4 postcode district in Medway covers 796 live postcodes and is home to about 47,035 people in 17,196 households. 50% of households own their home, 30.6% rent privately and 17.5% are in social housing. The largest age group is 30–34, and 57.6% of adults are in work. On deprivation, it sits near the middle of the scale for England. Higher-harm crime is well above the England and Wales average. Homes in ME4 sold for a median of £247,750 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How ME4 compares

Headline figures for ME4, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

3.6/ 10

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

CrimeMore

8/ 10

Higher than most: 51.6 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£247,750

Median over 268 sales in ME4, −0.9% on the year before.

TransportMore

7.0/ 10

Very good: 2 stations within a mile, 42 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 18 inspected schools in ME4.

Household incomeMore

£52,179

Average annual income before tax, higher than 48% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where ME4 differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
30.6% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
Higher crime than mostLook closer
51.6 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
03
Well connectedPositive
2 stations within a mile and 42 bus stops within a ten-minute walk.
04
Well-rated schoolsPositive
100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.

Questions

ME4 FAQs

Is ME4 a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 3.6 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 51.6 per 1,000 people a year, band 8 of 10 nationally. 100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 7.0 out of 10 (very good).

How much does a house cost in ME4?

The median sale price over the last year was £247,750.

Homes in ME4 sold for a median of £247,750 across 268 sales in the year to August 2026, −0.9% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is ME4 safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 51.6 offences per 1,000 people a year around ME4, well above the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 8 of 10.

Who lives in ME4?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 30–34, at 8% of residents. 50% of households own their home. The most common property type is terraced (42.3%).

Which council covers ME4?

The local authority for ME4 is Medway.

ME4 comes under Medway in the South East. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is ME4?

Connectivity scores 7.0 out of 10.

There are 42 bus stops within 800m and 2 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 7.0 out of 10 (very good). The nearest station is Chatham 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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