What it's like to live in Paignton

Housing in Torbay leans heavily private. Just 8.3% of homes are socially rented, well under the England figure of 17.1%, and almost all of that is housing association rather than council stock. Owner occupation sits at 64.1% and private renting is high at 26.6%, reflecting the seaside and holiday economy.

The biggest social landlords in the area are Sanctuary Housing Association with around 2,672 homes, Westward Housing Group with 1,578, LiveWest with 491, Sovereign Network Group with 398 and Aster Communities with 140. Average weekly social rents for 2024/25 are about £91 for a one bed, £106 for two beds and £119 for three. Torbay's housing register held 1,819 households at the end of March 2025, with 307 social homes let through the council in 2024-25 — a reminder that a mutual exchange can be a realistic route when direct lets are limited.

The population skews older than England as a whole: 26.7% are 65 or over and 15.9% under 16, so expect a quieter, more settled feel in many streets.

Families have plenty of choice close by. Curledge Street Academy is about two hundred metres away, with Sacred Heart Catholic School and St Michael's Church of England Academy both within a third of a mile, and Oldway Primary School and Preston Bridge School Harbourside a little further. That means several primaries are realistically walkable from the centre.

For secondary, Preston Bridge School is very close, Brunel School is around half a mile, and Paignton Academy is under a mile with its Borough Road Centre a little beyond. Cambian Devon School is also within a mile and a half. As always, check current places and admissions with Torbay Council before planning a swap around a particular school.

Outside school, children are well catered for. Victoria Park, Torbay Park and the three sections of Paignton Green give space for running about, and the beach is a free day out for most of the year. The library is a short walk from the centre, and community centres including Centre Peace, Foxhole Community Association, Great Parks Community Centre and YMCA South Devon run activity for local families.

Paignton is well served for a town of its size. Paignton station is around a quarter of a mile from the centre, with Paignton Queens Park alongside it and Goodrington Sands less than a mile south. Torquay and Torre stations are both within three miles, so you have options along the bay.

Paignton Bus Station sits right in the town centre, about a hundred metres from the main shops, which makes bus travel genuinely practical rather than an afterthought. Foxhole Hub is less than a mile away and Torquay Coach Station is within three miles for longer-distance journeys.

By road, the A380 links the bay towards Newton Abbot and Exeter. Driving is straightforward outside the summer months; in peak holiday season the roads in and out of Torbay and the seafront parking get busy, which is simply part of life here.

On foot, the central part of town is flat and compact, with the station, bus station, supermarkets, pharmacies and library all within a short walk. Away from the centre the land rises, so some journeys involve hills.

The seafront does a lot of the work. Paignton Green, split into north, central and south stretches, gives you open grass between the town and the sand, and Goodrington Sands is a short train ride or walk down the coast. Victoria Park and Torbay Park add green space closer in.

Indoors, Vue Torbay cinema is under half a mile from the centre, and there are two gyms within easy reach: Third Space Fitness nearby and The Gym about a mile and a half out. Paignton Library and Information Centre is a useful free space, with Churston Library and Torquay Central Library also within three miles.

For eating and drinking, the centre is dense with pubs and bars. Cork and Bottle, the Isaac Merritt, The Coach House, Paignton Constitutional Club and The Lions Monocle are all within a few minutes' walk of each other. For bigger shopping trips, Union Square Shopping Centre in Torquay is under three miles away. It is a town that offers a lot without needing a car.

Across the Torbay council area, 50.4% of adults are in work, below the England figure of 57.4%. Unemployment is recorded at 2.9%, lower than the England average of 3.5%, and 3.3% of 16 to 64 year olds were claiming unemployment-related benefits in September 2026, against 4% nationally. The gap is largely explained by the age profile: more than a quarter of residents are 65 or over.

In practice, that means a local jobs market shaped by tourism, hospitality, retail, care and health services, with seasonal swings over the summer. If your work is seasonal or part-time, you will find company here; if you need year-round specialist work, be realistic about looking further afield.

Torquay is two miles away and reachable by train or bus, which widens the options without a car. The main rail line and the A380 also put Newton Abbot and Exeter within commuting distance for those who can travel further. Mount Stuart Hospital is within three miles and is one of the larger employers nearby.