LocaleIQ

Local reports for real address decisions.

Best Areas To Live

Best Areas to Live in Nottingham (2026)

East MidlandsData checked against live LocaleIQ ranking for Nottingham on 28 March 2026.

The best areas to live in Nottingham in 2026 are Clifton West, Sherwood, Mapperley, based on safety, schools, and neighbourhood wellbeing data from LocaleIQ.

Explore the full Nottingham map Check your postcode
Best city sectorClifton West (NG11 7)Clifton West currently leads Nottingham on 76.3 (Top 4%).Safest shortlist pickSherwood (NG5 4)Sherwood is the current safety leader among the strongest sectors.Best value shortlistClifton West (NG11 7)Clifton West looks stronger on score-versus-price than the most expensive winners.Needs most cautionMapperley (NG3 3)Mapperley is the softest current sector and needs postcode-by-postcode checking before any move decision.

Short answer

Quick answer: where to live in Nottingham

Clifton West is currently the strongest all-round area in Nottingham. After that, the most practical shortlist is Sherwood, Mapperley, Wollaton West, Castle, while Mapperley needs extra caution before committing.

  • Best overall: Clifton West.
  • Best for families: Clifton West, Sherwood, Wollaton West.
  • Safest current shortlist: Sherwood, Clifton West, Mapperley, Wollaton West.
  • Best for young professionals: Clifton West, Sherwood, Wollaton West.
  • Cheapest areas: Castle, Castle, St. Ann's.
  • Best value shortlist: Clifton West, Sherwood, Mapperley.
  • Best outer alternatives: Lenton & Wollaton East, Lenton & Wollaton East, Lenton & Wollaton East.
  • Classic areas people still search for: The Park, West Bridgford, Wollaton, Mapperley.

Top-ranked areas in Nottingham

Live LocaleIQ ranking by postcode sector — with score breakdown, typical sold prices where we have them, and what actually drives each place up or down the table. Median price is from recent sales in that sector, not a forecast.

76.3Top 4%
#1
NG11 7Clifton West
Median sold price£290k
Why it ranks

Clifton West is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: families and long-stay buyers. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
79
Education
63
Wellbeing
93
Property
56
Employment
59

Top school match for this sector

Map NG11 7AA postcode analysis
76.1Top 4%
#2
NG5 4Sherwood
Median sold price£293k
Why it ranks

Sherwood is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
84
Education
57
Wellbeing
87
Property
53
Employment
58

Top school match for this sector

Map NG5 4AA postcode analysis
69.4Top 14%
#3
NG3 6Mapperley
Median sold price£230k
Why it ranks

Mapperley is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
78
Education
48
Wellbeing
80
Property
36
Employment
61

Top school match for this sector

  • The Wells AcademySecondary · Inspection Requires improvement · LocaleIQ 10.2 · Bottom 10% nationally
  • Hogarth AcademyPrimary · Inspection Good · LocaleIQ 68.5 · Top 31% nationally
Map NG3 6AA postcode analysis
65.9Top 21%
#4
NG8 2Wollaton West
Median sold price£308k
Why it ranks

Wollaton West is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is employment, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
68
Education
64
Wellbeing
68
Property
70
Employment
51

Top school match for this sector

Map NG8 2AA postcode analysis
58.4Top 42%
#5
NG1 6Castle
Median sold price£129k
Why it ranks

Castle is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: people balancing access, budget and postcode quality. The obvious compromise is safety, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
24
Education
72
Wellbeing
89
Property
48
Employment
37

Top school match for this sector

Map NG1 6AA postcode analysis
57.5Top 45%
#6
NG90 5Lenton & Wollaton East
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Lenton & Wollaton East stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: people balancing access, budget and postcode quality. The obvious compromise is employment, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
65
Education
52
Wellbeing
50
Property
50
Employment
45

Top school match for this sector

  • Nottingham Free SchoolSecondary · Inspection Good · LocaleIQ 87.7 · Top 12% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
  • Edna G. Olds AcademyPrimary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 98.5 · Top 1% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
Map NG90 5EF postcode analysis
57.1Top 47%
#7
NG90 7Lenton & Wollaton East
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Lenton & Wollaton East stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: people balancing access, budget and postcode quality. The obvious compromise is employment, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
65
Education
57
Wellbeing
50
Property
50
Employment
28

Top school match for this sector

  • Nottingham Free SchoolSecondary · Inspection Good · LocaleIQ 87.7 · Top 12% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
  • Edna G. Olds AcademyPrimary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 98.5 · Top 1% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
Map NG90 7GP postcode analysis
56.9Top 47%
#8
NG90 4Lenton & Wollaton East
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Lenton & Wollaton East stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: people balancing access, budget and postcode quality. The obvious compromise is employment, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
65
Education
56
Wellbeing
50
Property
50
Employment
28

