Best Postcodes for Families in South West
Blends schools recorded, gigabit coverage and GP practices recorded in each sector.
What this ranks on: the number of schools recorded, gigabit coverage and the number of GP practices recorded. A school-quality component and a flood component are also in the blend, but each contributes the same value to every sector, so neither changes the order. It is not a judgement about where is a good place to live, and AreaIQ Places does not score areas.
| # | Sector | What is recorded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BA13 2Westbury | 100% gigabit | Open report → |
| 2 | BS34 4Bristol | 100% gigabit | Open report → |
| 3 | DT1 9 | 100% gigabit | Open report → |
| 4 | GL3 5Gloucester | 100% gigabit | Open report → |
| 5 | GL7 9 | 100% gigabit | Open report → |
| 6 | SN2 9 | 100% gigabit | Open report → |
| 7 | SN3 0Swindon | 100% gigabit | Open report → |
| 8 | EX1 4Exeter | 99.6% gigabit | Open report → |
| 9 | GL7 0Cirencester | 99.5% gigabit | Open report → |
| 10 | GL51 7Cheltenham | 99.4% gigabit · 0 GP practices | Open report → |
| 11 | BH10 6Bournemouth | 98.2% gigabit | Open report → |
| 12 | BH3 7Bournemouth | 98.2% gigabit | Open report → |
| 13 | BH5 1Bournemouth | 96.9% gigabit | Open report → |
| 14 | BH13 6Poole | 96.7% gigabit | Open report → |
| 15 | TR23 0 | 96.6% gigabit | Open report → |
| 16 | BH4 8Bournemouth | 96.1% gigabit · 0 GP practices | Open report → |
| 17 | BH6 3Bournemouth | 96% gigabit · 0 GP practices | Open report → |
| 18 | BH17 0Poole | 94.6% gigabit | Open report → |
| 19 | SN1 1Swindon | 94.6% gigabit · 0 GP practices | Open report → |
| 20 | BS20 8Bristol | 94.2% gigabit | Open report → |
| 21 | EX4 9Exeter | 93.2% gigabit | Open report → |
| 22 | EX17 2Crediton | 91.7% gigabit | Open report → |
| 23 | BH21 8Wimborne | 90.6% gigabit | Open report → |
| 24 | DT1 1Dorchester | 88.4% gigabit · 0 GP practices | Open report → |
| 25 | BS2 8Bristol | 87.9% gigabit | Open report → |
Source: DfE Get Information About Schools, Open Government Licence v3. Data file refreshed 21 June 2026. Figures describe whole postcode sectors, never a single address or street.
Other rankings for South West
Best Postcodes for Families elsewhere
Questions
What are the best areas in South West for families?
This page blends four figures for each postcode sector in South West: the number of state schools recorded, gigabit broadband coverage, the number of GP practices recorded, and a flood component. Two of those four carry no information. The school register holds no inspection grade, so every sector contributes the same school-quality value, and the flood extract places every English sector in the same band, so every sector contributes the same flood value. In practice the order is driven by broadband coverage and the number of GP practices. Treat it as a starting point and read the sector pages.
How do I find a good postcode for children's schools in South West?
Catchment areas are set by councils and change every year, and being inside a postcode sector does not give a child a place at a school in it. AreaIQ Places holds no inspection grades, so use the school lists here to see what exists nearby, read each school's report on the Ofsted site, then confirm catchment with the local authority admissions team.