It depends on what you’re looking for! It’s a safe area, broadly speaking. There’s normally (in non-Covid times) plenty to do for families - swimming pool, bowling alley, cinema in town, and other facilities like soft plays within driving distance. Lots of nice countryside. About 1.5 hours to the coast.
The shopping is reasonable for a town that size. For anything you can’t get in Stortford, you can probably get it in Harlow, Braintree, Cambridge or London.
You may be able to manage without a car but would strongly recommend you have one to make the most of the area and to access what’s not in the town. Buses are mainly from Stansted to Harlow via Stortford and travelling east/west is extremely difficult without a car.
Nearest hospitals are Harlow, Cambridge (Addenbrookes) and Stevenage in that order if that matters to you. Maternity care is usually Harlow or Cambridge.
Lots of ex-Londoners here but also lots of locals. I personally found London friendlier in that hardly anyone is from the area or has local family support so everyone is keen to make friends (at least, that’s how it felt to me). Whereas Stortford is the kind of place where most people are perfectly lovely but often have quite an established social circle and you may have to try a little harder to find your tribe, if you see what I mean.
The commute into London isn’t difficult but doing it every day can be wearing, especially balancing against childcare drop-off/pick-ups. If you work within walking distance of Liverpool Street (or Tottenham Hale), it could be as little as an hour but 1.5 hours each way is probably more realistic. If the train line is down, there is no plan B - it’s Uber, a coach to the airport, waiting for a rail replacement bus to be set up, or King’s Cross to Cambridge and back down. But when everything is working, the trains are frequent and you can usually get a seat.
Distance to the station in Stortford is also key because if you drive, you’ll have to pay for parking, and if there are two of you commuting, that will really add up. Look into the cost of season tickets and parking. If there is any way you can find a property within walking distance, do.
Housing is a mix of older properties (larger ones can be pricey as there aren’t so many) and more modern estates, some new-build. No no-go areas but some are nicer than others. There are some lovely villages nearby if daily access to the station isn’t so important (or cost of parking/commuting no deterrent!).
Schools are good but there are nuances depending on what you want (mainly at secondary level).
Happy to answer questions!