Town Pop. 69,565

Living in Barnsley: Liveability Score 62/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Barnsley comes out at 62/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is healthcare: 78/100 against a national town median of 18/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 19/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the S70 postcode district scores higher. Barnsley leads all 3. That sits 12 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Broadband (91) also clears 80/100. For the surrounding area, see S70 postcode district.

OUT OF 100

Average

Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Barnsley scores 62 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Barnsley.

Or compare:

S70 1AA S70 2AB S70 3AA S70 4AA S70 5AA S70 6AA S70 9BR S70 S71 S73 S75

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

170.5 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3

Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months

Violence and sexual offences 4,160 crimes

↑ 80% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 1,813 crimes

↑ 72% above national average

Shoplifting 1,164 crimes

↑ 114% above national average

Public order 1,041 crimes

↑ 131% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 984 crimes

↑ 107% above national average

other 2,701 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Supermarket 650 crimes
2 Nightclub 508 crimes
3 Parking Area 439 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 9.6 · PM2.5 7.2 · PM10 11.7 µg/m³

Green Space 78

Parks Ample 61

Sports Pitches Ample 65

Allotments Ample 22

Golf Courses Some 1

Tennis Courts Ample 21

Bowling Greens Ample 8

Playgrounds Ample 43

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 34 in area

5Outstanding26Good1Requires Improvement2Ungraded

Gawber Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Greenacre SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Hunningley Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
The Forest AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Trinity Academy St. EdwardsSecondary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Athersley North Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Athersley South Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Bank End Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2021
Good
Barnsley AcademySecondary · inspected 2025
Good
Burton Road Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Good

Ungraded: inspected, but Ofsted no longer issues a single overall grade (since Sept 2024).

Healthcare

A&E departmentsPinderfields Hospital7.2 mi

Rotherham Hospital Urgent Care Center/A&E8.8 mi

Rotherham General Hospital8.9 mi

Hospital waitsSouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust0.4 mi

Routine referral (median)5 wks

Treated within 18 weeks96.4%

13 GP surgeries in area 15 within 4km best 'Good'

GP capacity2,185 patients per GP

15dentists18pharmacies

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

96.6%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

96.7%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.7%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,776 postcodes

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate55.9%

Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+

Economic activity (16+)

Employed55.9%Unemployed3.3%Retired21.7%Student3.4%Other inactive15.6%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial26.1%Skilled & technical32.2%Routine & elementary41.8%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications26.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.1%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.3%Level 3 (A levels)16.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)22.1%Apprenticeship6.5%Other (incl. vocational)2.9%

Home ownership56%

Among the most-deprived 27% of areas in England

Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD

Bills

Council tax Barnsley · 2026-27

A £1,551

B £1,809

C £2,068

D £2,326

E £2,843

F £3,360

G £3,877

H £4,652

Energy Yorkshire region

Typical bill regional £1,641/yr

Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026

Typical home efficiency local EPC band D

Water Yorkshire Water

Average bill regional £437/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Barnsley Interchange 0.5 mi

Dodworth 2.9 mi

Darton 3.3 mi

J37 M1 2.2 mi

J37 M1 2.4 mi

J36 M1 4.1 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 72

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 57

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 57

Retail Shopping Ample 443

Takeaways Ample 80

Fitness Ample 13

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£165,000	373
Detached	£278,000	66
Semi-detached	£175,000	146
Terraced	£137,500	137
Flat / Maisonette	£100,000	24

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Frequently asked questions

Is Barnsley a nice place to live?

Barnsley is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Barnsley is 62/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Barnsley?

Crime levels in Barnsley are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 19/100. There were 11,863 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Barnsley?

Among the top-rated schools in Barnsley are Gawber Primary School, Greenacre School and Hunningley Primary Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 34 rated schools in Barnsley in total.

What are house prices like in Barnsley?

The current median house price in Barnsley is £165,000, around 42% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £278,000, semi-detached £175,000, terraced £137,500, flat £100,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 27%. There were 373 sales recorded in the past 12 months.