Town Pop. 123,950

Living in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen): Liveability Score 64/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) is 64/100, built from 9 categories. Healthcare is where Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) most outperforms the national norm: 84/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 26/100 against a town median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the BB1 postcode district scores higher. Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) leads all 3. That sits 14 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Transport (85) and schools (82) sit at 80/100 or above. For the surrounding area, see BB1 postcode district.

OUT OF 100

Average

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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.

Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) scores 64 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen).

Or compare:

BB1 1AE BB1 2AA BB1 3AB BB1 4AA BB1 5AA BB1 6AD BB1 7AF BB1 8AA BB1 BB2 BB3 BB5

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

127.7 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 5,470 crimes

↑ 32% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 4,170 crimes

↑ 121% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 1,086 crimes

↑ 29% above national average

Shoplifting 929 crimes

≈ similar to national average

Public order 879 crimes

≈ similar to national average

other 3,290 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Parking Area 609 crimes
2 Shopping Area 527 crimes
3 Supermarket 421 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 8.5 · PM2.5 6.3 · PM10 9.9 µg/m³

Green Space 68

Parks Ample 36

Sports Pitches Ample 70

Allotments Ample 13

Golf Courses Ample 4

Tennis Courts Ample 21

Bowling Greens Ample 23

Playgrounds Ample 88

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 62 in area

5Outstanding48Good1Requires Improvement8Ungraded

Pleckgate High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
St Thomas's CentreAlternative provision · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Tauheedul Islam Boys' High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Tauheedul Islam Girls' High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Wensley Fold CofE Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Ashworth Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2022
Good
Audley Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good
Audley Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
Good
Blackburn Central High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
Good
Blackburn St Thomas' Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Good

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsRoyal Preston Hospital7.4 mi

Burnley General Hospital9.2 mi

Fairfield Hospital11.4 mi

Hospital waitsEast Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust0.2 mi

Routine referral (median)9 wks

Treated within 18 weeks70%

A&E seen within 4 hrs81.3%

18 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'

GP capacity2,231 patients per GP

17dentists32pharmacies

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

Full fibre (FTTP)86.8%

available across Blackburn with Darwen

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

94.9%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

94.9%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.1%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 2,006 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate52.3%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed52.3%Unemployed3.8%Retired17.7%Student6.9%Other inactive19.3%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial30.7%Skilled & technical33.8%Routine & elementary35.5%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications24.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.7%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.6%Level 3 (A levels)15.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)27%Apprenticeship5.4%Other (incl. vocational)3.1%

Home ownership61.6%

Among the most-deprived 29% of areas in England

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

Bills

Council tax Blackburn with Darwen · 2026-27

A £1,637

B £1,909

C £2,182

D £2,455

E £3,001

F £3,546

G £4,092

H £4,910

Energy North West England region

Typical bill regional £1,641/yr

Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026

Typical home efficiency local EPC band D

Water United Utilities

Average bill regional £456/yr

Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Blackburn 0.1 mi

Mill Hill 1.1 mi

Cherry Tree 1.8 mi

J5 M65 2 mi

J6 M65 2.1 mi

J4 M65 2.1 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 50

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 43

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 57

Retail Shopping Ample 296

Takeaways Ample 49

Fitness Ample 9

Places like Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) Pro

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£165,000	585
Detached	£293,000	109
Semi-detached	£194,000	195
Terraced	£125,000	248
Flat / Maisonette	£89,000	33

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) a nice place to live?

Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) is 64/100, 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 Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)?

Crime levels in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 26/100. There were 15,824 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)?

Among the top-rated schools in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) are Pleckgate High School, St Thomas's Centre and Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 62 rated schools in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) in total.

What are house prices like in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)?

The current median house price in Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) is £165,000, around 42% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £293,000, semi-detached £194,000, terraced £125,000, flat £89,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 18%. There were 585 sales recorded in the past 12 months.