# ME5

Postcode district covering Chatham, Lords Wood and Walderslade, in Medway.

ME5 is a postcode district covering Chatham, Lords Wood and Walderslade, in Medway. Median sale price £310,000 in 2025. Recorded crime 74.1 per 1,000 people.

Postcode district. Code ME5. In: [Postcodes](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode) › [ME](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me)

Approximate outline worked out by Open Index from the ONS Postcode Directory: each census output area belongs to the district that holds most of its postcodes. People, homes, recorded crime and broadband add up those output areas. House sales count every sale with an ME5 postcode. [How census figures are added up](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population)

## Key figures

- **Median sale price: £310,000** (2025). The median price paid for a home in ME5 was £310,000 in 2025. Joint 1,022nd most expensive of 2,235. Source: Worked out by Open Index from HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Published 28 September 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5#f-house-sales-median-price
- **Population: 52,479** (2021). ME5 had 52,479 usual residents at the census (ONS Census 2021). 169th most populated of 2,756. Source: Census 2021, England and Wales and Scotland's Census 2022 and Census 2021, Northern Ireland, 2021. Published 21 July 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5#f-population
- **People in radon Affected Area squares: 100%** (2022). About 100% of people in ME5 live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. UK 44%. Source: Worked out by Open Index from the UKHSA and BGS radon atlas and census output areas. Published 1 December 2022. https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5#f-radon-affected-share
- **Gigabit broadband coverage: 95.4%** (January 2026). In ME5, 95.4% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026 (Ofcom). UK 87.8%. Source: Connected Nations (Ofcom), January 2026. Published 13 May 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5#f-gigabit-coverage

## On the map

- [Radon Affected Area by postcode district](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=ME5) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 100% of people in ME5 live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
- [Sales per year by postcode district](https://openindex.co.uk/map/house-sales-per-year?place=ME5) (Worked out by Open Index · 2025): 737 homes were sold in ME5 in 2025.
- [Crime and ASB by postcode district](https://openindex.co.uk/map/recorded-crime?place=ME5) (Police recorded crime and outcomes (data.police.uk) · August 2026): Crime and anti-social behaviour for ME5.
- [Population by postcode district](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=ME5) (Census 2021, England and Wales): ME5 had 52,479 usual residents at the census.

## How ME5 compares

Each postcode district against every other postcode district the measure covers.

| Measure | ME5 | Rank | Compared with |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Median sale price | £310,000 | 7th cheapest | 20 postcode districts, ME · 2025 |
| Population | 52,479 | 3rd most populated | 20 postcode districts, ME · 2021 |
| People in radon Affected Area squares | 100% | joint most people in radon Affected Areas | 20 postcode districts, ME · 2022 |
| Gigabit broadband coverage | 95.4% | 2nd highest | 20 postcode districts, ME · Jan 2026 |

## Is ME5 safe? What police records show

In the 12 months to August 2026, police recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour in ME5 at a rate of 74.1 per 1,000 people.
That compares with 94.7 per 1,000 people across the ME postcode area.
In August 2026 alone, 383 cases of crime and anti-social behaviour were recorded in ME5.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the most common types were violence and sexual offences (1,485), anti-social behaviour (1,038) and other crime (555).
A year earlier, the recorded crime rate in ME5 was 76.5 per 1,000 people.
Worked out by Open Index from police.uk crime records and ONS and NISRA population estimates.
Rates are per resident, so places that many people work in or visit, such as Westminster, the City of London and other city centres, have far higher rates than their residents alone would suggest.

## Deprivation in ME5, neighbourhood by neighbourhood

- Deprivation is ranked by neighbourhood, so ME5 has no single figure. Of its 33 neighbourhoods with a rank:
- Decile 1 (England’s most deprived 10%): 3 neighbourhoods
- Decile 2: 2 neighbourhoods
- Decile 3: 6 neighbourhoods
- Decile 4: 2 neighbourhoods
- Decile 5: 1 neighbourhood
- Decile 6: 5 neighbourhoods
- Decile 7: 5 neighbourhoods
- Decile 8: 5 neighbourhoods
- Decile 9: 2 neighbourhoods
- Decile 10 (England’s least deprived 10%): 2 neighbourhoods

Source: English Indices of Deprivation 2025. Decile 1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods in England.

