Living in Clacton on Sea – 6 Reasons to Move to the Essex Coast

Are you considering living in Clacton on Sea?

This seaside town in Essex is the largest settlement on the Tendring peninsular and has been a popular coastal destination for quite some time!

Bursting with a range of typical British seaside pleasures, living in Clacton on Sea is sure to appeal to lovers of the beach.

The town saw a huge growth in popularity throughout the 1950s and 60s, when a trip to the town was a top choice for all of Essex’s residents.

The area even made national headlines in 1964 when rival gangs, The Mods and Rockers, clashed on the beach!

This incident became known as ‘The Battle of Pier Gap’ and put the town on the map.

Clacton on Sea’s amazing pier, amusement arcades and beautiful beaches have all cemented the town’s popularity.

Whilst British coastal holidays have seen a dip in popularity since then, living in Clacton on Sea still provides residents with some great amenities.

In this article we aim to put the spotlight back on the area, exploring everything great about living in Clacton on Sea.

There have been huge changes in the property market over the last few years.

An increasing number of people have been leaving the capital to enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle.

If this sounds like something you desire, living in Clacton on Sea could be the perfect place for you!

Here are our 6 reasons to consider living in Clacton on Sea!

House Prices

As we may all know, property prices have varied wildly over the last couple of years.

Both Brexit and the pandemic had a huge impact on the market.

Whilst the impact of these incidents is certainly still being felt, the housing market has been on the rise for the last three months!

Clacton has been no exception to these increases in price.

Property values in the area have recovered well recently, with the average price for a home in the town now standing at £242,339.

Most of the sales in Clacton-On-Sea during the past year were detached properties, with 139 selling in the period.

These are currently selling for an average price of £326,175.

Semi-detached properties in the area sold for an average of £246,820, with flats fetching £136,012.

There are some very nice neighbourhoods to choose from when moving to Clacton-On-Sea.

East Clacton is certainly up there with the best!

It offers some very delightful Victorian terraces which sell from and benefit from being close to Clacton Train Station as well as a short walk to the seafront and Town Centre.

The Esplanade is another highly sought-after area, where homes boast 360-degree views of the ocean!

Properties in these popular areas tend to cost a little more than the average for the area.

If you are considering moving to the area it is important to stay up to date with the latest property prices. 

The UK housing market is constantly changing, with more turbulence expected throughout 2024, so keeping your finger on the pulse is essential!

Rent Prices

Often it is not until you have lived in a location for a while do you really get to know it.

Owning your own home is the largest purchase most of us ever make during our lifetime.

Renting allows you the opportunity to “try before you buy”.

There are plenty of different types of housing available to rent privately in the Clacton area.

You might be looking to rent a self-contained flat or house, or perhaps just a room.

Regardless of your requirements, there is something for everyone here!

As a quick guide, the average cost to rent a home in the town is £1,134 per month.

This is significantly cheaper than Essex as a whole which has an average rental cost of £1,726 per month.

One-bedroom properties have an average rent of £806 per month whilst a larger 4-bedroom property will cost an average of £1,550.

All stats are taken from home.co.uk, so be sure to keep up to date with the latest prices by checking out their site.

Things to Do in Clacton-on-Sea

Clacton-on-Sea sits in a perfect location for top-notch entertainment, particularly for children.

The largest and most loved seaside town in Essex, Clacton Beach offers plenty of sandcastle-building opportunities.

A safe clean beach with seasonal lifeguard service, easy parking, and plenty of amenities close by. Great for seafront walks and water sports.

The beach operates a child safety wristband scheme for guaranteed peace of mind for those with little ones.

Constructed in 1931, the Princes Theatre is an impressive purpose-built theatre, with an 820-seat auditorium.

Hosting a huge selection of concerts, pantomimes and plays all year round. It is even used as a wedding venue!

Great all year round, Clacton Pier was named “Pier of the Year” back in 2020 by the National Piers Society!

The pier hosts rides, ten-pin bowling, arcades, a Seaquarium, golf and a soft-play centre as well as numerous food, drink and retail outlets.

Curve Wake Park specialises in fun activities of all descriptions on the water.

Wakeboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, Kayaking and the amazing Aqua Park, the inflatable obstacle course.

Suitable for children over the age of 8 and adults.

It is a great day out for the whole family!

