Neighbourhood · Medway

Rochester West: house prices and how the area is changing

Official figures for the Rochester West neighbourhood of Medway, England (ONS area Medway 014). Headline figures assembled 25 October 2026. Postcodes ME1, ME2, ME3. Figures that read a point use the neighbourhood's centre, near ME1 1UD.

A middle-income neighbourhood, showing some signs of gentrification

Rochester West is a middle-income neighbourhood; it shows some signs of gentrification against Medway (2 of 20 signals rising, 1 falling). Houses here typically resell for £425,000 and flats for £208,000 (median resale prices, 2023-2025). Recorded crime is higher than across Medway (1.6 times the borough's rate), schools nearby are improving in line with the council's and the nearest station, Rochester, is about a 9-minute walk from the neighbourhood's centre.

The neighbourhood in brief, from the figures on this page. Summary updated 25 October 2026; source dates are shown below.

Typical house price

£425,000

Median resale price of houses in the neighbourhood, 2023-2025; +23% against 2017-2019.

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data

Typical flat price

£208,000

Median resale price of flats in the neighbourhood, 2023-2025; +15% against 2017-2019.

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data

Affluence today

Middle income

How well off the neighbourhood is now, from household income, home prices and deprivation.

Source: ONS, HM Land Registry, MHCLG Indices of Deprivation

Signs of gentrification

Some signs

Weighted balance +0.06; 2 of 20 signals up, 1 down, against the borough.

Source: Official statistics on prices, incomes, benefits, businesses, schools and more (a full report shows every signal)

Deprivation

Decile 5 of 10

English Indices of Deprivation 2025: 1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods, 10 the least. At the neighbourhood's centre; its 4 small areas range from decile 2 to 7.

Source: MHCLG English Indices of Deprivation 2025

Average household income

£58,800

ONS estimate for the neighbourhood (modelled, with a margin of error).

Source: Office for National Statistics

Recorded crime

1.6 times the borough's rate

Crimes recorded by the police over 12 months (not anti-social behaviour) per resident, against the borough. Crime per resident can overstate the risk in busy centres where many people work or visit.

Source: Police.uk

Schools getting better

In line with the council's

Nearby state schools' latest Ofsted inspections and results, against the council's schools.

Source: Ofsted, Department for Education

Where Rochester West sits in Medway

Typical house price: 2nd highest of 38 neighbourhoods in Medway
Typical flat price: 2nd highest of the 16 neighbourhoods in Medway with enough flat sales for one
Average household income: joint 13th highest of 38 neighbourhoods in Medway

Ranked among the council's neighbourhoods by the figures on each one's own page, checked 25 October 2026: typical prices are HM Land Registry resale medians over the latest three-year window, household income the ONS's modelled estimate, with a margin of error, so neighbourhoods a place or two apart may not really differ.

Prices over time in Rochester West

Median resale price of houses each year here and across Medway, 1995 to 2026 (HM Land Registry Price Paid Data: standard sales, new builds left out). Years with fewer than 10 sales here are left out. 2026 is the year so far (dashed).

Median resale price of flats each year here and across Medway, 1995 to 2026 (HM Land Registry Price Paid Data: standard sales, new builds left out). Years with fewer than 10 sales here are left out. 2026 is the year so far (dashed).

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data, held locally and checked 25 October 2026. Medians each year, not a valuation of any home.

How the area is changing, signal by signal

2 of 20 counted signals point towards rising affluence against Medway, 1 the other way and 17 in line. A reading of official statistics against the borough, not a prediction; a full report shows every signal's figures and weight. Where this reading sits among every neighbourhood in England and Wales: the gentrification league table.

Rising against the borough

Anti-social behaviour
Income deprivation ranking

Falling behind the borough

Homes selling

Stations and schools nearby

Nearest station

Rochester Railway station, about a 9-minute walk from the neighbourhood's centre (690 m in a straight line). About 15 trains an hour leave between 07:00 and 19:00 on a weekday: Southeastern to London Victoria (42 to 53 min); Southeastern and Thameslink to Rainham (Kent) (about 13 min).

Station locations: NaPTAN (Department for Transport). Trains: Network Rail's timetable for Tuesday 6 October 2026, with the timetabled minutes of direct trains; timetabled, not live running. Distances from the neighbourhood's centre in a straight line, walked at 4.8 km/h; the real route is longer.

Nearest state schools

Nearest state primary school St Margaret's at Troy Town CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary School 200 m from the neighbourhood's centre. Ofsted: Report card: Strong standard in 7 areas (Jun 2026).
Nearest state secondary school Fort Pitt Grammar School 940 m from the neighbourhood's centre. Ofsted: Outstanding (Oct 2022).

Schools: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (20 October 2026); inspections: Ofsted's management information as at 30 September 2026, in Ofsted's own words. Straight-line distances; not a catchment or admissions assessment.

Questions about Rochester West

What is the typical house price in Rochester West?

£425,000. Median resale price of houses in the neighbourhood, 2023-2025; +23% against 2017-2019.

How does Rochester West compare with the rest of Medway?

Typical house price: 2nd highest of 38 neighbourhoods in Medway. Typical flat price: 2nd highest of the 16 neighbourhoods in Medway with enough flat sales for one. Average household income: joint 13th highest of 38 neighbourhoods in Medway.

Is Rochester West an affluent area?

Middle income. How well off the neighbourhood is now, from household income, home prices and deprivation.

Is Rochester West gentrifying?

Some signs. Weighted balance +0.06; 2 of 20 signals up, 1 down, against the borough.

What is the nearest station to Rochester West?

Rochester. Railway station, about a 9-minute walk from the neighbourhood's centre (690 m in a straight line). About 15 trains an hour leave between 07:00 and 19:00 on a weekday: Southeastern to London Victoria (42 to 53 min); Southeastern and Thameslink to Rainham (Kent) (about 13 min).

Which state schools are nearest to Rochester West?

Nearest state primary school. St Margaret's at Troy Town CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary School. 200 m from the neighbourhood's centre. Ofsted: Report card: Strong standard in 7 areas (Jun 2026). Nearest state secondary school. Fort Pitt Grammar School. 940 m from the neighbourhood's centre. Ofsted: Outstanding (Oct 2022).

Each answer repeats a figure shown above, with its source there.

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Nearby neighbourhoods in Medway

Postcode districts

Neighbourhood names: House of Commons Library, MSOA Names, Open Parliament Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains public sector information (MHCLG, Police.uk, Ofsted, Department for Education) licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Station locations from NaPTAN (Department for Transport), Open Government Licence v3.0. Trains: contains information of Network Rail Infrastructure Limited licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures describe the area, not any home, and are not a valuation or a prediction.