Top school match for this sector

  • Nottingham Free SchoolSecondary · Inspection Good · LocaleIQ 87.7 · Top 12% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
  • Edna G. Olds AcademyPrimary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 98.5 · Top 1% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
Map NG90 4FS postcode analysis
55.9Bottom 46%
#9
NG7 1Castle
Median sold price£250k
Why it ranks

Castle is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: people balancing access, budget and postcode quality. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
45
Education
67
Wellbeing
61
Property
27
Employment
32

Top school match for this sector

Map NG7 1AA postcode analysis
55.5Bottom 44%
#10
NG5 6Ernehale
Median sold price£210k
Why it ranks

Ernehale is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: people balancing access, budget and postcode quality. The obvious compromise is wellbeing, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
59
Education
52
Wellbeing
48
Property
53
Employment
57

Top school match for this sector

Map NG5 6AA postcode analysis

Areas that need closer checking

Not blanket avoid calls — but the score gap is visible, so check at postcode level.

SectorAreaScoreRankWhy it needs more scrutiny
NG3 3Mapperley30.2Bottom 3%Mapperley is being dragged down by wellbeing and social rented mix.
NG7 5Hyson Green & Arboretum30.4Bottom 3%Hyson Green & Arboretum is being dragged down by wellbeing and property.
NG7 4Hyson Green & Arboretum30.4Bottom 3%Hyson Green & Arboretum is being dragged down by wellbeing and safety.
NG6 6Bulwell Forest30.9Bottom 3%Bulwell Forest is being dragged down by wellbeing and education.
NG6 8Bulwell31.1Bottom 3%Bulwell is being dragged down by wellbeing and safety.
NG7 6Hyson Green & Arboretum32.8Bottom 4%Hyson Green & Arboretum is being dragged down by wellbeing and property.

How Nottingham splits

What the Nottingham market is really splitting on

South-side suburbs, northern corridors, and inner-city transition zones split the ranking hard. Right now the leading sectors are NG11 7, NG5 4, NG3 6, NG8 2, which is why this page stays at sector level first instead of repeating one broad reputation line.

Where buyers are most likely to get misled

Caution areas stack deprivation, churn, or safety pressure in ways marketing rarely spells out. In the current table the weaker end is led by NG3 3, with NG7 5, NG7 4, NG6 6 also needing much harder postcode-level checking.

Why the shortlist changes once value enters the picture

Value pockets keep decent scores once you step away from the most bid-up names. That is why a value-aware shortlist usually ends up including sectors such as NG11 7, NG5 4, NG3 6 rather than simply the cheapest addresses.

Schools in Nottingham

Secondary schools

Best secondary schools to cross-check against Nottingham postcode choices
SchoolLocaleIQ scoreInspectionWhy it matters
Nottingham Free School87.7GoodAttainment 8 51.5, Basics 94 79.0%
Bluecoat Wollaton Academy84.6OutstandingAttainment 8 49.4, Basics 94 70.9%
Nottingham Girls' Academy83.4OutstandingAttainment 8 47.7, Basics 94 71.8%
Bluecoat Aspley Academy82.6GoodAttainment 8 48.6, Basics 94 64.0%

Primary schools

Best primary schools to compare with Nottingham's strongest sectors
SchoolLocaleIQ scoreInspectionWhy it matters
Edna G. Olds Academy98.5OutstandingKS2 expected 86%, higher 21%
Huntingdon Academy97.7OutstandingKS2 expected 93%, higher 12%
St Teresa's Catholic Primary School97.6OutstandingKS2 expected 90%, higher 17%
Blessed Robert Widmerpool Catholic Primary and Nursery School94.1OutstandingKS2 expected 75%, higher 13%

Shortlists by use case

Best Nottingham areas for families

Families usually anchor on West Bridgford-style fundamentals while checking price heat. In the current data that points most clearly to NG11 7, NG5 4, NG8 2.

  • NG11 7: safety 79.1, education 62.9, overall 76.3.
  • NG5 4: safety 84.1, education 57.2, overall 76.1.
  • NG8 2: safety 68.3, education 64, overall 65.9.
NG11 7AA postcode analysis NG5 4AA postcode analysis NG8 2AA postcode analysis

Best Nottingham areas for schools

Nottingham school decisions need sector discipline because student corridors skew perceptions. In the current school snapshot, the strongest names to cross-check first are Nottingham Free School, Bluecoat Wollaton Academy, Edna G. Olds Academy, Huntingdon Academy.

