GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Leicester vs Reading: which is the better place to live?
Is Leicester or Reading a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Leicester and Reading across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Leicester wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 79.8/100 versus 78/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Leicester | Reading | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 79.8/100 | 78/100 | Leicester |
| Better value | 59.9 | 52.2 | Leicester |
| For families | 88.7 | 94.5 | Reading |
| For commuters | 81.1 | 80.1 | Leicester |
| For healthcare access | 82.6 | 70 | Leicester |
| Avg house price | £234,631 | £345,112 | Leicester (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,529 | £2,613 | Leicester (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 84.3% | 92.3% | Reading |
| Crime per 1,000 | 77.4 | 64.1 | Reading (safer) |
| Gigabit broadband | 97.5% | 96.2% | Leicester |
| Gera GP Access score | 82.6 | 70 | Leicester |
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Leicester wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 79.8/100 vs 78/100.
| Verdict | Leicester | Reading | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 79.8 | 78 | Leicester (+1.8) |
| Better value | 59.9 | 52.2 | Leicester (+7.7) |
| For families | 88.7 | 94.5 | Reading (+5.8) |
| For commuters | 81.1 | 80.1 | Leicester (+1) |
| For healthcare access | 82.6 | 70 | Leicester (+12.6) |
| Measure | Leicester | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £234,631 | £345,112 |
| Band D council tax | £2,529 | £2,613 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 84.3% | 92.3% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 77.4 | 64.1 |
| Gigabit broadband | 97.5% | 96.2% |
| Gera GP Access score | 82.6 | 70 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Leicester or Reading a better place to live overall?
- Leicester scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 79.8/100 versus 78/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 1.8 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Leicester or Reading?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Leicester is better value. Average house prices are £234,631 in Leicester and £345,112 in Reading; Band D council tax is £2,529 versus £2,613 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Leicester or Reading better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Reading comes out ahead for families. Leicester has 84.3% of schools rated Good or Outstanding and a crime rate of 77.4 per 1,000; Reading has 92.3% and 64.1 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Leicester or Reading?
- For connectivity, Leicester has 97.5% gigabit-capable premises and Reading has 96.2% (Ofcom, June 2026). Leicester leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Leicester or Reading?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Leicester scores 82.6 (Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB) and Reading scores 70 (West and North London 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).