Is Ashford a Nice Place to Live?

Key Distances

• Fastest Train to London: 52 minutes
• Distance to a Beach: 26 minutes (Hythe Beach)
• Distance to Nearest Major Airport: 1 hour and 42 minutes by train (London Heathrow (LHR) Airport)
• Distance to Natural Parks and Wildlife: 10-minute walk (Victoria Park)

Other Key Locations

• The Stour Centre: 5-minute walk
• Hollywood Bowl Ashford: 4-minute walk
• Ashford Skate Park: 7-minute walk
• Conningbrook Lakes Country Park: 9-minute drive
• Ashford Golf Club: 8-minute drive

Travel Costs to London

Full-year rail ticket: £5,460
Monthly rail ticket for 2 days per week: £419

Ashford boasts the natural beauty of the countryside, a close-knit community, and a vibrant town centre that has everything you’d ever need. Although it’s a long way from London, it has a wide range of transportation options that can take you anywhere – even to Paris and Brussels via the Eurostar trains! 

What is Ashford Known For?

The town of Ashford is famous for its history, as seen in St. Mary’s Church, the Godinton House and Gardens, and the New Mill. It continues to attract people from across the country due to its distance to some of the best places to live, particularly Canterbury. 

Things to Do in Ashford

When people set their sights on Ashford for the first time, they wrongly it’s a sleepy borough. However, the truth is that there’s an endless list of things to do – we’ve put together the best of the best below:

Ashford Designer Outlet. Satisfy your shopping spree needs at the Ashford Designer Outlet, where luxury goods (e.g. Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger) go for about 60 percent lower than their regular price. 

Elwick Place. Elwick Place is a 100,000 sq. ft. center where you can eat out, work out, and more – it has it all! It’s the perfect place for a fun-filled afternoon. 

Revelation. Revelation is a pop-up venue that regularly hosts gigs, from the dramatic to the comedic, and welcomes talent from all over the world. 

Flip Out. Flip Out is a massive venue where you can flip from wall to wall, fall into foam pits, and more. A one-hour session starts at £12, but if you’re not done bouncing off of the 59 trampolines by then, you can “top-up” for £5.

Curious Brewery. This state-of-the-art brewery crafts some of the best beers in Britain. You can book a tour to get a taste of their award-winning beers for £20 (available only to individuals above 18).

Events to Look Forward to in Ashford  

When you move to Ashford, you’ll be part of a close-knit community that loves everything crafty and creative. Here are a couple of the events you’ll get to see up-close:

Create Festival. This week-long festival takes place in Ashford’s Victoria Park every Summer. The Create Festival showcases live art events, such as poetry performances, street dance, street theatre, and more. The best part? It’s free!

Tenterden Folk Festival. Folk music, traditions, crafts, and more for four days. Artists will crowd the back of bars to get people to take part in their sing-a-rounds. The streets tend to overflow with performers, entertainers, and more for their yearly procession. 

Monthly Maker’s Market. Every first Saturday of the month, make your way to Park Mall for the Maker’s Market, an event that brings together small businesses based in Kent. You’ll find all sorts of handmade treasures, like candles, cards, ceramics, and more! 

Is Ashford Safe?

Ashford has a crime rate of 91 crimes per 1,000 people. While this is a little higher than Kent’s crime rate of 87 per 1,000 people, Ashford is still the second safest town in the county. 

Home Prices in Ashford

Land registry data revealed that the average price of properties in Ashford is £356,000. Although this figure is higher than Kent’s average home price of £351,000, it is significantly lower than the South East region’s average home price of £380,000.

• Detached properties sold for £578,000.
• Semi-detached properties were priced at £345,000.
• Terraced properties sold for £282,000.
• Flats fetched £188,000.

These house prices are only an average, which include individuals moving up the property ladder. The average price for first time buyers is £291,000, making it even more affordable. This price point makes sense, as most first time buyers end up buying a flat as their first purchase.

Getting Around Ashford

You can get around Ashford by bus, train, or car. Although it’s far from a major city, its transportation options make up for the distance and can take you across the country (and the continent). 

Buses in Ashford

Ashford’s buses are operated by Stagecoach. There are two bus hubs in the Ashford town center – one on Bank Street and another on Park Street. If you plan to travel within the town, you can catch the bus at Bank Street. 

Make your way around town with the operator’s Day Rider Ticket for £4.50 (adults) and £1.00 (kids). The Day Rider Ticket lasts the entire day and can be used to travel on every Stagecoach bus. To save, get the weekly MegaRider Ticket for £17.10 or the 28-day MegaRider Ticket for £63.10. 

Do note that these rates apply only to trips within the town of Ashford. If you plan to visit the South East area, you can purchase a specific ticket that can take you from Kent to East Sussex, where you can check out the Canterbury Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), spend a day by the sea at Brighton Beach, or go zip-lining at the Hangloose Bluewater. You can plan your bus route on the Stagecoach website. 

Trains in Ashford

Get to South East England, London, and even Avignon through the Ashford International train station. Ashford International provides Eurostar services to Brussels, Amsterdam, Marseille, and more every day and sends seven trains to Liverpool, Manchester, and more per hour. 

A standard ticket to London costs about £27.00, but if you want to travel in first-class, be prepared to spend £53.00. You can also buy Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets if your itinerary is flexible. 

Traveling To and From Ashford

Want to go on an adventure outside of town? We’ve put together this guide to give you a general idea of the length of travel:

• Ashford to Canterbury: 20 minutes by train or 40 minutes by car.
• Ashford to London: 1 hour by train or 2 hours by car. 
• Ashford to Faversham: 1 hour by train or 30 minutes by car

Best Places to Live in Ashford

If you want to live in town, Ashford has several close-knit communities to choose from:

Willesborough

On the eastern side of Ashford, you will find the neighborhood of Willesborough. This suburb is a walk away from the Willesborough Junior School, which was rated “Good” by Ofsted. It is also where you’ll find The Windmill, a working smock mill that was built in 1869. One of the best parts about Willeborough is that if you’re looking for comfort food, you’re meters away from the Willesborough Cafe’s mouthwatering pie ‘n’ mash – open every day!

Mill Court

Mill Court is a worthy choice if you want to be as close to the community center as possible. It’s a walk away from The Stour Centre, the go-to place for an afternoon of rock climbing, swimming, “no strings” badminton, dancing in discos, and more. It’s a bit farther away from bars and pubs, which is why it’s the perfect place for a quieter life and for families. 

Great Chart

The Great Chart is a great choice if you want to live near the river. The Great Stour River runs through the village, and nearby, you will find the Singleton Lake, the Buxford Meadow, and the Buxford Fish Pass. Although Great Chart is generally quaint, it is still close enough to good restaurants such as Swan & Dog and The Singleton Barn. Children can study at the Great Chart Primary School, which got an Oustanding rating from Ofsted. 

Who Is Ashford Perfect For?

With trains that connect you to the entire country and the Capital, top-rated schools, and a selection of historic places, Ashford is ideal for people that prefer peace but also need a bit of a life amongst the country.