Coordinates: 51°31′58″N 0°45′33″E / 51.53267°N 0.75909°EThorpe Bay is an area within the borough of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England located on the Thames Estuary. Thorpe Bay is situated within the Thorpe ward of Southend-on-Sea. It is around 4 miles to the east of Southend. Originally the area was called Thorpe, but it was renamed Thorpe Bay, after the railway station. The station had been given the name to indicate that it was a seaside settlement. The majority of Thorpe Bay consists of residential properties, mainly built in the 1920, arranged in a grid pattern.
Thorpe Bay can be defined as the area between Thorpe Hall Avenue to the west (beyond which is Southchurch), Thorpe Bay beach to the south, accessed by Thorpe Esplanade, Maplin Way to the east, (beyond which is Shoeburyness), up to Bournes Green Chase. The Post Office does not recognise Thorpe Bay as a postal area.
The main shopping area, named 'The Broadway' – after the road on which it lies – is a parade of retail shops and restaurants, as well as medical and professional practices.
Thorpe Bay railway station is the penultimate station on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line served by c2c from London Fenchurch Street (the last being Shoeburyness railway station). Consequently, a large number of London commuters choose to live in Thorpe Bay. Thorpe Bay enjoys good access by bus, provided by the Arriva transport company including the number 1, 4(a), 7, 8 and 9. In 1914, Southend-on-Sea Corporation Tramways' network was extended from Bournes Green to Thorpe Bay. The Tramway closed in 1942 after being superseded by the motorbus.