GeraRent · Area head-to-head
North Somerset vs Plymouth: which is the better place to live?
Is North Somerset or Plymouth a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing North Somerset and Plymouth across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Plymouth wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 69.3/100 versus 65.5/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | North Somerset | Plymouth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 65.5/100 | 69.3/100 | Plymouth |
| Better value | 56.6 | 62.9 | Plymouth |
| For families | 92.4 | 94.3 | Plymouth |
| For commuters | 57.2 | 60 | Plymouth |
| For healthcare access | 19.8 | 24.9 | Plymouth |
| Avg house price | £313,919 | £216,463 | Plymouth (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,491 | £2,442 | Plymouth (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92.9% | 92.2% | North Somerset |
| Crime per 1,000 | 95.8 | 66.1 | Plymouth (safer) |
| Gigabit broadband | 82.6% | 93.4% | Plymouth |
| Gera GP Access score | 19.8 | 24.9 | Plymouth |
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Plymouth wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 69.3/100 vs 65.5/100.
| Verdict | North Somerset | Plymouth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 65.5 | 69.3 | Plymouth (+3.8) |
| Better value | 56.6 | 62.9 | Plymouth (+6.3) |
| For families | 92.4 | 94.3 | Plymouth (+1.9) |
| For commuters | 57.2 | 60 | Plymouth (+2.8) |
| For healthcare access | 19.8 | 24.9 | Plymouth (+5.1) |
| Measure | North Somerset | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £313,919 | £216,463 |
| Band D council tax | £2,491 | £2,442 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92.9% | 92.2% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 95.8 | 66.1 |
| Gigabit broadband | 82.6% | 93.4% |
| Gera GP Access score | 19.8 | 24.9 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is North Somerset or Plymouth a better place to live overall?
- Plymouth scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 69.3/100 versus 65.5/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 3.8 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, North Somerset or Plymouth?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Plymouth is better value. Average house prices are £313,919 in North Somerset and £216,463 in Plymouth; Band D council tax is £2,491 versus £2,442 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is North Somerset or Plymouth better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Plymouth comes out ahead for families. North Somerset has 92.9% of schools rated Good or Outstanding and a crime rate of 95.8 per 1,000; Plymouth has 92.2% and 66.1 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, North Somerset or Plymouth?
- For connectivity, North Somerset has 82.6% gigabit-capable premises and Plymouth has 93.4% (Ofcom, June 2026). Plymouth leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in North Somerset or Plymouth?
- On the Gera GP Access score, North Somerset scores 19.8 (Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB) and Plymouth scores 24.9 (Devon ICB). Plymouth 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).