GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Reading vs Slough: which is the better place to live?
Is Reading or Slough a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Reading and Slough across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Slough wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 79.2/100 versus 78/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Reading | Slough | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 78/100 | 79.2/100 | Slough |
| Better value | 52.2 | 57.1 | Slough |
| For families | 94.5 | 95.8 | Slough |
| For commuters | 80.1 | 78.5 | Reading |
| For healthcare access | 70 | 70 | Level |
| Avg house price | £345,112 | £338,287 | Slough (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,613 | £2,414 | Slough (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92.3% | 94.4% | Slough |
| Crime per 1,000 | 64.1 | 64.1 | Level |
| Gigabit broadband | 96.2% | 96.3% | Slough |
| Gera GP Access score | 70 | 70 | Level |
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Slough wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 79.2/100 vs 78/100.
| Verdict | Reading | Slough | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 78 | 79.2 | Slough (+1.2) |
| Better value | 52.2 | 57.1 | Slough (+4.9) |
| For families | 94.5 | 95.8 | Slough (+1.3) |
| For commuters | 80.1 | 78.5 | Reading (+1.6) |
| For healthcare access | 70 | 70 | Level |
| Measure | Reading | Slough |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £345,112 | £338,287 |
| Band D council tax | £2,613 | £2,414 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 92.3% | 94.4% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 64.1 | 64.1 |
| Gigabit broadband | 96.2% | 96.3% |
| Gera GP Access score | 70 | 70 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Reading or Slough a better place to live overall?
- Slough scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 79.2/100 versus 78/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 1.2 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Reading or Slough?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Slough is better value. Average house prices are £345,112 in Reading and £338,287 in Slough; Band D council tax is £2,613 versus £2,414 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Reading or Slough better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Slough comes out ahead for families. Reading has 92.3% of schools rated Good or Outstanding and a crime rate of 64.1 per 1,000; Slough has 94.4% and 64.1 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Reading or Slough?
- For connectivity, Reading has 96.2% gigabit-capable premises and Slough has 96.3% (Ofcom, June 2026). Reading leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Reading or Slough?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Reading scores 70 (West and North London ICB) and Slough scores 70 (West and North London 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).