## Neighbourhoods in ME5

| Area | People (census) | Recorded crime per 1,000 | Deprivation decile | Gigabit broadband |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Maidstone 001A](https://openindex.co.uk/maidstone/neighbourhood/e01024333) | 1,315 | 49.7 per 1,000 | 7 | 95.5% |
| [Maidstone 001F](https://openindex.co.uk/maidstone/neighbourhood/e01034990) | 2,313 | 19.0 per 1,000 | 10 | 98.6% |
| [Medway 020A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016061) | 1,695 | 73.1 per 1,000 | 1 | 99.1% |
| [Medway 020C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016064) | 1,709 | 131.6 per 1,000 | 2 | 97.8% |
| [Medway 020D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016069) | 1,762 | 191.0 per 1,000 | 1 | 97.9% |
| [Medway 027B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016065) | 1,375 | 40.2 per 1,000 | 6 | 98.9% |
| [Medway 027C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016066) | 1,693 | 200.8 per 1,000 | 3 | 97.9% |
| [Medway 027D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016067) | 1,631 | 83.9 per 1,000 | 3 | 99.1% |
| [Medway 027E](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016068) | 1,766 | 92.0 per 1,000 | 1 | 97.7% |
| [Medway 031A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016058) | 1,435 | 78.2 per 1,000 | 7 | 85.1% |
| [Medway 031B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016059) | 1,296 | 66.9 per 1,000 | 3 | 86.6% |
| [Medway 031C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016079) | 1,300 | 40.9 per 1,000 | 7 | 99.8% |
| [Medway 031D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016083) | 1,300 | 58.3 per 1,000 | 2 | 84.4% |
| [Medway 031E](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016084) | 1,477 | 75.1 per 1,000 | 3 | 99.4% |
| [Medway 033A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016121) | 1,484 | 173.2 per 1,000 | 7 | 83.4% |
| [Medway 033C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016123) | 1,532 | 33.7 per 1,000 | 7 | 93.1% |
| [Medway 033D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016173) | 1,718 | 68.2 per 1,000 | 3 | 98.9% |
| [Medway 034A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016078) | 1,493 | 64.9 per 1,000 | 6 | 96.9% |
| [Medway 034B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016080) | 1,446 | 95.1 per 1,000 | 6 | 99.2% |
| [Medway 034C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016081) | 1,631 | 34.8 per 1,000 | 8 | 99.8% |
| [Medway 034D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016082) | 1,527 | 38.3 per 1,000 | 8 | 98.8% |
| [Medway 037A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016168) | 1,661 | 90.5 per 1,000 | 4 | 97.7% |
| [Medway 037B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016169) | 1,658 | 46.3 per 1,000 | 8 | 96.8% |
| [Medway 037C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016171) | 1,677 | 85.9 per 1,000 | 3 | 96.0% |
| [Medway 037D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016172) | 1,463 | 32.3 per 1,000 | 8 | 90.5% |
| [Medway 038A](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016055) | 1,531 | 54.8 per 1,000 | 4 | 98.9% |
| [Medway 038B](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016056) | 1,464 | 130.3 per 1,000 | 5 | 90.0% |
| [Medway 038C](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016057) | 1,719 | 39.7 per 1,000 | 6 | 84.3% |
| [Medway 038D](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016060) | 1,603 | 26.6 per 1,000 | 9 | 98.9% |
| [Medway 038E](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/neighbourhood/e01016170) | 1,599 | 79.3 per 1,000 | 6 | 97.4% |
| [Tonbridge and Malling 001B](https://openindex.co.uk/tonbridge-and-malling/neighbourhood/e01024720) | 1,333 | 20.8 per 1,000 | 10 | 100.0% |
| [Tonbridge and Malling 001C](https://openindex.co.uk/tonbridge-and-malling/neighbourhood/e01024721) | 1,344 | 71.0 per 1,000 | 8 | 87.6% |
| [Tonbridge and Malling 001D](https://openindex.co.uk/tonbridge-and-malling/neighbourhood/e01024722) | 1,372 | 50.8 per 1,000 | 9 | 99.1% |

