Distance from the town centre: 0.2 miCQC Requires improvement
Fees on request
Care homes in Harpenden
5 homes
There are 5 care homes in and around Harpenden on AskBart. 67% of those rated by the CQC are Good or Outstanding, against 79% nationally (CQC data, September 2026). Published fees average about £1,266 a week, while Hertfordshire usually pays £906. The largest is Willow Court Care Home, with 81 beds.
- care homes
- 5
- rated Good or Outstanding by CQC
- 67%
- typical residential fee
- £1,266/wkbelow the UK average of £1,716
- what Hertfordshire council pays
- £906/wk
Free, independent advice from Janet, Claire and the AskBart teamHow we check our information
Care homes in Harpenden (5)
3 in Harpenden, 2 more within 3 miles · nearest first · updated October 2026
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Not rated
Distance from the town centre: 0.2 mi
Distance from the town centre: 0.8 miFees on request
Distance from the town centre: 1.0 miCQC Good
from £1266/wk
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Distance from the town centre: 1.1 miFees on request
Distance from the town centre: 2.4 miCQC Good
Fees on request
Compare every home in Harpenden in one table
| Distance | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field House Care Home | Requires improvement · Nov 2023 | On request | 35 | 7.1 mi | — | 0.2 mi |
| Harpenden Springs | — | On request | 75 | 8.3 mi | — | 1.1 mi |
| Lea Grange Care Home | — | On request | 63 | 7.3 mi | — | 0.8 mi |
| St Matthews Care Home | Good · Feb 2019 | On request | 79 | 7.7 mi | — | 2.4 mi |
| Willow Court Care Home | Good | £1,266 | 81 | 8.1 mi | — | 1.0 mi |
Fees are the home’s published “from” figure, or an indicative one; “on request” where none is published. Ratings are the regulator’s. Click a heading to sort.
Run a care home or business in Harpenden that’s missing or out of date? Add or update a listing
Harpenden in numbers
The average residential care home in Harpenden costs about £1,266/week, while Hertfordshire’s published usual rate is around £906/week (2025). If the council funds care, expect a likely top-up of about £360/week (about £18,720/year), usually paid by a relative or friend. An estimate: councils fund care only below the means-test threshold, and fees vary by home, room and needs.
What Hertfordshire council pays care homes, and whether it will help with your fees
| Care homes listed | 5 |
|---|---|
| Rated Good or Outstanding | 2 of 3 (67%) |
| Rated Outstanding | 0 |
| Rated Requires improvement or Inadequate | 1 |
| Average published weekly fee | £1,266 |
| Hertfordshire usual weekly rate (2025) | £906 |
| Largest | Willow Court Care Home (81 beds) |
| Most recently inspected | St Matthews Care Home (January 2019) |
| Homes by care type | Residential 2 · Dementia 2 · Respite 2 |
| Average house price, St Albans (HM Land Registry, June 2026) | £651,448 |
Good2
Requires improvement1
Not yet rated2
Fees: averages of the weekly fees published by the homes listed here and across St. Albans. UK average: published residential fees across all homes on AskBart. Council rate: Hertfordshire's usual cost of residential care (2025). Actual costs vary with care needs and room.
See how care is funded or compare a care home with care at home.
Guides: Residential care homes · Dementia care homes · Respite care
Data: CQC register, updated September 2026. Figures are for the homes listed on this page.
House prices in St Albans
The average house price in St Albans is £651,448, based on HM Land Registry data. The graph shows sold-price trends by property type over the last 30 years.
Average price by property type
- All property types
- £651,448
- Detached
- £1,255,059
- Semi-detached
- £771,814
- Terraced
- £579,924
- Flats & maisonettes
- £332,768
Source: HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, to Jun 2026 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Figures are area averages for the wider local authority, not retirement properties specifically.
Living in Harpenden
Harpenden is a commuter town in Hertfordshire with solid local amenities and a lower-than-average share of over-65s, making it a mixed picture for retirement living. It offers good access to green space and a range of eating and social venues, though care-home provision appears modest. The recorded-crime rate sits midway for England, and affordability depends heavily on which home you choose.
