Postcode · Chatham

ME5 7BE area guide

Who lives in ME5 7BE, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: Luton
Council: Medway
Region: South East
Neighbourhood population: 1,817 (2024)

ME5 7BEChatham

At a glance

What ME5 7BE is like

ME5 7BE is a postcode in the Luton area of Medway. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 1,817 people. 37.7% of households own their home, 49.6% rent privately and 11.3% are in social housing. The largest age group is 35–39, and 56.9% of adults are in work. It ranks among the more deprived parts of England. Higher-harm crime is more than double the England and Wales average. Homes in ME5 7 sold for a median of £285,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How ME5 7BE compares

Headline figures for ME5 7BE, set against England as a whole.

AffluenceMore

1.0/ 10

More deprived than most. Scored from 1 (most deprived in England) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

9/ 10

Higher than most: 77.4 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£285,000

Median over 126 sales in ME5 7, +7.5% on the year before.

TransportMore

7.0/ 10

Very good: 2 stations within a mile, 40 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

94%

Rated good or better across 16 inspected schools within 1 mile.

Household incomeMore

£46,744

Average annual income before tax, higher than 32% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where ME5 7BE differs most from the national average.

01
A big private rental marketPositive
49.6% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England. Tenant demand is established here.
02
Higher crime than mostLook closer
77.4 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
03
A young populationPositive
22.6% of residents are aged 20 to 34 (the peak renting age), against 19.6% across England.
04
More deprived than mostLook closer
Scores 1.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (where 1 is most deprived). Yields can be higher, but check tenant demand street by street.
05
Prices risingPositive
The median sale price in ME5 7 is up 7.5% on the year before.

Questions

ME5 7BE FAQs

Is ME5 7BE a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 1.0 out of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 10 is the least deprived in England. Higher-harm crime runs at 77.4 per 1,000 people a year, band 9 of 10 nationally. 94% 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 ME5 7BE?

The median sale price over the last year was £285,000.

Homes in ME5 7 sold for a median of £285,000 across 126 sales in the year to August 2026, +7.5% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is ME5 7BE safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 77.4 offences per 1,000 people a year around ME5 7BE, more than double the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 9 of 10.

Who lives in ME5 7BE?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 35–39, at 9.7% of residents. 37.7% of households own their home. The most common property type is terraced (53.5%).

Which council covers ME5 7BE?

The local authority for ME5 7BE is Medway.

ME5 7BE comes under Medway in the South East. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is ME5 7BE?

Connectivity scores 7.0 out of 10.

There are 40 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 Gillingham (Kent) Rail Station, 0.8 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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