GeraRent · Area head-to-head
North Somerset vs Torbay: which is the better place to live?
Is North Somerset or Torbay a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing North Somerset and Torbay across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Torbay wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 70.2/100 versus 65.5/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | North Somerset | Torbay | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 65.5/100 | 70.2/100 | Torbay |
| Better value | 56.6 | 61.8 | Torbay |
| For families | 92.4 | 93.5 | Torbay |
| For commuters | 57.2 | 66.4 | Torbay |
| For healthcare access | 19.8 | 24.9 | Torbay |
| Avg house price | £313,919 | £224,372 | Torbay (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,491 | £2,470 | Torbay (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92.9% | 90.9% | North Somerset |
| Crime per 1,000 | 95.8 | 66.1 | Torbay (safer) |
| Gigabit broadband | 82.6% | 86.9% | Torbay |
| Gera GP Access score | 19.8 | 24.9 | Torbay |
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Torbay wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 70.2/100 vs 65.5/100.
| Verdict | North Somerset | Torbay | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 65.5 | 70.2 | Torbay (+4.7) |
| Better value | 56.6 | 61.8 | Torbay (+5.2) |
| For families | 92.4 | 93.5 | Torbay (+1.1) |
| For commuters | 57.2 | 66.4 | Torbay (+9.2) |
| For healthcare access | 19.8 | 24.9 | Torbay (+5.1) |
| Measure | North Somerset | Torbay |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £313,919 | £224,372 |
| Band D council tax | £2,491 | £2,470 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92.9% | 90.9% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 95.8 | 66.1 |
| Gigabit broadband | 82.6% | 86.9% |
| Gera GP Access score | 19.8 | 24.9 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is North Somerset or Torbay a better place to live overall?
- Torbay scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 70.2/100 versus 65.5/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 4.7 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, North Somerset or Torbay?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Torbay is better value. Average house prices are £313,919 in North Somerset and £224,372 in Torbay; Band D council tax is £2,491 versus £2,470 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is North Somerset or Torbay better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Torbay 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; Torbay has 90.9% and 66.1 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, North Somerset or Torbay?
- For connectivity, North Somerset has 82.6% gigabit-capable premises and Torbay has 86.9% (Ofcom, June 2026). Torbay leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in North Somerset or Torbay?
- On the Gera GP Access score, North Somerset scores 19.8 (Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB) and Torbay scores 24.9 (Devon ICB). Torbay 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).