- Green Surroundings
What do these badges mean?
- Green Surroundings — Excellent access to parks, playing fields and other green space nearby (OpenStreetMap).
Safety & PeaceB
Good — quieter than 47% of similar areas for anti-social behaviour & public disorder
Green SpacesA
Excellent — parks, playing fields & outdoor space nearby
Daily ConveniencesB
Good — shops, supermarkets & places to eat nearby
Culture & CommunityC
Limited — libraries, galleries, museums & community venues nearby
98 crimes reported in April 2026, Police.uk.
- Anti-social behaviour27
- Other theft15
- Shoplifting15
- Violent crime12
How we grade areas
Grades are relative, comparing this area against others of the same type across the UK. Amenity grades are based on OpenStreetMap counts within a fixed radius. The Safety & Peace grade ranks recorded anti-social behaviour and public-disorder incidents (the offences most relevant to a quiet neighbourhood) — per head of population where ONS figures are available, otherwise by count. Scottish towns are graded against other Scottish towns, from Police Scotland’s 12-month figures for the council wards they sit in, per head of those wards’ population (National Records of Scotland). Figures are estimates to aid research, not a substitute for visiting an area.
Sources — crime: Police.uk, Apr 2026; amenities: OpenStreetMap, updated September 2026.
Community & connection in Harpenden
Local clubs, charities and support groups that help older residents stay active and connected.
Charity
Age Concern St Albans
Hall for activities in central St Albans including two weekly day centres, and hire for age-related activities.
4.4 miles away · Source: Charity Commission (229773)
Charity
Age Concern, Luton
Age Concern Luton provides a wide range of services to meet the different needs of older people and their carers in Luton. This includes home support, gardening service, a visiting scheme,…
4.5 miles away · Source: Charity Commission (200463)
Charity
Khidmat
Khidmat runs services for older people and carers mainly from Pakistani/Kashmiri communities. We run Wellbeing clubs for older people and provide information, advice and advocacy. We also have…
6.1 miles away · Source: Charity Commission (1158330)
Charity
Age UK Dacorum
Age UK Dacorum works in partnership with other voluntary and statutory agencies to provide services for older people in Dacorum and the surrounding areas. Our purpose is to improve the quality of…
6.4 miles away · Source: Charity Commission (1098150)
Charity
Hemel Hempstead Day Centre Limited
The principle activity and objective of HHDCL is to provide a safe,high quality day centre that allows the elderly of Dacorum Borough to be involved with bespoke,stimulating and rewarding activities.
6.4 miles away · Source: Charity Commission (272688)
Charity
Hatfield and District Age Concern
Operates Friendship House, a leisure centre serving the elderly in the Hatfield, Hertfordshire area and providing comfortable surroundings for socialising, morning coffee/tea and subsidised…
6.7 miles away · Source: Charity Commission (246689)
Harpenden: health, services and environment
Official open data. Distances are straight-line from the town centre. Updated October 2026.
People aged 85+
+41%
Projected change in St Albans, 2025 to 2035 (4,333 to 6,108). England: +46.2%.
People aged 65+
+18.6%
Projected change in St Albans, 2025 to 2035 (27,006 to 32,019). England: +20.3%.
Pharmacies within 1 mile
4
Nearest: Boots (0.2 miles).
NHS dental practices within 3 miles
15
This doesn’t show whether they’re taking new NHS patients.
Air quality (NO₂)
9.8 µg/m³
Modelled background level for the town centre, 2026. England average 5.6; WHO guideline 10; legal limit 40.
Air quality (PM2.5)
7.4 µg/m³
Modelled background level, 2026. England average 5.8; WHO guideline 5; legal limit 20 (2040 target 10).
Deprivation ranking
5–10 out of 10
Where the 19 neighbourhoods around the centre rank in England, in tenths (10 = least deprived). 15 are in the least deprived tenth.
