GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Derby vs Leicester: which is the better place to live?
Is Derby or Leicester a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Derby and Leicester across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Leicester wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 79.8/100 versus 77.6/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Derby | Leicester | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 77.6/100 | 79.8/100 | Leicester |
| Better value | 66.6 | 59.9 | Derby |
| For families | 89.9 | 88.7 | Derby |
| For commuters | 78.9 | 81.1 | Leicester |
| For healthcare access | 58 | 82.6 | Leicester |
| Avg house price | £205,065 | £234,631 | Derby (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,306 | £2,529 | Derby (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 86.3% | 84.3% | Derby |
| Crime per 1,000 | 77.3 | 77.4 | Derby (safer) |
| Gigabit broadband | 97% | 97.5% | Leicester |
| Gera GP Access score | 58 | 82.6 | Leicester |
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Leicester wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 79.8/100 vs 77.6/100.
| Verdict | Derby | Leicester | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 77.6 | 79.8 | Leicester (+2.2) |
| Better value | 66.6 | 59.9 | Derby (+6.7) |
| For families | 89.9 | 88.7 | Derby (+1.2) |
| For commuters | 78.9 | 81.1 | Leicester (+2.2) |
| For healthcare access | 58 | 82.6 | Leicester (+24.6) |
| Measure | Derby | Leicester |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £205,065 | £234,631 |
| Band D council tax | £2,306 | £2,529 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 86.3% | 84.3% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 77.3 | 77.4 |
| Gigabit broadband | 97% | 97.5% |
| Gera GP Access score | 58 | 82.6 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Derby or Leicester a better place to live overall?
- Leicester scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 79.8/100 versus 77.6/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 2.2 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Derby or Leicester?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Derby is better value. Average house prices are £205,065 in Derby and £234,631 in Leicester; Band D council tax is £2,306 versus £2,529 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Derby or Leicester better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Derby comes out ahead for families. Derby has 86.3% of schools rated Good or Outstanding and a crime rate of 77.3 per 1,000; Leicester has 84.3% and 77.4 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Derby or Leicester?
- For connectivity, Derby has 97% gigabit-capable premises and Leicester has 97.5% (Ofcom, June 2026). Leicester leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Derby or Leicester?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Derby scores 58 (Derby and Derbyshire ICB) and Leicester scores 82.6 (Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB). Leicester has the better 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).