## Your MP

- [Chatham and Aylesford](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/chatham-and-aylesford): Tristan Osborne (Labour), MP since July 2024. 89% of the people here.
- [Faversham and Mid Kent](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/faversham-and-mid-kent): Helen Whately (Conservative), MP since July 2024. 7.4% of the people here.
- [Gillingham and Rainham](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/gillingham-and-rainham): Naushabah Khan (Labour), MP since July 2024. 3.6% of the people here.
- [Rochester and Strood](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/rochester-and-strood): Lauren Edwards (Labour), MP since July 2024. 0.4% of the people here.

As of 18 October 2026. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0. Source: UK Parliament, Members API.

## Middle areas in ME5

[Capstone](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/capstone), [Horsted](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/horsted), [Lordswood](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/lordswood), [Luton](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/luton), [Settington](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/settington), [Walderslade](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/walderslade), [Wayfield](https://openindex.co.uk/medway/wayfield)

## Postcode sectors in ME5

[ME5 0 (230 postcodes)](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5-0), [ME5 7 (232 postcodes)](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5-7), [ME5 8 (290 postcodes)](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5-8), [ME5 9 (251 postcodes)](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5-9)

## Council

[Medway](https://openindex.co.uk/medway)

## Towns in ME5

[Chatham](https://openindex.co.uk/town/chatham)

## Postcode districts next to ME5

[ME1](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me1), [ME4](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me4), [ME7](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me7), [ME14](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me14), [ME20](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me20)

## Nearest rail stations

[Chatham (4.4 km from the middle)](https://openindex.co.uk/map/rail-stations?around=0.5212,51.3804), [Gillingham (Kent) (5.1 km from the middle)](https://openindex.co.uk/map/rail-stations?around=0.5498,51.3866), [Rochester (5.6 km from the middle)](https://openindex.co.uk/map/rail-stations?around=0.5069,51.3897), [Rainham (Kent) (6.0 km from the middle)](https://openindex.co.uk/map/rail-stations?around=0.6113,51.3663)

## More in the ME postcode area

[All ME postcode districts](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me), [Every UK postcode area](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode)

## ME5 in brief

ME5 is a postcode district covering Chatham, Lords Wood and Walderslade, in Medway.
About 53,303 people lived in ME5 in mid-2024 (worked out by Open Index from ONS small-area estimates); the median price paid for a home was £310,000 in 2025 across 737 sales (HM Land Registry) and police recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour at a rate of 74.1 per 1,000 people in the 12 months to August 2026 (police.uk).
The median price paid for a home in ME5 was £310,000 in 2025.
ME5 had 52,479 usual residents at the census.
About 100% of people in ME5 live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
In ME5, 95.4% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026.

## About

- Type: Postcode district
- Code: ME5
- Postcode area: [ME](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me)
- Constituency: [Chatham and Aylesford †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/chatham-and-aylesford)
- Council: [Medway †](https://openindex.co.uk/medway)
- Area: 18.00 km²
- People, mid-2024: 53,303*
- Neighbourhoods: 33
- Output areas: 163

* People: worked out by Open Index from neighbourhood estimates, shared out by where people lived at the census (by area in Northern Ireland). This area's edges do not follow neighbourhood edges, so the figure is close but not exact.
† Best fit: the constituency, council, region and nation this postcode district mostly lies in. Its edges do not follow theirs.

## Next door

[ME7](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me7), [ME4](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me4), [ME14](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me14), [ME1](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me1), [ME20](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me20)

## Latest updates for ME5

- August 2026 house prices published: HM Land Registry and partners · Oct 2026.
- September 2026 rent published: ONS private rents · Oct 2026.
- Dental practices updated: NHS England · Oct 2026.
- Schools updated: Ofsted · Oct 2026.

The same figures as JSON: https://openindex.co.uk/v1/places/ME5

## How to cite

Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5#f-house-sales-median-price.

Open Index's own text and the figures it works out are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source data keeps its publishers' licences, named with each figure. Give each figure's period and source with it.

Snapshot 2026.10.9. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/me5