GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Middlesbrough vs Stockton-on-Tees: which is the better place to live?
Is Middlesbrough or Stockton-on-Tees a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Stockton-on-Tees wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 74/100 versus 73.8/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Middlesbrough | Stockton-on-Tees | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 73.8/100 | 74/100 | Stockton-on-Tees |
| Better value | 64.5 | 61.9 | Middlesbrough |
| For families | 92.4 | 90.9 | Middlesbrough |
| For commuters | 50.4 | 56.2 | Stockton-on-Tees |
| For healthcare access | 75 | 75 | Level |
| Avg house price | £139,005 | £169,540 | Middlesbrough (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,549 | £2,590 | Middlesbrough (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 95.8% | 93.3% | Middlesbrough |
| Crime per 1,000 | 119 | 119 | Level |
| Gigabit broadband | 96.4% | 94.5% | Middlesbrough |
| Gera GP Access score | 75 | 75 | Level |
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Stockton-on-Tees wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 74/100 vs 73.8/100.
| Verdict | Middlesbrough | Stockton-on-Tees | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 73.8 | 74 | Stockton-on-Tees (+0.2) |
| Better value | 64.5 | 61.9 | Middlesbrough (+2.6) |
| For families | 92.4 | 90.9 | Middlesbrough (+1.5) |
| For commuters | 50.4 | 56.2 | Stockton-on-Tees (+5.8) |
| For healthcare access | 75 | 75 | Level |
| Measure | Middlesbrough | Stockton-on-Tees |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £139,005 | £169,540 |
| Band D council tax | £2,549 | £2,590 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 95.8% | 93.3% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 119 | 119 |
| Gigabit broadband | 96.4% | 94.5% |
| Gera GP Access score | 75 | 75 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Middlesbrough or Stockton-on-Tees a better place to live overall?
- Stockton-on-Tees scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 74/100 versus 73.8/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 0.2 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Middlesbrough or Stockton-on-Tees?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Middlesbrough is better value. Average house prices are £139,005 in Middlesbrough and £169,540 in Stockton-on-Tees; Band D council tax is £2,549 versus £2,590 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Middlesbrough or Stockton-on-Tees better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Middlesbrough comes out ahead for families. Middlesbrough has 95.8% of schools rated Good or Outstanding and a crime rate of 119 per 1,000; Stockton-on-Tees has 93.3% and 119 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Middlesbrough or Stockton-on-Tees?
- For connectivity, Middlesbrough has 96.4% gigabit-capable premises and Stockton-on-Tees has 94.5% (Ofcom, June 2026). Stockton-on-Tees leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Middlesbrough or Stockton-on-Tees?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Middlesbrough scores 75 (North East and North Cumbria ICB) and Stockton-on-Tees scores 75 (North East and North Cumbria 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).