GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Derby vs West Northamptonshire: which is the better place to live?
Is Derby or West Northamptonshire a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Derby and West Northamptonshire across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Derby wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 77.6/100 versus 75.6/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Derby | West Northamptonshire | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 77.6/100 | 75.6/100 | Derby |
| Better value | 66.6 | 57.8 | Derby |
| For families | 89.9 | 94.1 | West Northamptonshire |
| For commuters | 78.9 | 77.4 | Derby |
| For healthcare access | 58 | 50.9 | Derby |
| Avg house price | £205,065 | £293,021 | Derby (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,306 | £2,487 | Derby (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 86.3% | 92.6% | West Northamptonshire |
| Crime per 1,000 | 77.3 | 71.5 | West Northamptonshire (safer) |
| Gigabit broadband | 97% | 93.8% | Derby |
| Gera GP Access score | 58 | 50.9 | Derby |
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Derby wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 77.6/100 vs 75.6/100.
| Verdict | Derby | West Northamptonshire | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 77.6 | 75.6 | Derby (+2) |
| Better value | 66.6 | 57.8 | Derby (+8.8) |
| For families | 89.9 | 94.1 | West Northamptonshire (+4.2) |
| For commuters | 78.9 | 77.4 | Derby (+1.5) |
| For healthcare access | 58 | 50.9 | Derby (+7.1) |
| Measure | Derby | West Northamptonshire |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £205,065 | £293,021 |
| Band D council tax | £2,306 | £2,487 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 86.3% | 92.6% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 77.3 | 71.5 |
| Gigabit broadband | 97% | 93.8% |
| Gera GP Access score | 58 | 50.9 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Derby or West Northamptonshire a better place to live overall?
- Derby scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 77.6/100 versus 75.6/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 2 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Derby or West Northamptonshire?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Derby is better value. Average house prices are £205,065 in Derby and £293,021 in West Northamptonshire; Band D council tax is £2,306 versus £2,487 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Derby or West Northamptonshire better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), West Northamptonshire 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; West Northamptonshire has 92.6% and 71.5 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Derby or West Northamptonshire?
- For connectivity, Derby has 97% gigabit-capable premises and West Northamptonshire has 93.8% (Ofcom, June 2026). Derby leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Derby or West Northamptonshire?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Derby scores 58 (Derby and Derbyshire ICB) and West Northamptonshire scores 50.9 (Northamptonshire ICB). Derby 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).