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Original poster

Honest opinions on Ipswich

16 replies

Jmarie84 · 29/09/2025 21:43

Hello me and my family are looking to move to Ipswich close to town centre and River .can I get some honest opinions on Ipswich please. I have one 15 year old to get into school if anyone has any secondary school recommendations. My other 2 boys are older. I will be looking to get a job there as well. What is the crime rate like does it feel like a safe place live?

OP posts:

JellyBeans269 · 30/09/2025 08:16

To be honest, it's not a very nice place to live. Locals call it "Ipshit"...there are small pockets on the outskirts that are OK, but close to town is generally pretty rough. I wouldn't move there myself!

Whatareyoutalkingaboutnow · 30/09/2025 08:19

I wouldn't. How about Norwich?

HerewardtheSleepy · 30/09/2025 08:30

Only ever been there for work. Wouldn't consider living there for a moment.
Better than Harwich is about all you can say for it, IMO.

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15 year olds

childofthe607080s · 30/09/2025 08:35

The east side near the hospital , catchment area of north gate, Copelston and kesgrave are where you want to be if you can afford it

yes it’s an ordinary town with ordinary people and not much in the way of 6 figure salaries

it’s basically as safe as most towns and I have never had worries walking around late at night.

slightly puzzled as to why you chose it before you have jobs

Original poster

Jmarie84 · 30/09/2025 08:43

My husband has work he has just started a job the other side of Woodbridge and is having to drive a hour and half to work everyday at the moment. My son's work office is on Bury St Edmunds but he doesn't drive so would need to close to a train station. Plus I don't drive either so want to be close to job opportunities. Ipswich seemed a good choice as the house we are looking is round the corner from train station and would knock a hour of husbands work journey.

OP posts:

Grotty12 · 30/09/2025 08:52

Is it that bad? I grew up there and my parents still live there, and I have never thought of it as rough. It's not a very interesting town, but there are nice bits and pockets of poverty as in any town. I am not quite sure what housing there is that is family suitable which is both near the quay/river and the town centre - other than some pockets of new build town houses - and that would be in a school catchment.

The nice/pretty bits to live are off and around Christchurch Park down to Norwich road. The areas near the hospital, though better for schools feel very suburban.

It is ordinary and pretty safe. It has the usual issues of small towns across the country - slowly declining town centre, but also a great theatre. It has a reputation for being dull, but is surrounded by lovely countryside and coast and relatively easy to get to London and Norwich.

I guess it will be schools that really determine it for you.

HellonHeels · 30/09/2025 08:59

I live in a town near Ipswich. I really like it. The town centre is faded but still has most of the high street shops. It has bank branches.

There's a good range of independent shops and cafes. I'm going to events at the Book Festival this weekend. The university (University of Suffolk) is lively. Theatre is good. The archives run interesting events and exhibitions. There's a fabric shop that runs regular craft events and sewing courses.

Like most towns it has its rough areas, experiences crime, and has some dodgy residents.

I don't know anything about the schools, sorry.

changename08 · 20/10/2025 16:15

I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly nice town at the moment, even though it has some lovely areas like the one around Christchurch Park.
As for the town centre, personally, I don’t like it at all.
Lots of empty shops, phone repair and American candy shops, off-licences... Couple of nice independents scattered about, but mostly a bit depressing sadly.

Pepperedpickles · 20/10/2025 16:23

If you can go a bit further up the train like Stowmarket is nicer than Ipswich. I live nearer to Norwich and I wouldn’t want to live in Ipswich. Very rough.

Branleuse · 20/10/2025 16:25

I quite like the centre. I know theres good and bad bits of ipswich. I like the ipswich film theatre, the regents theatre.
I think suffolk one and suffolk new colleges are both good.

Nobumsonthetable · 20/10/2025 18:03

Why don’t you look at Woodbridge? There’s a station there I believe

childofthe607080s · 20/10/2025 18:06

Woodbridge is significantly more expensive than Ipswich and will add additional journey times

personally I prefer Ipswich as a bit less twee and bit more normal

Parky04 · 20/10/2025 18:13

My aunt lives in Hadleigh, which is lovely.

OnTheJourneyOnwards · 20/10/2025 18:19

Avoid the Chantry area of Ipswich. That’s known to be rough. Ipswich is very affordable but there are lots of empty shop units.

Houseleeks · 20/10/2025 18:30

It's just awful, rough as hell. Bury is a delight, Woodbridge nice too but Ipswich is just so grim.

violetcuriosity · 20/10/2025 18:58

I live in Ipswich. We absolutely love it, it’s home ♥️. I’ve worked in a few of the schools, as is the case everywhere there are pockets of deprivation and it’s not as diverse as I would like but it’s a nice town with an interesting history. As others have said IP4 is the ‘good’ postcode.

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