  • Nottingham Free School is the strongest current secondary in this city-level sample.
  • Edna G. Olds Academy is the strongest current primary in this city-level sample.
  • The highest-scoring residential sector is not always the same place as the strongest nearby school.
Nottingham Free School Bluecoat Wollaton Academy Edna G. Olds Academy Huntingdon Academy

Best Nottingham areas for young professionals

If jobs access, rental demand and property liquidity matter most, start with Clifton West (NG11 7), Sherwood (NG5 4), Wollaton West (NG8 2).

  • Clifton West (NG11 7): employment 59.4, property 55.8, overall 76.3.
  • Sherwood (NG5 4): employment 57.8, property 53.2, overall 76.1.
  • Wollaton West (NG8 2): employment 50.7, property 70.3, overall 65.9.
Clifton West on the map Sherwood on the map Wollaton West on the map

Areas to avoid in Nottingham

No area should be ruled out blindly, but these sectors currently need the most caution before you commit to viewings: Mapperley (NG3 3), Hyson Green & Arboretum (NG7 5), Hyson Green & Arboretum (NG7 4), Bulwell Forest (NG6 6).

  • Mapperley (NG3 3): overall 30.2; weaker on wellbeing and social rented mix.
  • Hyson Green & Arboretum (NG7 5): overall 30.4; weaker on wellbeing and property.
  • Hyson Green & Arboretum (NG7 4): overall 30.4; weaker on wellbeing and safety.
  • Bulwell Forest (NG6 6): overall 30.9; weaker on wellbeing and education.
NG3 3AA postcode analysis NG7 5AA postcode analysis NG7 4AA postcode analysis NG6 6DQ postcode analysis

Classic Nottingham areas people ask about

These areas are popular in search and local conversations even when they are not always top in the score table: The Park, West Bridgford, Wollaton, Mapperley.

  • The Park: include this in your shortlist, then verify the exact postcode on the map.
  • West Bridgford: include this in your shortlist, then verify the exact postcode on the map.
  • Wollaton: closest current sector match is NG8 2 (score 65.9).
  • Mapperley: closest current sector match is NG3 6 (score 69.4).
Wollaton West (NG8 2) Mapperley (NG3 6)

Best outer areas near Nottingham

Rushcliffe and Broxtowe-facing options matter when you want greener context. Right now the sectors worth checking first are NG90 5, NG90 4, NG90 7.

  • NG90 5: about 3.0 miles from the city anchor, score 57.5.
  • NG90 4: about 2.8 miles from the city anchor, score 56.9.
  • NG90 7: about 2.7 miles from the city anchor, score 57.1.
NG90 5 on the map NG90 4 on the map NG90 7 on the map

Explore further

Explore Nottingham sectors on the mapCompare Nottingham sectors visually before you narrow to an exact address.Check NG11 7AAOpen the strongest current postcode example.Check NG3 3AASee why one of the weaker sectors needs closer checking.Browse schools mapCompare school performance separately from postcode score.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nottingham a good place to live?

Nottingham has strong and weak pockets, which is why sector and postcode-level ranking matters. The current top shortlists are Clifton West (NG11 7), Sherwood (NG5 4), Mapperley (NG3 6), Wollaton West (NG8 2), Castle (NG1 6).

Where is safest in Nottingham?

Sherwood (NG5 4, safety 84.1), Clifton West (NG11 7, safety 79.1), Mapperley (NG3 6, safety 77.5), Wollaton West (NG8 2, safety 68.3) are the strongest current safety-led options.

What areas should I avoid in Nottingham?

Treat Mapperley (NG3 3), Hyson Green & Arboretum (NG7 5), Hyson Green & Arboretum (NG7 4), Bulwell Forest (NG6 6) as caution-first sectors. They are not automatic no-go zones, but they need postcode-level checking before any move decision.

What is the best area to live in Nottingham in 2026?

Right now the top pick is Clifton West (NG11 7) on 76.3. The more practical shortlist is Clifton West (NG11 7), Sherwood (NG5 4), Mapperley (NG3 6), Wollaton West (NG8 2), Castle (NG1 6).

What are the best value areas in Nottingham?

Clifton West (NG11 7, score 76.3), Sherwood (NG5 4, score 76.1), Mapperley (NG3 6, score 69.4) are the strongest current value-led sectors because they hold up better on score than their price suggests.

Which outer areas near Nottingham look strongest right now?

Lenton & Wollaton East (NG90 5, score 57.5), Lenton & Wollaton East (NG90 4, score 56.9), Lenton & Wollaton East (NG90 7, score 57.1) are the strongest current outer-market options in the live table.

How should I use this Nottingham ranking before I move?

Use the sector table to build a shortlist, then open the exact postcode you are considering. Nottingham is too granular for a broad city-level answer to be enough on its own.

Compare Nottingham on the map, then check the exact postcode

The fastest way to use this page is to shortlist sectors first, then open the exact address you are considering. That is where the real move trade-offs show up.

Explore the full Nottingham map Check your postcode