Otterton Close is in Harpenden and in St Albans district. AL5 3BE is located in the Harpenden North & Rural electoral ward, within the English Parliamentary constituency of Hitchin and Harpenden. This postcode has been in use since 1998-06-01.
StreetScan combines information about Otterton Close, Harpenden, AL5 3BE and displays a report on the quality of life in this place and its surroundings.
Nearby postcodes are: AL5 3BH, AL5 3BG, AL5 3BQ, AL5 3AR, AL5 3BN, AL5 3AS, AL5 3BJ, AL5 3BB, AL5 3AW.
In the UK, the overall gender distribution is approximately 49% male and 51% female. The local area around AL5 3BE is generally consistent with those figures, having a male population of 48.9%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 52.8% | 51.1% | -1.7% | 51.0% | 0.1% |
| Male | 47.2% | 48.9% | 1.7% | 49.0% | -0.1% |
Across the UK, the average relationship status breakdown is roughly 44% married, 38% single, 9% divorced, 6% widowed, and 2% separated.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 23.8% | 31.4% | 7.6% | 37.9% | -6.5% |
| Married: Opposite sex | 56.2% | 50.8% | -5.4% | 44.2% | 6.6% |
| Married: Same sex | 1% | 0% | -1.0% | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| Separated | 5.2% | 3.3% | -1.9% | 2.2% | 1.1% |
| Divorced | 7.6% | 10.7% | 3.1% | 9.1% | 1.6% |
| Widowed | 6.2% | 3.7% | -2.5% | 6.1% | -2.4% |
Across the UK, the average 48.4% rated their health as Very Good, 33.6% as Good, 12.7% as Fair, 4% as Bad, and 1.2% as Very Bad.
Population age significantly impacts residents' health. Additionally, socioeconomic status plays a crucial role: higher income levels and lower poverty rates are linked to better health outcomes. Affluent areas benefit from higher living standards, access to private healthcare, and healthier lifestyle choices.
This area has a high percentage of residents reporting their health as Good or Very Good (91.3%) compared to the average (82%). This typically indicates either a younger population or more affluent area.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very good health | 64.8% | 60.3% | -4.5% | 48.4% | 11.9% |
| Good health | 29.2% | 31% | 1.8% | 33.6% | -2.6% |
| Fair health | 4.9% | 6.5% | 1.6% | 12.7% | -6.2% |
| Bad health | 1.1% | 1.6% | 0.5% | 4.0% | -2.4% |
| Very bad health | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1.2% | -0.6% |
During the 2021 census, the educational qualifications of residents across the UK were as follows: 18.2% had no qualifications, 9.6% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.4% had 5 or more GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS Levels, 16.9% had 2 or more A Levels, 33.8% held a degree (or equivalent), and 5.4% had completed an apprenticeship.
In the area around AL5 3BE this area, 6.3% of residents have no qualifications. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 18.2%. This area stands out for its high percentage of residents with higher education degree or similar. The UK average is 33.8%, while in this area it is 59.4%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 6.2% | 6.3% | 0.1% | 18.2% | -11.9% |
| 1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent | 6.7% | 5.9% | -0.8% | 9.6% | -3.7% |
| 5 or more GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels | 9% | 13% | 4.0% | 13.4% | -0.4% |
| Apprenticeship | 1.9% | 2.5% | 0.6% | 5.3% | -2.8% |
| HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels | 12.4% | 10.9% | -1.5% | 16.9% | -6.0% |
| Degree or Similar | 60% | 59.4% | -0.6% | 33.8% | 25.6% |
| Other | 3.8% | 2.1% | -1.7% | 2.8% | -0.7% |
This area closely mirrors the overall ethnic composition of the UK, with 84.3% of the population identifying as white, with UK average of 81.4%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladeshi | 0.7% | 0% | -0.7% | 1.1% | -1.1% |
| Chinese | 1.4% | 0.6% | -0.8% | 0.7% | -0.1% |
| Indian | 1.8% | 6.4% | 4.6% | 3.1% | 3.3% |
| Pakistani | 0.4% | 0% | -0.4% | 2.7% | -2.7% |
| Other Asian | 2.8% | 1.9% | -0.9% | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Black African | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 2.5% | -2.2% |
| Black Caribbean | 0% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Other Black | 0% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2% |
| Mixed White and Asian | 0.7% | 0.6% | -0.1% | 0.8% | -0.2% |
| Mixed White and African | 0% | 1% | 1.0% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Mixed White and Caribbean | 0.4% | 0% | -0.4% | 0.9% | -0.9% |
| Mixed Other | 0.4% | 1% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| White | 91.2% | 84.3% | -6.9% | 81.4% | 2.9% |
| Arab | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Other | 0.4% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 0.0% |
In this area, 81.3% of the population were born in the United Kingdom, which is similar to the UK average of 83.2%.
