Is Rochester a good place to live?
Living in Rochester, Medway: house prices, crime, schools and the practical details to check before you move.
On this page
Rochester at a glance
Rochester is in Medway, South East, England. Flats sold for a median £180,000, compared with £310,000 across all property types (12 months to July 2026). Gigabit-capable broadband was available to 89.5% of premises (January 2026). Whether it suits you comes down to the home and neighbourhood: compare the property you can afford, the schools relevant to your household and the checks needed at the exact address.
Sources and periods vary by measure. See the source register · How we use the data
Where is Rochester, and who lives here?
Rochester is in Medway, South East, England.
The mapped town had 67,279 residents in Census 2021. This describes the town area, rather than the wider council area.
| County / area | Medway |
|---|---|
| Region | South East |
| Local authority | Medway |
| Population | 67,279 · Census 2021 |
Office for National Statistics · ONS BUA 2024 / LAD December 2025 / hierarchy April 2025. Source details
Office for National Statistics · Census 2021, BUA24 geography; released May 2026. Source details
View population and age groups
| Under 16 | 20.2% |
|---|---|
| 16–24 | 10.0% |
| 25–64 | 54.0% |
| 65 and over | 15.8% |
ONS best-fits the Census counts to the built-up-area geography. The population displayed here must not silently replace the denominator used in the crime rate.
How much do homes sell for in Rochester?
The median recorded sold price in Rochester is £310,000, based on 678 transactions in the published 12-month window. This is not a current asking-price estimate or a measure of affordability relative to income.
For a nearby reference, Higham (Gravesham)’s median was £405,000 across 28 sales—£95,000 above Rochester in the same source period. These are different mixes of homes, not a like-for-like valuation. See nearby comparisons
- Median recorded sale
- £310,000
- Recorded sales in the period
- 678
| Detached | £550,000 |
|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £350,000 |
| Terraced | £290,000 |
| Flat / maisonette | £180,000 |
View recorded price changes
| One-year change | 0.0% |
|---|---|
| Five-year change | 6.9% |
A change in the mix of properties sold can move the median. These are nominal comparisons, not a forecast or an inflation-adjusted price index.
See recent sales
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Date | Property type | Postcode | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 July 2026 | Semi-detached | ME1 2PH | £310,000 |
| 24 July 2026 | Terraced | ME2 3PE | £345,500 |
| 23 July 2026 | Terraced | ME1 3DA | £295,360 |
| 22 July 2026 | Semi-detached | ME2 4EB | £385,000 |
| 21 July 2026 | Terraced | ME2 3HG | £249,000 |
| 17 July 2026 | Semi-detached | ME3 8AY | £340,000 |
| 17 July 2026 | Terraced | ME2 3AD | £228,000 |
| 16 July 2026 | Semi-detached | ME1 3DW | £240,000 |
| 15 July 2026 | Terraced | ME2 4RE | £290,000 |
| 14 July 2026 | Terraced | ME1 2DP | £290,000 |
Property-type samples may be smaller still. The mix of homes sold affects medians; these are not like-for-like valuations.
HM Land Registry · 12 months to July 2026. Source details
Is Rochester safe? What the crime data shows
Kerbside does not classify Rochester as safe or unsafe. The published 12-month Police.uk dataset records 96.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, including antisocial behaviour. Reporting, policing, visitor numbers and the source coverage all affect the figure.
| Total incidents in the period | 6,529 |
|---|---|
| Incidents per 1,000 residents | 96.7 |
| Population denominator | 67,544 |
| Violence and sexual offences per 1,000 | 37.2 |
| Antisocial behaviour per 1,000 | 17.9 |
| Burglary per 1,000 | 2.2 |
| Vehicle crime per 1,000 | 4.2 |
| Robbery per 1,000 | 0.8 |
The categories shown are a selection, not the whole total. The rate uses the recorded source denominator above, not the newer Census count. Town-wide rates hide differences between streets and neighbourhoods.
Home Office / Police.uk · July 2025 to June 2026 · 12 months. Source details
How are schools rated in Rochester?
15 of 16 schools with a recorded overall grade have a Good or Outstanding grade (93.8%). These are historical grades from inspections between 2013 and 2024, not new inspections in the source-download year.
