Before you decide where you want to live, you must take some things in consideration. The farther you live from base, the more house you will get for your money. This is true until you get to places like Cambridge and other big cities because people who commute from London live in these areas. Renting homes to USAF personnel is a huge business and therefore they try to maximize their profits by keeping the rents high around the bases.
Another consideration is the commute. Some people think they would like to live the maximum limit from base but don’t take into consideration that is time away from your family that you are missing. For instance, let’s say that you want to live in Cambridge. It is a 45 minute drive from base on a good day with no traffic. Round trip, it is an hour and a half. I know that to us Americans, commuting is often not an issue but it is not the same in the UK. I once had a job here that according to Google Maps took 15 minutes but there were often days it took me 1 hour 15 minutes due to traffic. Some people want to live near certain areas so that they can visit often but I would suggest that you put living closer to work as a higher priority because that is a trip you will do at least 5 times a week versus some place you might visit once a month or compromise and live in the middle. Please look at the map below for locations where people live and the driving times from both bases. Please note that these are estimated times and based on the most favorable conditions. Also everything is very accessible and all the towns and villages have a lot to offer. Places look very different on the internet compared to real life. Often people do not take these things into consideration and then find themselves moving closer to base.
If you have older children, you may want to live closer to base because it is likely that they will be involved in after school programs and sports so you will not want to be driving back and forth to base. Another thing to consider is the bus ride for your children to base. The time spent on a bus can add to an already lengthy day and can cut into homework time. This is not such a huge factor if you are enrolling them in a local school which may even be within walking distance.
If you think you are going to be a keen traveller, I would suggest that perhaps finding a place that has a rail station or there is a coach that can get you around. I know that Americans prefer to drive everywhere because the cost of travel is hidden (wear and tear, road tax, parking, gasoline and insurance) versus paying for a train ticket. But travelling by train or coach is less stressful, you can do other things on your way and you are helping to save the environment. There are ways to save money on your travel which I cover on this website and my blog. Also in England and the rest of Europe, people from all classes use public transportation.
The other thing I would like to address is the limitation of the knowledge that other military members will have about the local area. I have conducted a lot of research and visited the local area which is something that many people do not do and have lived here for over 9 years. There is a lot of hearsay going around. Take the advice about locations from other people stationed at the bases with a grain of salt. Many people, who are stationed here, are only here for a limited time, 2-4 years like everyone else, so they should only tell you things about where they live or have lived rather than talking about the rumors they have heard about certain areas. There are a lot of people who live in Brandon and Thetford who love it but it is the people who have never lived there who spread the rumors that you should not move there. I will address crime in the UK, which is relatively low when compared to the States, so you can be sure to find a safe home.
Cities, towns, villages, oh my!
First off, the terminology between city, town and village are different than in the United States.
Cities are given this status by the Queen and have nothing to do with the size of it. For instance, Cambridge only became a city in 1951 which has 123,867 people in 2011 but Ely has been well before that (so long they don't know when it was labelled this way) with 20,240 in 2010. Many cities have Cathedrals but Bury St Edmunds has a cathedral but is not a city but might feel like one. I just want to make this clear so you don't misspeak but for the purposes of these descriptions, I will use the American definition of city.
Towns are larger than villages but smaller than what we would consider a city.
Villages are really small and the amenities that you may find in them may vary greatly from having no shops or pubs at all to like my village where we have 5 churches, 3 grocery stores, 2 banks and so much more.
Attleborough (Norfolk)
Attleborough is half way between the Tribase area and Norwich. I would not suggest anyone living further Northeast from the bases than Attleborugh even with the new A11.
It dates back to at least 1065 as it was in the Domesday book but may have even been an Anglo-Saxon settlement. It had 9,700 people in 2001. This town has largely changed during its time especially in the 1960s when people from London were relocated here to relieve the stresses on housing.
Places of worship: Anglican, Baptist and Community Church
It is pretty self contained with amenities for day to day living and for shopping trips, it is close to Norwich. It has:
The village has about 3,000 people. It is so close to RAF Mildenhall that you can walk to base from here. There are also a few old base housing so you can get dual voltage houses.
Beck Row is not on the gas grid so homes in this area have oil.
Places of worship: Methodist
Beck Row is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 22 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 11 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 3 minutes
Pictures can be found here.
Brandon (Suffolk)
Brandon is an old town with historically thriving local industries. Brandon has the oldest flint mines in the world dating back to Neolithic times. It was hit by German bombers in WWII and people were evacuated from London to Brandon during the war.
Brandon is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Places of worship: Anglican, Baptist, Bible-based, Catholic and Methodist
The last Saxon king of East Anglia was decapitated in 870 and the abbey was built in 1046 by King Canute in his honor. It was the wealthiest in England until the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Currently it is a town but is larger than Newmarket, Thetford and Ely.
The closer you live in town, the less space you are likely to have but there are some surrounding developments which still allow for walking into the town centre. Most of the houses here will be on the gas grid.
Not ideal if your spouse is looking to work in Cambridge as the flow of traffic makes for a long commute (one of the worst in Britain).
Bury St Edmunds is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools. It is a very long bus ride from here.