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 89.4% | 81.3% | -8.1% | 83.2% | -1.9% |
| European Union | 1.4% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 1.6% |
| Rest of Europe | 1.4% | 0.3% | -1.1% | 0.8% | -0.5% |
| Africa | 1.4% | 3.5% | 2.1% | 2.7% | 0.8% |
| Middle East and Asia | 3.9% | 2.6% | -1.3% | 5.6% | -3.0% |
| The Americas and the Caribbean | 0.7% | 3.2% | 2.5% | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| Oceania | 1.4% | 1% | -0.4% | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| British Overseas | 0.4% | 0.3% | -0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| 2011 | 2021 | 10y change (pp) | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in the UK | 87.7% | 82.1% | -5.6% | 83.2% | -1.1% |
| 10+ Years | 0.7% | 12.1% | 11.4% | 9.8% | 2.3% |
| 5-10 Years | 0.4% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 2.9% | 0.7% |
| 2-5 Years | 1.8% | 1.6% | -0.2% | 2.2% | -0.6% |
| Less than 2 years | 9.5% | 0.7% | -8.8% | 1.9% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 86.6% | 76.7% | 9.9% |
| Ireland | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| France | 2.9% | 0.3% | 2.6% |
| Germany | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Spain | 0.3% | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| Lithuania | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Poland | 0.3% | 1.3% | -1.0% |
| Romania | 0.6% | 0.9% | -0.3% |
| Other EU countries | 1% | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| South and Eastern Africa | 1.3% | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| Central and South America | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| No passport held | 4.5% | 13.5% | -9.0% |
| 2021 | UK Average | postcode vs UK (pp) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No religion | 39.9% | 37.2% | 2.7% |
| Christian | 43.7% | 46.2% | -2.5% |
| Hindu | 5.8% | 1.7% | 4.1% |
| Jewish | 1.3% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Muslim | 1.9% | 6.5% | -4.6% |
| Sikh | 0.3% | 0.9% | -0.6% |
| Not answered | 7.1% | 6.0% | 1.1% |
Over the last 12 months, the overall crime rate around Otterton Close was 14.5 per 1,000 residents, which is 70.6% lower than the Harpenden East average. The most reported crime type was Vehicle crime.
Otterton Close has the 13th lowest crime rate of 45 local areas in Harpenden East and the 56th lowest crime rate of 430 local areas in St Albans .
Violent and sexual offences accounted for around 2.9 crimes per 1,000 residents and have been rising year on year. Over the last decade, overall crime has fallen by about -50.0%.

Households in this area have a much higher level of wealth compared to the average household in England and Wales. 96% of analyzed areas in England and Wales have lower average household annual income than this area.

| Address | Sale Price | Sale Date | Price Estimate 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Otterton Close, Harpenden, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £895,000 | 2025-03-21 | £908,240 |
| 5 Otterton Close, Harpenden, Hertfordshire Detached, an established residential building | £1,250,000 | 2022-09-07 | £1,259,862 |
| 2 Otterton Close, Harpenden, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £705,000 | 2022-04-28 | £746,343 |
| 11 Otterton Close, Harpenden, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £665,000 | 2018-11-15 | £797,535 |
| 6 Otterton Close, Harpenden, Hertfordshire Semi-Detached, an established residential building | £765,000 | 2018-06-29 | £897,588 |
AL5 3BE area has a high level of entrepreneurship. Only 18% of streets have higher percent of entrepreneur residents. 13% of population in this area is self-employed, while the average in the UK is 9.7%. High number of entrepreneurs usually leads to relatively high economic growth, higher paid jobs and better quality of life in the area.