Hospices near Harpenden
- Isabel Hospice · 7.8 milesCQC Good (report published September 2016). CQC page
- Keech Hospice Care · 8.3 milesCQC page
- The Hospice of St Francis · 10.9 milesCQC Outstanding (report published September 2016). CQC page
Hospitals near Harpenden
- Care homes near Hemel Hempstead Hospital · urgent treatment centre · 6.6 miles
- Care homes near Luton and Dunstable University Hospital · A&E · 7.2 miles
- Care homes near Lister Hospital · A&E · 9.6 miles
Sources: ONS 2022-based subnational population projections; NHS organisation data (ODS); Defra background pollution maps; English Indices of Deprivation 2025; CQC.
Is Harpenden a good retirement location?
Read our guide to living in Harpenden
Harpenden suits those who want to stay within reach of London while enjoying a town setting with reasonable high-street services and parks nearby. The over-65 share is slightly below the national average, suggesting this is not yet a strongly established retirement hotspot. The key question is whether the local care-home selection matches your needs and budget — and whether family can visit easily by car or public transport.
Health & support
- Medical access: Your GP practice and pharmacies are accessible within the town; Barnet Hospital lies within reasonable driving distance for specialist care.
- Safety: Recorded crime in the last reporting period was 98 offences, with most offences being anti-social behaviour, other theft, and shoplifting — a rate typical for a town of this size.
- Family & connection: Harpenden sits on the rail line to London King's Cross, so adult children or carers based in London can visit without long journeys; weigh your own family's capacity to support you regularly.
Finances & daily life
- Cost of care: Care-home weekly fees in Harpenden sit below the national average, making it a broadly affordable choice compared to more expensive southern regions.
- Transport: The town has a mainline rail station with direct links to London and northern destinations; buses serve local routes and the wider area. Town-centre services are within walking distance; countryside is nearby but a car is helpful for some outings.
- Housing options: Local care-home provision is modest in scale — you will have a smaller range of homes to choose from than in larger care hubs, so early research is important.
Lifestyle & environment
- Green space & hobbies: Harpenden has 12 parks and 13 allotments within the local area, plus pleasant surrounding countryside for gentle walks. A good range of restaurants, cafes and pubs — 44 eating establishments and 19 bars — supports social dining and community gatherings.
- Community: The town centre hosts a range of social venues and regular community activities; ask prospective care homes about memory cafés, outings and links to local clubs and groups.
- Climate: Eastern England typically sees cooler, drier winters and mild summers — standard for the region, with occasional frost and snow.
Things to weigh up
- Modest care-home choice: The local provision of care homes is limited compared to larger retirement destinations; you may need to travel a short distance to find the right fit for your needs and preferences.
- Below-average retirement population: At 17.5%, the over-65 share is slightly lower than the national average, so you may find fewer age-peer communities and social groups tailored specifically to retired residents than in established retirement areas.
Questions about care homes in Harpenden
How many care homes are there in Harpenden?
There are 5 care homes listed in and around Harpenden on AskBart. You can filter them by care type, CQC rating and facilities to find the right fit.
How much does a care home in Harpenden cost?
Care homes in Harpenden range from around £1,266 per week, with averages of £1,266 for residential, £1,266 for dementia care. Fees vary by home, care type and the level of support required.
How do care home fees in Harpenden compare to the national average?
The average residential care fee around Harpenden is about £1,266 per week — below the UK average of £1,716. Individual fees depend on the home, room and level of care.
Which care homes in Harpenden are rated Outstanding or Good by the CQC?
2 of the 5 care homes in and around Harpenden are rated Good or Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. Ratings are published by the CQC following regular inspections.
What types of care are available in Harpenden?
Homes in and around Harpenden offer dementia (2), residential (2), respite (2). Availability varies by home — use the filters above to find homes offering the specific care type you need.
Weighing up your options in Harpenden?
Care needs change over time. Compare the other kinds of later-life care in Harpenden:
Near Harpenden
- Care homes in Redbourn 4
- Care homes in Luton 19
- Care homes in Hemel Hempstead 12
- Care homes in Welwyn Garden City 11
- Care homes in Welwyn 7
- Care homes in Hatfield 12
Paying for care? See how care is funded and check what the council may pay.
Guides for families
- How to Choose a Care Home: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
- Residential vs Nursing Home: What’s the Difference? (2026)
- Care Home Contracts: What to Check Before You Sign
More in our choosing a care home guides.