Places of worship: Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Mormon, United Reformed Church, Free Church
Amenities: This place really has all you need if you prefer not to go to the base.
Cambridge has been important since the Roman times. It also became important with the 11th century religious orders who established the town, followed by the 12th century scholars from Oxford. The two main markets that drive this city are the universities and the industries that revolve around them.
You will find rents higher here not only because of the university and industries, but because it is also a commuter city for people working in London. Because of this, the OHA amounts that you have will not go as far as other places. As the landlords are not struggling for renters so the houses are not always presented as well as ones found in other locations. This is because the market is for working professionals, academics and students.
Traffic is often bad in the city centre in the mornings and around the rail station. Houses here are on the gas grid.
If you are wanting to live here, keep to the outskirts of the city (it is a very walkable and cycleable city- I do it!). Areas like Chesterton will enable to get to work easily as you will be going opposite of the traffic. I highly suggest you stay away from Newmarket Road- it always has traffic. Hopefully with the new train station, this will be reduced but that is not due until 2018. Even living in the villages on the outskirts are nice, as they do have links via public transportation or you can cycle like everyone else does.
Places of worship: Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Methodist, Mormon, Quaker, Community Churches, United Reformed Church, Spiritualist, Unitarian, Presbyterian, Seventh-Day Adventist, Free church, Jehovah's Witness, Lutheran, Evangelical, Orthodox, Christian Science, Muslim, Sikh
Amenities: this place really has all you need if you prefer not to go to the base.
Denver is a small village outside of Downham Market. It has a post office, school, pub and village hall (my penpal from elementary school had her wedding here). Denver only has a population of 847 in 2001. It also has a fully restored 19th century windmill.
Places of worship: Anglican.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: RAF Lakenheath: 35 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 32 minutes
I would not suggest anyone live further North-West than Downham Market from the Tri-Base area. It is a very self-contained town and has easy access to Ely or Kings Lynn for clothes shopping. People like to live here because they can get bigger houses for their OHA because the housing market is not dependant on the military so caters to the locals. There are a good amount of American style housing available here.
Downham Market has around 10,000 people living here. In the Middle Ages, the butter market in Downham Market made it famous. Charles I hid here during the Battle of Naseby.
Downham Market is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary. Very long bus rides for children to Downham Market.
This city was built on a chalk hill. The last Anglo-Saxon resistance under Herewood the Wake. It is a small city but hosts a beautiful cathedral. It has a weekly market and various other shops. It is also a commuter city for people working in London. The centre of town is within walking distance from most places.
There is some base housing here which allow you to live away from the bases and have American style living to include dual outlet.
Ely is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Places of worship: Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Free Church
Amenities: This place really has all you need if you prefer not to go to the base.
Exning is a small village north of Newmarket. This village is very active and usually hosts a Bonfire Night Fireworks display.
Places of worship: Anglican, Methodist
Exning benefits from a pub, cornershop, school, takeaways and post office.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 33 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 18 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 21 minutes
Feltwell (Norfolk)
Feltwell's foundations date back to the 11th century although the area had been used for its flint in prehistoric times. Milling became a popular industry in Feltwell in the 13th century. This quiet village has a lot going on. Some tied with the church but there are also quilting group, craft group, history group and more. It is located right outside of RAF Feltwell.
Feltwell is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Places of worship: Anglican, Methodist
Feltwell benefits from:
2 hair salons
day spa
coffee shop
convenience stores
florist
village school
nursery
garage
2 pubs
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 2 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 15 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 23 minutes
The area Fordham has been occupied by people since the Bronze and Iron Age. During the Middle Ages, some priories were located here and dissolved after Henry VII.
Fordham is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Freckenham has been inhabited since neolithic times. Ninety Iron Age coins dating back to AD 20 were discovered and many can be seen in the British Museum.
Freckenham is a very small village and children go to school in the neighboring village schools.
The closest places for amenities would be Mildenhall.
Freckenham is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Places of worship: Anglican
Freckenham benefits from the Golden Boar pub, village hall and a farmer shop.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 29 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 13 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 13 minutes
Hockwold is a very small village between Feltwell and Lakenheath. An Important discovery in 1962 of Roman hoard of silverware and coins were made and now held in the British Museum.
Hockwold is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Places of worship: Anglican, Methodist
Hockwold benefits from 2 pubs, social club, preschool, corner shop, hairdresser and village school.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 6 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 11 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 19 minutes
Holywell Row (Suffolk)
Holywell Row is a very small village near RAF Mildenhall.
Holywell Row is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Places of worship: Methodist
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 20 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 8 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 6 minutes
Isleham (Cambridgeshire)
Isleham is a very small village between Fordham and Freckenham.
Isleham is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Places of worship: Isleham High St Church (Bible-based) Free Church, Anglican
Isleham benefits from a few pubs, co-op grocer, butcher, farm shop, takeaway and community centre.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 33 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 18 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 16 minutes
Littleport is a large village in East Cambridge. The Littleport Riot took place in 1816. This was in response to the raising of taxes to cover the cost of the Napolenic Wars. These riots were more widespread in this area. It led to the creation of the world's first modern police, the Metropolitan Police, in 1829.
