Leigh-on-Sea is a small town in Essex (Image: Donald Judge)
A seaside town with a beautiful estuary and a low crime rate has become popular with commuters.
Leigh-on-Sea, often referred to simply as Leigh, is a town next to the city of Southend-on-Sea in Essex. It has a population of 22,500.
The town is on the northern side of the Thames Estuary, a few miles from the North Sea to the east, and a similar distance from the Kent coast to the south.
From art galleries and artisan boutiques to a variety of pubs, superb seafood eateries, and renowned cockle sheds, this charming haven presents an ideal setting to relax, rejuvenate, and savour the invigorating sea breeze.
Visit Essex describes Leigh as a town full of “unique character and charm”. It says: “It is well worth a visit with plenty of attractions and eateries to keep you entertained.
Leigh-on-Sea is one of the safest towns in Essex (Image: Donald Judge)
“With galleries and craft shops, a selection of pubs, excellent fish restaurants and the famous cockle sheds, this picturesque town is the perfect place for you to unwind and take in the fresh sea air.”
Visitors can expect to see Old Leigh, Belfairs Wood, Leigh Heritage Centre, Leigh on Sea Brewery, Leigh Library gardens, and a deck of restaurants and cafes.
The town has a crime rate 24% lower than the Essex average and 35% lower than the national average. This puts it among the top 10 safest small towns in Essex.
said that Leigh had a low crime rate of “63 crimes per 1,000 people on average” and the website agreed, placing it at 64 per 1,000 people in 2023.
Rightmove’s 2023 Happy at Home Index survey found it was the 11th happiest place to live in the UK. It was also voted one of the coolest places to live in the UK in a survey conducted by wellness company Naturecan.
DON’T MISS [REPORT]
Lewis Harvey, a sales negotiator at local estate agent , said: “People tend to move to Leigh because of the lovely seaside or estuary, as some people like to say.
“You are very close to the lovely Broadway that we have in the heart of Leigh, which has got shops, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, anything you could probably want.”
Properties in Leigh-On-Sea have an overall average price of £454,000 according to Rightmove and £449,000 according to Zoopla.
Leigh is 40 miles from central London via road and rail networks and is part of the London commuter belt. Train services to London run regularly throughout the day and take between 50 and 70 minutes.