AL5 3BE area has a low unemployment rate. According to Census 2021, 3% residents of this area were unemployed, while the average in the UK was 4.83%. A low level of unemployment in an area indicates a strong job market, where most people who are seeking work can find employment. This generally reflects a healthy economy in the area.
| Full-Time Employee | 106 |
| Retired | 41 |
| Self-Employed | 31 |
| Part-Time Employee | 23 |
| Student (economically inactive) | 13 |
| Unemployed | 7 |
| Full-Time Student (with or without job) | 7 |
| Other | 6 |
| Looking after home or family | 6 |
| Long-Term Sick or disabled | 1 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 28 |
| Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles | 19 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 18 |
| Education | 15 |
| Information and communication | 10 |
| Human health and social work activities | 10 |
| Other | 10 |
| Construction | 10 |
| Public administration and defence; compulsory social security | 9 |
| Transport and storage | 6 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 6 |
| Manufacturing | 5 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 4 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batford Nursery School Holcroft Road , AL5 5BQ | 4out of 4 | 2,495 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roundwood Primary School Roundwood Park , AL5 3AD | 4out of 4 | 511 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Wood End School Yeomans Avenue , AL5 3EF | 4out of 4 | 898 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St Nicholas CofE VA Primary School Church Green , AL5 2TP | 3out of 4 | 1,227 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The Lea Primary School and Nursery Moorland Road , AL5 4LE | 3out of 4 | 1,413 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Harpenden Academy 25 Vaughan Road , AL5 4EL | 3out of 4 | 1,604 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roundwood Park School Roundwood Park , AL5 3AE | 4out of 4 | 513 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| St George's School Sun Lane , AL5 4TD | 4out of 4 | 1,259 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Sir John Lawes School Manland Way , AL5 4QP | 4out of 4 | 1,829 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Katherine Warington School Lower Luton Road , AL5 5FH | - not rated | 2,028 yd | Free schools | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Hilda's School 28 Douglas Road , AL5 2ES | - not rated | 685 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Girls | More About School |
| The King's School Elmfield , Ambrose Lane AL5 4DU | - not rated | 792 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Aldwickbury School Aldwickbury School , Wheathampstead Road AL5 1AD | - not rated | 3,340 yd | Other independent school | No | Boys | More About School |
| St Luke's School Crouch Hall Lane , Redbourn AL3 7ET | 2out of 4 | 3,530 yd | Foundation special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Yard | 105 Luton Road, Harpenden | 177 yd | |
| Roundwood Primary School | Roundwood Park, Harpenden | 496 yd | |
| The Oval Cafe | The Clock Building, 6 Highfield Oval | 861 yd | |
| Bangkok Lounge | 80 High Street, Harpenden | 1,051 yd | |
| Tabure | 104 High Street, Harpenden | 1,051 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Bell | 177 Luton Road, Harpenden | 131 yd | |
| Old Cock Inn | 58 High Street, Harpenden | 1,051 yd |
| Business Name | Address | Food hygiene rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco Express | 95 - 101, Luton Road | 177 yd |
| Facility Name | Sport Objects | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Roundwood Park School ROUNDWOOD PARK | artificial grass pitch, grass pitches, tennis courts | 504 yd |
| St Hilda'S School DOUGLAS ROAD | grass pitches, swimming pool | 570 yd |
| The Kings School ELMFIELD ELMFIELD AMBROSE LANE | 778 yd | |
| Highfield Oval HIGHFIELD OVAL HIGHFIELD OVAL AMBROSE LANE | grass pitches | 825 yd |
This statistics are based on Active Places Data - Contains Data © Sport England
| Percentage of premises that have Superfast Broadband (30Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (100Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have Ultrafast Broadband (300Mbit/s or greater) coverage from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises that have coverage from a Gigabit capable service from fixed broadband | 100.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 2Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 5Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 10Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Percentage of premises unable to receive 30Mbit/s | 0.0% |
| Median download speed | 200 Mbit/s |
| Average download speed | 352.3 Mbit/s |
| Minimum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Maximum download speed | 1000 Mbit/s |
| Median upload speed | 20 Mbit/s |
| Average upload speed | 41.9 Mbit/s |
| Maximum upload speed | 115 Mbit/s |
Broadband statistics are based on Ofcom's Communications Market Report (CMR) 2022.