The founder of Harley Davidson's father, William Harley, was born in Littleport.
Littleport is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Places to worship: Anglican, Methodist
Littleport benefits from railstation, huge co-op grocer, leisure centre, takeaways, pubs, 2 primary schools, little shops but can go to Ely for clothes but suitable for day-to-day needs.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 21 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 27 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 18 minutes
Methwold is a very small village near Feltwell with 1,476 people in the 2011 census. The local population is involved or revolves around agriculture and some light industry. It was a Roman settlement and later replaced by the Anglo-Saxons. In the 16th Century, it was known for its warren where rabbits were hunted.
Methwold is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Places of worship: Methodist, Anglican
Methwold has a post office, spa, hairdresser, grocers, butcher, pub and takeaway.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 14 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 29 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 37 minutes
Mildenhall is a market town with 9,906 people. It has a 16th century market cross and town pump where the weekly market is held. In 1942, a hoard of Roman silver objects known as the "Mildenhall Treasure" was discoverd. This is now held in the British Museum but a replica is held in the Mildenhall Museum.
Mildenhall is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
This busy wealthy town has been the headquarters of British racing since James I which really began to develop under Charles II. The racing as you see it here began the 18th century. This town still revolves around the horse racing industry from seeing horses out in the mornings to the huge events and races held at the local racecourse.
I used to live here while I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall as it was a quick drive to base.
Newmarket is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Places of worship: Anglican, Catholic, Community, Methodist
This town has a few bits but for larger shopping centres you will need to head to Bury St Edmunds or Cambridge, but for day to day needs, it has a lot to offer.
Red Lodge is a housing development dating back to 1926. Previously it is thought to have been a former hunting lodge dating back to the 17th century. Americans like the houses because they are newer.
Red Lodge provides very easy access to RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath but also only a short drive to Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds.
Red Lodge is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Places of worship: Anglican, Methodist, Ecumenical
Red Lodge has a convenience shop, sports pavilion with tennis courts, primary school, fish and chips, pub, pharmacy, kebab shop, restuarant, post office, playgrounds and community centre.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 26 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 10 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 15 minutes
Soham has always been a location inhabited dating back to the Bronze Age and is in the Domesday book. It is a town with 10,860 in 2001.
On 2 June 1944, the town escaped certain tragedy when a WW2 train carrying heavy ammunition through town caught on fire. Four people risked their lives to unhitch the remaining carriages to pick up the speed of the train. It exploded just as it got out of the town. Two of the four died and there is a memorial in the town to them and their courageous act.
Soham is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath Elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Places of worship: Anglican, Baptist, Methodist
Soham benefits from the following amenities:
corner shops
takeaways
pubs
banks
3 primary schools
village college
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 35 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 25 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 25 minutes
Southery is very small village located between Littleport and Downham Market. Most of the people living here are involved in the arable farming community. It provides easy acces to Feltwell and Lakenheath.
Southery is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Places of worship: Methodist
Southery has two convenience shops, pubs, village school, playing fields and village hall.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 10 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 25 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 25 minutes
Thetford is where Thomas Paine, also known as "The Father of the American Revolution", was born and raised. Anglo-Saxons monarchs of East Anglia called Thetford home at one point as well. In the 1960s, to ease the pressures of housing in London, the government relocated people here. It also has easy access to the bases now with the improvement of the A11.
Thetford is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Places of worship: Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, United Reformed Church, Mormon
This town has a few bits but for larger shopping centres you will need to head to Bury St Edmunds or Cambridge, but for day to day needs, it has a lot to offer.
Weeting has one of the 124 round tower churches in Norfolk. In the 1920-30s, the Ministry of Labour had a workcamp to train the unemployed, mostly war veterans, in agriculture techniques to help them gain employment. During WW2, Weeting Hall was used to house injured Indian and Ghurka soldiers but was demolished in 1954. It also has one of the longest continuous rows of thatched houses.
Places of worship: Anglican
Weeting is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Feltwell Elementary.
Weeting benefits from pub, coronership, and school.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 10 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 15 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 25 minutes
West Row (Suffolk)
West Row is 2 miles away from Mildenhall. The infamous Mildenhall Treasure, Roman silver tableware from AD 4, was found in West Row. It is now kept in the British Museum and a replica can be seen in the Mildenhall Museum.
West Row is not on the gas grid so homes in this area have oil.
West Row is on the DoD Bus route map and in the catchment for Lakenheath elementary and Liberty Intermediate schools.
Places of worship: Baptisit, Anglican
West Row benefits from a primary school, village shop, play park, village pub, fish and chip shop, general store and a village hall.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 28 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 13 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 8 minutes
Wicken is a very small village near Soham. It borders the River Cam. Like many other villages in the area, it has been inhabited since the Bronze Age and in the Domesday Book.
Wicken is not on the gas grid so homes in this area have oil.
Places of worship: Anglican, Methodist
Wicken has a pub, some playing fields, Wicken Fen Nationa Nature Reserve.
Time to Base: RAF Feltwell: 41 minutes RAF Lakenheath: 26 minutes RAF Mildenhall: 26 minutes