View all 20 school records
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| School | Phase | Historical grade |
|---|---|---|
| St Nicholas CEVC Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school · ME2 3HU | PrimaryAges 4–11 | Outstanding22 January 2013 |
| Fort Pitt Grammar SchoolAcademy converter · ME4 6TJ | SecondaryAges 11–18 | Outstanding4 October 2022 |
| Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical SchoolAcademy converter · ME1 3EL | SecondaryAges 11–18 | Outstanding21 March 2023 |
| Abbey Court Foundation Special SchoolCommunity special school · ME2 3SP | Ages 3–19 | Outstanding8 March 2023 |
| All Faiths Children's AcademyAcademy converter · ME2 4UF | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good28 January 2020 |
| Cedar Children's AcademyAcademy sponsor led · ME2 2JP | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good8 May 2019 |
| Crest Infant SchoolCommunity school · ME1 2QA | PrimaryAges 4–7 | Good12 February 2020 |
| English Martyrs' Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter · ME2 4JA | PrimaryAges 4–11 | Good12 July 2023 |
| Gordons Children's Academy, InfantAcademy sponsor led · ME2 3HQ | PrimaryAges 5–7 | Good27 September 2022 |
| Hilltop Primary SchoolAcademy converter · ME2 4QN | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good29 June 2022 |
| St Margaret's at Troy Town CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolAcademy converter · ME1 1YF | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good2 December 2021 |
| St Peter's Infant SchoolCommunity school · ME1 2HU | PrimaryAges 4–7 | Good9 May 2024 |
| Temple Mill Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led · ME2 3NL | PrimaryAges 3–11 | Good24 April 2024 |
| The Rochester Grammar SchoolAcademy converter · ME1 3BY | SecondaryAges 11–18 | Good17 January 2023 |
| The Thomas Aveling SchoolAcademy converter · ME1 2UW | SecondaryAges 11–18 | Good14 September 2022 |
| Ripplevale School RochesterOther independent special school · ME1 1BG | Ages 6–25 | Requires improvement27 April 2023 |
| St William of Perth Roman Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter · ME1 3EN | PrimaryAges 4–11 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery)Academy converter · ME1 3LF | PrimaryAges 3–11 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| King's School, RochesterOther independent school · ME1 1TE | Ages 2–18 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
| St Andrew's School (Rochester)Other independent school · ME1 1SA | Ages 2–11 | No usable overall gradeDate not supplied |
A historical grade does not establish catchment eligibility, available places or suitability for a particular child. Source extraction dates are not inspection dates.
Department for Education · Historical overall grades 2009–2024 · GIAS 2026-09-01 + Ofsted 2026-07-31. Source details
What flood risk is mapped in Rochester?
6.62% of Rochester’s mapped land is in Flood Zone 3. Flood Zone 2 excluding Zone 3 covers 2.75%. Separately, 4.20% has at least a 1% annual chance of surface-water flooding in the source model. These are land-area measures, not a property-level assessment; do not add the two models together.
River and sea planning zones
| Flood Zone 3 | 6.62% |
|---|---|
| Flood Zone 2, excluding Zone 3 | 2.75% |
Environment Agency · Flood Map for Planning Flood Zones, revision 20 May 2026. Source details
Surface-water flooding
| High modelled likelihood | 1.94% |
|---|---|
| Medium modelled likelihood | 2.26% |
| Low modelled likelihood | 5.53% |
Environment Agency · NaFRA2 RoFSW v202509. Source details
Land coverage is not the percentage of homes expected to flood. Areas outside mapped bands are not guaranteed flood-free. Check the actual address before a purchase.
What broadband is available?
of premises have gigabit-capable broadband available.
| Gigabit-capable | 89.5% |
|---|---|
| Full fibre | 86.3% |
| Superfast · 30 Mbps or more | 98.3% |
| Premises without decent broadband | <0.1% |
| Premises in the dataset | 30,710 |
Availability is not measured speed or a guarantee of a particular package. Ofcom’s “decent broadband” measure is at least 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload.
Ofcom · January 2026. Source details
Check broadband at your address
Compare available plans before you move.
Compare broadband →Opens Broadband Genie. Available deals may not cover every provider. Kerbside earns no commission.
How energy-efficient are homes in Rochester?
The dataset includes 15,095 domestic properties with a usable latest certificate. 56.4% are rated C or above.
| Mean energy-efficiency score | 69 · Band D |
|---|---|
| Rated C or above | 56.4% |
| Mean recorded CO₂ emissions | 2.8 tonnes / year |
| Properties represented | 15,095 |
View the EPC band distribution
| Band A | 0.2% |
|---|---|
| Band B | 13.5% |
| Band C | 42.8% |
| Band D | 35.4% |
| Band E | 7.2% |
| Band F | 0.8% |
| Band G | 0.2% |
The latest certificate per property within the source’s ten-year validity window is used. These are assessed properties, not every home. Emissions are estimates, not measured household use.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · MHCLG domestic EPC register August 2026. Source details
Planning activity and local heritage
What do planning figures show?
The Medway local planning authority received 1,018 applications in the published annual period. 91.2% of recorded decisions were approvals.
