With its railway station, good road links to the neighbouring towns and villages, and good range of housing to suit most generations, this village has become a convenient place to live. In comparison to other villages in the Tendring area, Kirby Cross is a more recent village but still retains a good mix of period cottages ranging to more modern housing on recently built developments. There is a village playing field which occupies a picturesque setting on the Northern outskirts of the village centre, on land donated specifically for recreational use, by a well known Frinton resident in 1927. Additional facilities within the village include a primary school, a selection of traditional and modern shops, a public house and small industrial estate.

The village of Kirby-le-Soken, located approx 6 ½ miles north east of Clacton-on-Sea was regularly used during the 19th Century by barges and skippers who docked at Kirby Quay. It was also believed that due to the village locality of being near the waters edge a thriving smuggling network was in place. The picturesque village has a historic medieval church within the centre as well as a variety of older and more modern housing, a general village stores and traditional public house. A network of country roads link up the surrounding villages/towns of Kirby Cross, Walton-on-Naze and Tendring.