GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Newcastle upon Tyne vs Sunderland: which is the better place to live?
Is Newcastle upon Tyne or Sunderland a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Sunderland wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 78.8/100 versus 77.9/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Newcastle upon Tyne | Sunderland | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 77.9/100 | 78.8/100 | Sunderland |
| Better value | 60.9 | 72.2 | Sunderland |
| For families | 91.8 | 94.5 | Sunderland |
| For commuters | 72.2 | 59.7 | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| For healthcare access | 75 | 75 | Level |
| Avg house price | £209,071 | £145,293 | Sunderland (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,542 | £2,197 | Sunderland (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 91.2% | 95.7% | Sunderland |
| Crime per 1,000 | 90.6 | 90.6 | Level |
| Gigabit broadband | 92.4% | 91.9% | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Gera GP Access score | 75 | 75 | Level |
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Sunderland wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 78.8/100 vs 77.9/100.
| Verdict | Newcastle upon Tyne | Sunderland | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 77.9 | 78.8 | Sunderland (+0.9) |
| Better value | 60.9 | 72.2 | Sunderland (+11.3) |
| For families | 91.8 | 94.5 | Sunderland (+2.7) |
| For commuters | 72.2 | 59.7 | Newcastle upon Tyne (+12.5) |
| For healthcare access | 75 | 75 | Level |
| Measure | Newcastle upon Tyne | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £209,071 | £145,293 |
| Band D council tax | £2,542 | £2,197 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 91.2% | 95.7% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 90.6 | 90.6 |
| Gigabit broadband | 92.4% | 91.9% |
| Gera GP Access score | 75 | 75 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Newcastle upon Tyne or Sunderland a better place to live overall?
- Sunderland scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 78.8/100 versus 77.9/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 0.9 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Newcastle upon Tyne or Sunderland?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Sunderland is better value. Average house prices are £209,071 in Newcastle upon Tyne and £145,293 in Sunderland; Band D council tax is £2,542 versus £2,197 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Newcastle upon Tyne or Sunderland better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Sunderland comes out ahead for families. Newcastle upon Tyne has 91.2% of schools rated Good or Outstanding and a crime rate of 90.6 per 1,000; Sunderland has 95.7% and 90.6 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Newcastle upon Tyne or Sunderland?
- For connectivity, Newcastle upon Tyne has 92.4% gigabit-capable premises and Sunderland has 91.9% (Ofcom, June 2026). Newcastle upon Tyne leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Newcastle upon Tyne or Sunderland?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Newcastle upon Tyne scores 75 (North East and North Cumbria ICB) and Sunderland 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).