GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Leicester vs West Northamptonshire: which is the better place to live?
Is Leicester or West Northamptonshire a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Leicester and West Northamptonshire across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Leicester wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 79.8/100 versus 75.6/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Leicester | West Northamptonshire | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 79.8/100 | 75.6/100 | Leicester |
| Better value | 59.9 | 57.8 | Leicester |
| For families | 88.7 | 94.1 | West Northamptonshire |
| For commuters | 81.1 | 77.4 | Leicester |
| For healthcare access | 82.6 | 50.9 | Leicester |
| Avg house price | £234,631 | £293,021 | Leicester (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,529 | £2,487 | West Northamptonshire (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 84.3% | 92.6% | West Northamptonshire |
| Crime per 1,000 | 77.4 | 71.5 | West Northamptonshire (safer) |
| Gigabit broadband | 97.5% | 93.8% | Leicester |
| Gera GP Access score | 82.6 | 50.9 | Leicester |
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Leicester wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 79.8/100 vs 75.6/100.
| Verdict | Leicester | West Northamptonshire | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 79.8 | 75.6 | Leicester (+4.2) |
| Better value | 59.9 | 57.8 | Leicester (+2.1) |
| For families | 88.7 | 94.1 | West Northamptonshire (+5.4) |
| For commuters | 81.1 | 77.4 | Leicester (+3.7) |
| For healthcare access | 82.6 | 50.9 | Leicester (+31.7) |
| Measure | Leicester | West Northamptonshire |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £234,631 | £293,021 |
| Band D council tax | £2,529 | £2,487 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 84.3% | 92.6% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 77.4 | 71.5 |
| Gigabit broadband | 97.5% | 93.8% |
| Gera GP Access score | 82.6 | 50.9 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Leicester or West Northamptonshire a better place to live overall?
- Leicester scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 79.8/100 versus 75.6/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 4.2 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Leicester or West Northamptonshire?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Leicester is better value. Average house prices are £234,631 in Leicester and £293,021 in West Northamptonshire; Band D council tax is £2,529 versus £2,487 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Leicester or West Northamptonshire better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), West Northamptonshire 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; West Northamptonshire has 92.6% and 71.5 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Leicester or West Northamptonshire?
- For connectivity, Leicester has 97.5% gigabit-capable premises and West Northamptonshire has 93.8% (Ofcom, June 2026). Leicester leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Leicester or West Northamptonshire?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Leicester scores 82.6 (Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB) and West Northamptonshire scores 50.9 (Northamptonshire 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).