Is West Sussex a Healthy Place to Live?
West Sussex (South East) ranks 40 of 145 English upper-tier local authorities on the Gera Healthy-Place Index — among the above average.
Is West Sussex a healthy place to live?
West Sussex scores 69.1 out of 100 on the Gera Healthy-Place Index, ranking 40 of 145 English upper-tier local authorities (1 = healthiest). It records a maximum modelled 10 μg/m³ PM2.5 and 26 μg/m³ NO2 (DEFRA 2024), life expectancy of 82.5 years (ONS), and 98.7% of GP practices rated Good or Outstanding (CQC).
| Pillar | Real figure | Sub-score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| Air quality (DEFRA) | max 10 μg/m³ PM2.5, 26 μg/m³ NO2 | 59.2 / 100 |
| Life expectancy (ONS) | 82.5 years | 61.4 / 100 |
| GP access (CQC) | 98.7% (74 of 75 rated practices) | 95.6 / 100 |
| Pollutant | West Sussex (max annual mean) | WHO 2021 guideline | UK limit value |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 | 10 μg/m³ | 5 μg/m³ | 20 μg/m³ |
| NO2 | 26 μg/m³ | 10 μg/m³ | 40 μg/m³ |
Re-weight what matters — is West Sussex 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, West Sussex scores 69.1 / 100 and ranks 40 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
Air quality by district in West Sussex
Other South East areas, ranked
West Sussex: frequently asked questions
- Is West Sussex a healthy place to live?
- West Sussex scores 69.1 / 100 on the Gera Healthy-Place Index, ranking 40 of 145 English upper-tier local authorities (1 = healthiest). It records a maximum modelled annual-mean of 10 μg/m³ PM2.5 and 26 μg/m³ NO2 (DEFRA 2024), life expectancy of 82.5 years (ONS) and 98.7% of its GP practices rated Good or Outstanding by the CQC.
- What is the air quality in West Sussex?
- In West Sussex, the highest modelled annual-mean concentrations across the authority in 2024 were 10 μg/m³ for PM2.5 and 26 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 West Sussex compare to other areas?
- West Sussex ranks 40 of 145 on the Gera Healthy-Place Index, with 39 areas scoring higher. Its pillar sub-scores (0–100, higher = better) are 59.2 for air quality, 61.4 for life expectancy and 95.6 for GP access. The healthiest-ranked area overall is Rutland (92.9 / 100).
- Where does this data for West Sussex come from?
- Air quality is DEFRA UK-AIR Local Authority annual-mean data (2024); life expectancy is the ONS estimate for West Sussex (ONS code E10000032); 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 West Sussex
Wherever West Sussex 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.