GeraRent · Area head-to-head
Rotherham vs Sheffield: which is the better place to live?
Is Rotherham or Sheffield a better place to live?
As of June 2026, comparing Rotherham and Sheffield across house prices, crime, schools, broadband and GP access, Sheffield wins overall with a Gera Liveability Score of 77.9/100 versus 77.7/100. Gera computes this head-to-head from six UK government open datasets and re-runs it quarterly.
| Measure | Rotherham | Sheffield | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gera Liveability Score | 77.7/100 | 77.9/100 | Sheffield |
| Better value | 65.6 | 61 | Rotherham |
| For families | 82.9 | 90.1 | Sheffield |
| For commuters | 79.2 | 74.2 | Rotherham |
| For healthcare access | 77 | 77 | Level |
| Avg house price | £190,256 | £222,080 | Rotherham (cheaper) |
| Band D council tax | £2,382 | £2,510 | Rotherham (lower) |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 77.8% | 89.7% | Sheffield |
| Crime per 1,000 | 101.1 | 101.1 | Level |
| Gigabit broadband | 94.6% | 91.3% | Rotherham |
| Gera GP Access score | 77 | 77 | Level |
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Sheffield wins overall: Gera Liveability Score 77.9/100 vs 77.7/100.
| Verdict | Rotherham | Sheffield | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 77.7 | 77.9 | Sheffield (+0.2) |
| Better value | 65.6 | 61 | Rotherham (+4.6) |
| For families | 82.9 | 90.1 | Sheffield (+7.2) |
| For commuters | 79.2 | 74.2 | Rotherham (+5) |
| For healthcare access | 77 | 77 | Level |
| Measure | Rotherham | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|
| Avg house price | £190,256 | £222,080 |
| Band D council tax | £2,382 | £2,510 |
| Schools Good/Outstanding | 77.8% | 89.7% |
| Crime per 1,000 | 101.1 | 101.1 |
| Gigabit broadband | 94.6% | 91.3% |
| Gera GP Access score | 77 | 77 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rotherham or Sheffield a better place to live overall?
- Sheffield scores higher overall: a Gera Liveability Score of 77.9/100 versus 77.7/100 (Gera, June 2026), a gap of 0.2 points.
- Which is cheaper to rent and buy, Rotherham or Sheffield?
- On affordability — average house price plus Band D council tax — Rotherham is better value. Average house prices are £190,256 in Rotherham and £222,080 in Sheffield; Band D council tax is £2,382 versus £2,510 (HM Land Registry + MHCLG, June 2026).
- Is Rotherham or Sheffield better for families?
- Weighting schools (60%) and safety (40%), Sheffield comes out ahead for families. Rotherham has 77.8% of schools rated Good or Outstanding and a crime rate of 101.1 per 1,000; Sheffield has 89.7% and 101.1 per 1,000 (Ofsted + Home Office, June 2026).
- Which has better broadband, Rotherham or Sheffield?
- For connectivity, Rotherham has 94.6% gigabit-capable premises and Sheffield has 91.3% (Ofcom, June 2026). Rotherham leads on the commuter blend of broadband (70%) and affordability (30%).
- Is GP access better in Rotherham or Sheffield?
- On the Gera GP Access score, Rotherham scores 77 (South Yorkshire ICB) and Sheffield scores 77 (South Yorkshire 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).