Ivybridge
South Hams 005 · 7 sub-areas · 11,920 residents
South Hams 005, in the South Hams district of Devon, is home to around 11,920 people in one of the most ownership-heavy corners of the South West. A typical two-bedroom let runs about £905 a month — noticeably below the national two-bed average — though rents are rising, up nearly 4% in the past year. Over three-quarters of households here own their home outright or with a mortgage.
Ivybridge is a mid-density neighbourhood of South Hams in the South West region. It sits between busier and quieter parts of the local authority and isn't dominated by a single use — there's a mix of workplaces, housing and local services. Most homes are owner-occupied, so turnover is low and many residents have been here a long time.
Overview
What's it like to live in Ivybridge?
4 parks and 3 playgrounds are within five minutes' walk, so greenspace is reliably close at hand; The streets feel safe by national standards — police-recorded crime is well below the country-wide median; Public transport is genuinely strong; most errands and a fair share of social life don't need a car; rents are roughly in line with the national norm, at around £996 a month for a typical home; gigabit broadband is effectively universal.
Generated from the latest May 2026 data · refreshed automatically
Figures are aggregated across 7 sub-areas — population-weighted means for rates, sums for counts. Sources cited beneath each section.
Ivybridge in South Hams
Living in Ivybridge
South Hams 005 sits within the South Hams district of Devon, a predominantly rural and coastal part of the South West where the character is defined less by urban density and more by space, scenery and a settled, largely owner-occupying community. The area has a distinctly local feel — nearly 95% of residents were born in the UK, ethnic diversity is low, and the pace of life reflects that. With an IMD score placing it in the eighth decile, it's comfortably above the national deprivation average.
For renters, the cost picture is genuinely reasonable by South West standards. A two-bedroom property runs around £905 a month, and even a three-bedroom comes in at about £1,119 — well below what you'd pay in Bristol or Exeter, let alone anywhere in London. That said, rents rose around 3.7% in the past year, so the gap is narrowing. Council tax (Band D) is £2,615 a year, broadly in line with rural Devon. Where the maths gets harder is affordability relative to local wages: the median resident salary is around £29,700 a year, and with rent consuming over half of take-home pay for a typical household, this isn't an easy market for lower earners.
The population skews older than most urban areas. Just under a quarter of residents are aged 50–64, and a further 21.6% are 65 or over. Families with children make up around 22% of households, but single-person households are also common at one in four. It's a community of established residents rather than a transient renting population — only around 15% of households privately rent.
Practically, this is very much car country. Over 60% of residents commute by car, and public transport accounts for barely 2% of journeys. The nearest rail station is roughly 1.5 km away — about an 18-minute walk — and the journey to London by public transport takes around 3.5 hours. Working from home is notably common here, with over a quarter of residents doing so. Broadband is strong: 100% of premises have gigabit-capable connections and none fall below the universal service obligation threshold. See the streets and sub-areas below for more.
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Frequently asked
- Is South Hams 005 a nice place to live?
- For the right person — yes. It's a low-crime, high-ownership rural area with strong broadband and a settled community feel. The trade-off is that it's car-dependent, public transport is minimal, and rents take up a large share of average local earnings. It suits remote workers, older households and those who want countryside access over urban convenience.
- What is the rent in South Hams 005?
- A one-bedroom runs around £725 a month, a two-bedroom about £905, and a three-bedroom roughly £1,119. These are estimates scaled from council-level data using local sale prices. Rents rose around 3.7% in the past year, so expect the market to keep tightening gradually.
- Is South Hams 005 safe?
- It's one of the safer areas in England. The crime rate is around 52.5 incidents per 1,000 residents annually — well below the UK average of roughly 80 per 1,000. Rural Devon generally sees lower crime volumes, and South Hams 005 reflects that pattern.
- What's the commute from South Hams 005 to the nearest city?
- The nearest rail station is about 1.5 km away (roughly an 18-minute walk). From there, the public-transport journey to London takes around 3.5 hours. This is not commuter territory — over 60% of residents drive, and more than a quarter work from home. Car access is near-essential.
- Who lives in South Hams 005?
- Mostly older, settled owner-occupiers. Over 44% of residents are aged 50 or above, and three-quarters own their home. Single-person households account for one in four. It's a predominantly UK-born, low-diversity community with relatively low turnover — the kind of place where people put down long-term roots.
- What schools are near South Hams 005?
- There are 33 schools within 2 km of typical residents, but only around 21% are rated Good or Outstanding — well below the national average. The nearest Outstanding school is roughly 8.9 km away, so families prioritising school quality may need to travel. Check current Ofsted ratings before committing.