These are local-authority totals, not applications inside the town boundary. Approval rates use decisions as their denominator, not applications received. They do not predict approval for an individual proposal.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · MHCLG PS1/PS2 year to Mar 2026. Source details
Listed buildings
There are 277 listed-building records mapped to the town.
| Grade I | 21 |
|---|---|
| Grade II* | 26 |
| Grade II | 230 |
For a particular property, check the official listing and the council’s conservation-area boundaries. A town count does not establish whether an address is designated.
Historic England · Listed buildings Sep 2026; conservation areas Jul 2025. Source details
Air quality and deprivation
What does the air-quality model show?
| PM2.5 annual mean | 7.7 µg/m³ |
|---|---|
| PM10 annual mean | 12.7 µg/m³ |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) annual mean | 12.2 µg/m³ |
An annual background estimate is not today’s air quality or pollution beside a particular road. It cannot establish an individual’s exposure.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Defra PCM 2024. Source details
How should deprivation data be read?
| Population-weighted mean IMD decile | 4.9 |
|---|---|
| Constituent areas in deciles 1–3 | 35.9% |
| Constituent areas in deciles 8–10 | 20.5% |
Lower deciles indicate greater relative deprivation. The town mean is not an official national town rank or a judgement about individual residents; conditions vary within each town.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (corrected v2). Source details
Which towns are near Rochester?
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Town | Distance | Median sold price | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower UpnorMedway2.0 miles away | 2.0 miles | — | — |
| Higham (Gravesham)Kent2.1 miles away | 2.1 miles | £405,000 | 28 |
| CuxtonMedway2.3 miles away | 2.3 miles | £461,000 | 34 |
| ChattendenMedway2.5 miles away | 2.5 miles | £452,500 | 24 |
| ShorneKent2.5 miles away | 2.5 miles | — | — |
| Lower HighamKent2.7 miles away | 2.7 miles | — | — |
| ChathamMedway2.8 miles away | 2.8 miles | £293,000 | 753 |
| Cliffe WoodsMedway2.9 miles away | 2.9 miles | £430,000 | 53 |
| Peters VillageKent3.6 miles away | 3.6 miles | — | — |
| Blue Bell HillKent4.1 miles away | 4.1 miles | — | — |
Distances describe geographic proximity, not a road journey or a public-transport connection. Price comparisons use the same published source period and require at least 20 sales; a dash means no eligible comparison, not a zero price.
Office for National Statistics · ONS BUA 2024 / LAD December 2025 / hierarchy April 2025. Source details
More questions about living in Rochester
Is Rochester a good place to live?
Rochester is in Medway, South East, England. Flats sold for a median £180,000, compared with £310,000 across all property types (12 months to July 2026). Gigabit-capable broadband was available to 89.5% of premises (January 2026). Whether it suits you comes down to the home and neighbourhood: compare the property you can afford, the schools relevant to your household and the checks needed at the exact address.
Where is Rochester?
Rochester is in Medway, South East, England.
What is the population of Rochester?
Rochester has a population of 67,279 on the Census 2021, BUA24 geography; released May 2026 town geography used by Kerbside.
How much do homes sell for in Rochester?
The median recorded sold price in Rochester is £310,000, based on 678 transactions in the published 12-month window. This is not a current asking-price estimate or a measure of affordability relative to income.
Is Rochester safe?
Kerbside does not classify Rochester as safe or unsafe. The published 12-month Police.uk dataset records 96.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, including antisocial behaviour. Reporting, policing, visitor numbers and the source coverage all affect the figure.
How are schools rated in Rochester?
15 of 16 schools with a recorded overall grade have a Good or Outstanding grade (93.8%). These are historical grades from inspections between 2013 and 2024, not new inspections in the source-download year.
What broadband coverage is available in Rochester?
In Rochester, 89.53% of premises have gigabit-capable coverage and 86.32% have full-fibre coverage. Availability at an individual address and the package a provider will sell there may differ.
What do EPC records show for homes in Rochester?
Across 15,095 recorded domestic properties in Rochester, 56.44% are rated C or above. The source keeps the latest certificate per property within its ten-year window; this does not represent every home or certify current running costs.
What mapped flood risk is shown for Rochester?
6.62% of Rochester’s mapped land is in Flood Zone 3. Flood Zone 2 excluding Zone 3 covers 2.75%. Separately, 4.20% has at least a 1% annual chance of surface-water flooding in the source model. These are land-area measures, not a property-level assessment; do not add the two models together.
