Postcode · Gillingham

ME8 8LA area guide

Who lives in ME8 8LA, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: Rainham South East
Council: Medway
Region: South East
Neighbourhood population: 1,556 (2024)

ME8 8LAGillingham

At a glance

What ME8 8LA is like

ME8 8LA is a postcode in the Rainham South East area of Medway. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 1,556 people. 75.9% of households own their home, 12.9% rent privately and 10.6% are in social housing. The largest age group is 70–74, and 53.1% 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 ME8 8 sold for a median of £325,000 over the year to August 2026.

Scores

How ME8 8LA compares

Headline figures for ME8 8LA, 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

3/ 10

Lower than most: 13.5 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year vs 31.1 nationally.

House pricesMore

£325,000

Median over 149 sales in ME8 8, −1.5% on the year before.

TransportMore

5.0/ 10

Good: 1 station within a mile, 37 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

100%

Rated good or better across 9 inspected schools within 1 mile.

Household incomeMore

£59,409

Average annual income before tax, higher than 66% of neighbourhoods in England and Wales.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where ME8 8LA differs most from the national average.

01
Low crimePositive
13.5 higher-harm crimes per 1,000 people a year, against 31.1 across England and Wales.
02
An older population
26.5% of residents are 65 or over, against 18.4% across England.
03
Well-rated schoolsPositive
100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better.
04
Schools are over capacityLook closer
The schools nearby are 101% full, with more pupils than places overall. Check admissions before you buy.
05
Few private renters
Only 12.9% of households rent privately, against 20.5% across England.

Questions

ME8 8LA FAQs

Is ME8 8LA 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 13.5 per 1,000 people a year, band 3 of 10 nationally. 100% of the inspected schools nearby are rated good or better. Transport connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10 (good).

How much does a house cost in ME8 8LA?

The median sale price over the last year was £325,000.

Homes in ME8 8 sold for a median of £325,000 across 149 sales in the year to August 2026, −1.5% on the year before. Prices come from HM Land Registry’s record of every residential sale.

Is ME8 8LA safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Higher-harm crime (violence, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime and weapons offences) runs at 13.5 offences per 1,000 people a year around ME8 8LA, less than half the 31.1 average across England and Wales, band 3 of 10.

Who lives in ME8 8LA?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 70–74, at 7.3% of residents. 75.9% of households own their home. The most common property type is semi-detached (42.8%).

Which council covers ME8 8LA?

The local authority for ME8 8LA is Medway.

ME8 8LA comes under Medway in the South East. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is ME8 8LA?

Connectivity scores 5.0 out of 10.

There are 37 bus stops within 800m and 1 station or tram stop within a mile, scoring 5.0 out of 10 (good). The nearest station is Rainham (Kent) Rail Station, 0.3 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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