Hasty’s Adventure Farm is another popular place to visit – here you can have a fun family day out, with an outdoor play area, large grass go-karting track, sandpit, playhouse and much more for children of all ages.

Shopping in Clacton-on-Sea

Clacton has a good shopping area with many of the usual national retail chains represented such as Next, Sports Direct and Dorothy Perkins.

Food shopping is via an assortment of supermarkets including a large Asda Superstore.

Enjoy a superb range of stores with discount prices at Clacton Outlet Shopping Village.

Shop till you drop then sit down and enjoy a lovely meal at one of the site’s restaurants.

Bargain hunters should head to the St. Osyth Beach Market, held twice a week, featuring a massive collection of stalls selling everything from fashion to fishing tackle, shoes to books and plenty of homemade produce such as cakes, jams and pastries.

For a more comprehensive selection of shops, it is worth making the 26-minute train journey to Colchester.

For big names, designer brands or even unique boutique stores, shopping in Colchester is the place to go!

Transport Links

If you are thinking of living in Clacton on Sea you will be pleased to know that the area is very well connected.

The seaside town provides residents with a range of transport options.

When living in Clacton on Sea you will have easy access to the local train station.

Clacton on Sea Train station provides convenient links to London.

The journey to the capital will take commuters around 90 minutes, with trains arriving at London Liverpool Street.

This makes the area perfect for those looking for a more peaceful lifestyle on the coast but still needing to quickly and easily get into the capital.

Living in Clacton on Sea also means you have fantastic access to the rest of Essex.

The town is situated on the A133.

The road runs between Clacton and Colchester, ensuring easy passage across the rest of the county.

Residents living in Clacton on Sea are also well provided for with regards to local buses.

There are even several national bus services that call at the seaside town, including National Express coaches!

Schools in Clacton on Sea

If you are moving to Clacton on Sea with children, you will need to find a good school close to where you choose to live.

Conducting some detailed research well in advance of your move will be essential for this!

There are several ways to find the best schools in your area, one of the easiest ways is to visit the Gov.uk website.

Another excellent tool is Locrating.

This will tell you all the schools you can choose from when living in Clacton on Sea as well as how well each school scored in their most recent Ofsted report.

To find out more about all of the area’s schools visit the website here.

Across the majority of Essex, there is a two-tier education system which also applies when living in Clacton on Sea.

As a parent, you have a selection of 24 primary schools and 7 secondary schools that cater for students aged 11–16yrs living in Clacton on Sea.

The best-performing primary schools in the area include Engaines Primary School and Nursery, Holland Haven Primary School, Kirby Primary Academy and Oakwood Infant and Nursery School.

Each of these primary schools received a ‘Good’ review from Ofsted during their most recent review.

For the best secondary schools consider either Clacton County High School.

The school has achieved ‘Good’ reports from Ofsted, and it even boasts the coveted Academy status.

For students over the age of 16, there are currently 6 college and sixth-form options.

Once again, Clacton County High School is a top choice.

As already mentioned, the school achieved a ‘Good’ report from Ofsted, setting it apart in the region.

Clearly, living in Clacton on Sea offers families a broad range of schools, guaranteeing that children are given a top-quality education.

Ready to Start Living in Clacton on Sea?

Are you thinking of moving to Clacton on Sea?

Whether you want to enjoy some family time at the beautiful local beaches, find a fantastic deal on stunning different properties, or enjoy a day of retail therapy in one of the towns numerous shops, Clacton on Sea has something for everyone.

Clacton on Sea presents a multitude of great areas with a range of exceptional property types, there is certainly a home for all.

GoodMove will make your move to Clacton on Sea a smooth and easy process.

We take great delight in certifying your move runs efficiently and effortlessly, helping you to arrive at your new home in no time at all.

As well as our competitively priced removals package, we can also provide extra services such as short-term or long-term storage should you need it.

GoodMove cover all areas of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex and our friendly estimators can call round at a convenient time for you and strategically plan your move to perfection.

During these exceptional times, GoodMove are also offering a new video survey service.

Using our new technology, we can gather all the information required to assist with your move, from the comfort of your home!

Video surveys will help you save valuable time and go a long way to maintaining the best safety levels.

To find out more about how we could get your dream move to Lowestoft or any other location underway do not hesitate to call us on the number listed above.

Alternatively, fill out a quick quote form or click on our live bot in the bottom right and a member of our customer services team will be in touch shortly.