Where the data comes from
Dates below distinguish the period represented by the data from when the source was collected and published here. How we use these sources
Locator mapStored town centroid · Natural Earth land outline
The point uses the town location retained by the controlled base-geography publication, including its documented legacy-centroid fallbacks. It is approximate and does not delineate the statistical boundary, flood risk or individual properties. Base-geography source
Generalised land outline: Natural Earth 1:50m countries, simplified for display; public domain. The map does not load third-party tiles or tracking.
Built-up areas and administrative geographyOffice for National Statistics · ONS BUA 2024 / LAD December 2025 / hierarchy April 2025
- Data version
- ONS BUA 2024 / LAD December 2025 / hierarchy April 2025
- Source published
- 29 April 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- annual
- Towns with a published result
- 7,099
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 57acc0a8-b401-48c6-aab6-bbf71f0f8653. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Understanding towns in England and WalesOffice for National Statistics · Census 2021, BUA24 geography; released May 2026
- Data version
- Census 2021, BUA24 geography; released May 2026
- Source published
- 15 May 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 3 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 3 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- release-based
- Towns with a published result
- 1,266
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 9c95eeab-00b4-4a59-ba69-482644419c71. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Price Paid DataHM Land Registry · HM Land Registry Price Paid Data 2021-2026 through July 2026
- Data version
- HM Land Registry Price Paid Data 2021-2026 through July 2026
- Source published
- 28 August 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- monthly
- Towns with a published result
- 6,150
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: b636c9b0-ad56-425a-864a-6c1c2b7b13ac. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Police.uk street-level crimeHome Office / Police.uk · 2026-06
- Data version
- 2026-06
- Source published
- 29 July 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- monthly
- Towns with a published result
- 6,260
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 4d94afb3-682c-4003-9eef-f006b8451ce9. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Get Information About SchoolsDepartment for Education · GIAS 2026-09-01 + Ofsted 2026-07-31
- Data version
- GIAS 2026-09-01 + Ofsted 2026-07-31
- Source published
- 1 September 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- monthly
- Towns with a published result
- 5,070
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: bfa454a5-2429-4fcf-9562-02ab8aec64e4. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Connected Nations fixed broadbandOfcom · Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2026 (January 2026, v2)
- Data version
- Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2026 (January 2026, v2)
- Source published
- 7 July 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 1 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- annual
- Towns with a published result
- 6,250
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 1de793a3-4b49-451e-b8e6-a53dabe9ff24. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Energy Performance CertificatesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · MHCLG domestic EPC register August 2026
- Data version
- MHCLG domestic EPC register August 2026
- Source published
- 1 September 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- quarterly
- Towns with a published result
- 6,336
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: fbe075dd-3890-4075-adcc-1af0da0943e5. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Flood Map for Planning - Flood ZonesEnvironment Agency · Flood Map for Planning Flood Zones, revision 20 May 2026
- Data version
- Flood Map for Planning Flood Zones, revision 20 May 2026
- Source published
- 20 May 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- as needed
- Towns with a published result
- 6,807
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: e315db85-8651-4532-b88f-b0f6233390a3. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Risk of Flooding from Surface WaterEnvironment Agency · NaFRA2 RoFSW v202509
- Data version
- NaFRA2 RoFSW v202509
- Source published
- 17 September 2025
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- as needed
- Towns with a published result
- 6,807
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: 5ebbae90-38ab-4f73-abc7-b515beec4ae8. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
District planning application statisticsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · MHCLG PS1/PS2 year to Mar 2026
- Data version
- MHCLG PS1/PS2 year to Mar 2026
- Source published
- 19 June 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- quarterly
- Towns with a published result
- 7,094
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: ef472acd-f430-4e09-a212-b3576567ee57. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Listed buildings and conservation areasHistoric England · Listed buildings Sep 2026; conservation areas Jul 2025
- Data version
- Listed buildings Sep 2026; conservation areas Jul 2025
- Source published
- 2 September 2026
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- monthly
- Towns with a published result
- 6,807
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: b6109497-cc70-4816-bd75-8bbd151d2bca. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
Modelled background pollution dataDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Defra PCM 2024
- Data version
- Defra PCM 2024
- Source published
- 30 September 2025
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- annual
- Towns with a published result
- 6,807
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: a9cb6fbd-3b88-4fc0-90b9-e3f8d751e96e. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.
English Indices of DeprivationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (corrected v2)
- Data version
- English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (corrected v2)
- Source published
- 17 November 2025
- Retrieved by Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Published on Kerbside
- 2 September 2026
- Refresh cadence
- approximately every five years
- Towns with a published result
- 3,793
Open original source · Open Government Licence v3.0
Publication reference: b9817fd7-2109-4c23-937f-7b5bc28b0d53. A published result is not a guarantee of complete local coverage.