Is Waltham Forest a Healthy Place to Live?
Waltham Forest (London) ranks 92 of 145 English upper-tier local authorities on the Gera Healthy-Place Index — among the mid-table.
Is Waltham Forest a healthy place to live?
Waltham Forest scores 59.4 out of 100 on the Gera Healthy-Place Index, ranking 92 of 145 English upper-tier local authorities (1 = healthiest). It records a maximum modelled 12 μg/m³ PM2.5 and 28 μg/m³ NO2 (DEFRA 2024), life expectancy of 82.9 years (ONS), and 89.5% of GP practices rated Good or Outstanding (CQC).
| Pillar | Real figure | Sub-score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| Air quality (DEFRA) | max 12 μg/m³ PM2.5, 28 μg/m³ NO2 | 51 / 100 |
| Life expectancy (ONS) | 82.9 years | 64.8 / 100 |
| GP access (CQC) | 89.5% (34 of 38 rated practices) | 65.4 / 100 |
| Pollutant | Waltham Forest (max annual mean) | WHO 2021 guideline | UK limit value |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 12 μg/m³ | 5 μg/m³ | 20 μg/m³ |
| NO2 | 28 μg/m³ | 10 μg/m³ | 40 μg/m³ |
Re-weight what matters — is Waltham Forest right for you?
Adjust the sliders for air quality, life expectancy and GP access; the ranking re-computes live and shows where this area lands under your own priorities.
Under your weighting, Waltham Forest scores 59.4 / 100 and ranks 92 of 145 English upper-tier local authorities.
Wherever you live, a GeraClinic UK-registered clinician can see you by secure video — useful where local GP access is stretched.
See a GeraClinic doctorTop 5 healthiest places under your weighting
- 1. Rutland92.9 / 100
- 2. Wokingham79.4 / 100
- 3. Dorset79.1 / 100
- 4. Richmond upon Thames79.1 / 100
- 5. Bracknell Forest79 / 100
Other London areas, ranked
Waltham Forest: frequently asked questions
- Is Waltham Forest a healthy place to live?
- Waltham Forest scores 59.4 / 100 on the Gera Healthy-Place Index, ranking 92 of 145 English upper-tier local authorities (1 = healthiest). It records a maximum modelled annual-mean of 12 μg/m³ PM2.5 and 28 μg/m³ NO2 (DEFRA 2024), life expectancy of 82.9 years (ONS) and 89.5% of its GP practices rated Good or Outstanding by the CQC.
- What is the air quality in Waltham Forest?
- In Waltham Forest, the highest modelled annual-mean concentrations across the authority in 2024 were 12 μg/m³ for PM2.5 and 28 μg/m³ for NO2 (DEFRA UK-AIR compliance data). For comparison, the WHO 2021 annual-mean guideline values are 5 μg/m³ (PM2.5) and 10 μg/m³ (NO2), and the UK statutory limit values are 20 μg/m³ (PM2.5) and 40 μg/m³ (NO2).
- How does Waltham Forest compare to other areas?
- Waltham Forest ranks 92 of 145 on the Gera Healthy-Place Index, with 91 areas scoring higher. Its pillar sub-scores (0–100, higher = better) are 51 for air quality, 64.8 for life expectancy and 65.4 for GP access. The healthiest-ranked area overall is Rutland (92.9 / 100).
- Where does this data for Waltham Forest come from?
- Air quality is DEFRA UK-AIR Local Authority annual-mean data (2024); life expectancy is the ONS estimate for Waltham Forest (ONS code E09000031); GP access is the share of CQC-rated GP practices rated Good or Outstanding. All three are Open Government Licence v3.0. The composite is computed by Gera and the underlying figures are unaltered — none is estimated.
Healthcare in Waltham Forest
Wherever Waltham Forest ranks, a GeraClinic UK-registered clinician can see you by secure video — useful where local GP access is stretched. Often same-day.
Contains public sector information published by Gera Systems and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (source data). Source: Gera Healthy-Place Index — composite of DEFRA + ONS + CQC open data (Air 2024 calendar year; life expectancy 2017-19; GP ratings 2026-06-01, published 19 June 2026).
Reference: the included-area mean is 9.4 μg/m³ PM2.5, 26.8 μg/m³ NO2, 81.4 years life expectancy, 95.9% GP practices Good/Outstanding. Healthiest overall: Rutland (92.9/100). See the methodology.