GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Bedford vs Peterborough: which is the better place to live?
Is Bedford or Peterborough a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Bedford and Peterborough across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Peterborough wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 78.9/100 versus 71.8/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Bedford | Peterborough | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 71.8/100 | 78.9/100 | Peterborough |
| Better value | 56.2 | 65.2 | Peterborough |
| For families | 94.1 | 89.3 | Bedford |
| For commuters | 46.5 | 77.3 | Peterborough |
| For healthcare access | 72.2 | 72.2 | Level |
| Avg house price | £330,716 | £236,378 | Peterborough (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,472 | £2,293 | Peterborough (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92.3% | 85% | Bedford |
| Crime per 1,000 | 69.4 | 74.1 | Bedford (safer) |
| Gigabit broadband | 81.1% | 92% | Peterborough |
| Gera GP Access score | 72.2 | 72.2 | Level |
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Peterborough wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 78.9/100 vs 71.8/100.
| Verdict | Bedford | Peterborough | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 71.8 | 78.9 | Peterborough (+7.1) |
| Better value | 56.2 | 65.2 | Peterborough (+9) |
| For families | 94.1 | 89.3 | Bedford (+4.8) |
| For commuters | 46.5 | 77.3 | Peterborough (+30.8) |
| For healthcare access | 72.2 | 72.2 | Level |
| Measure | Bedford | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £330,716 | £236,378 |
| Band D council tax | £2,472 | £2,293 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92.3% | 85% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 69.4 | 74.1 |
| Gigabit broadband | 81.1% | 92% |
| Gera GP Access score | 72.2 | 72.2 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bedford or Peterborough a better place to live overall?
- Peterborough scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 78.9/100 versus 71.8/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 7.1 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Bedford or Peterborough?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Peterborough is better value. Average house prices are £330,716 in Bedford and £236,378 in Peterborough; Band D council tax is £2,472 versus £2,293 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Bedford or Peterborough better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Bedford comes out ahead for families. Bedford has 92.3% of schools rated Good or Outstanding and a crime rate of 69.4 per 1,000; Peterborough has 85% and 74.1 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Bedford or Peterborough?
- For connectivity, Bedford has 81.1% gigabit-capable premises and Peterborough has 92% (Ofcom, June 2026). Peterborough leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Bedford or Peterborough?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Bedford scores 72.2 (Central East ICB) and Peterborough scores 72.2 (Central East ICB). The two are level for GP access (NHS England, June 2026).
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Contains public sector information published by GeraRent and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Gera Liveability Index — joined UK government open data (June 2026, published 2026-06-19).