What it's like to live in March

Fenland is a district of owner-occupiers. Across the council area, 66.8% of homes are owned outright or with a mortgage, 20% are privately rented and only 12.7% are social rented, below the England figure of 17.1%. Of that social housing, most is housing association stock at 10%, with council homes just 2.7%.

Clarion Housing Association is by far the biggest social landlord locally with around 3,985 homes, followed by Accent Housing with 510, Amplius Living with 454, Sanctuary Housing with 252 and The Cambridge Housing Society with 205. Weekly social rents across Fenland averaged £97 for a one bed, £109 for a two bed and £120 for a three bed in 2024/25.

The age profile tilts older than England: 22.8% of Fenland residents are 65 or over against 18.4% nationally, with slightly fewer young adults and children. At 31 March 2025 there were 1,756 households on the council's housing register and 362 social homes let that year, which is part of why mutual exchange is a realistic route in.

For a town of this size, March is well served for schools. Burrowmoor Primary Academy is a few minutes from the town centre, with Cavalry Primary School and Westwood Primary School, including its Oak and Maple sites, all within about three quarters of a mile. That usually means a walk to the school gate rather than a drive.

Neale-Wade Academy is the town's secondary school, under a mile from the centre, so children generally move up without leaving March. Having one main secondary has its upsides: friendship groups carry on and the school is a familiar part of town life.

For the rest of family life, West End Park is the closest green space to the middle of town, with All Saints Park and Peas Hill nearby and Fenland Country Park and Event Centre a little further out for bigger days. George Campbell Leisure Centre is right in town for swimming and sport, and March Library is a short walk away. March Community Centre is worth checking for toddler and after-school groups.

March station is about a mile from the town centre, and it is the thing that sets March apart from a lot of fenland towns. It puts Peterborough, Ely and the wider rail network within reach without a car, which matters if you don't drive or only have one car in the household.

In town, walking works well. The centre, the library, the main supermarkets, West End Park and the GP practice are all within half a mile or so of the heart of March, so a lot of everyday errands can be done on foot. Pavements are flat, which is a small Fenland bonus if you use a pram or a wheelchair.

By car, March sits on the road network linking the Fenland towns, and driving is how many people here get to work, out-of-town jobs and the bigger shops. Bus services connect the town with surrounding villages and neighbouring towns, though in a rural area like this timetables can be thinner in the evenings and on Sundays. If you'll depend on buses, check the specific routes you'd need before committing to a swap.

Most of what there is to do in March is close together. George Campbell Leisure Centre sits right by the town centre, with Snap Fitness and Alpine Health Club a mile or so out if you prefer a gym. March Library is a two-minute walk from the shops and does more than lend books.

The town has a decent cluster of pubs within a few minutes of each other: the Red Lion, The Acre, Ye Olde Griffin Hotel, Three Lions Sports Bar and Restaurant and The Ship Inn. That gives you somewhere for a Sunday lunch, a match on the telly or a quiet pint without needing to travel.

Outdoors is the real pull. West End Park is the everyday one, All Saints Park and Peas Hill give you more options, and Fenland Country Park and Event Centre on the edge of town is the place for longer walks and events. The Fenland Crematorium and Gardens of Remembrance also provides quiet green ground. Beyond that, the flat lanes and riverbanks suit cycling.

Across the Fenland council area, 55.5% of adults are in work, a little below the England figure of 57.4%. Unemployment sits at 2.7%, lower than the 3.5% England average, and unemployment-related benefit claims were 3.8% of working-age people in September 2026 against 4% nationally. So work is there, but the area leans towards lower-paid sectors.

This is farming country, and agriculture, food processing, logistics and warehousing shape a lot of the jobs around March, along with retail, care and schools in the town itself. Shift work is common, which is worth thinking about alongside bus timetables.

Plenty of people here commute. The station makes Peterborough, Ely and Cambridge reachable by train, and others drive to jobs in the surrounding towns. If your work or your partner's work is in one of those bigger centres, March can be a way of keeping a lower rent while staying connected. Just be realistic about the daily journey time before you swap.