Town Pop. 5,858

Living in Carnforth: Liveability Score 54/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Carnforth comes out at 54/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Its biggest lead over the typical UK town is broadband: 92/100 against a national town median of 60/100. Among the 5 scored places sharing the LA5 postcode district, Carnforth ranks 2nd.

Its broadband score runs 29 points above the LA5 district's 63/100. On the national picture that lands Carnforth in the top quarter of all the places we score. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the LA5 postcode district.

54
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.

Carnforth scores 54 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Carnforth.
Or compare:
LA5 0AA LA5 5AG LA5 8AA LA5 9AD LA5 LA6

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
74
106.7 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 232 crimes
↑ 19% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 174 crimes
↑ 95% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 52 crimes
↑ 31% above national average
Other theft 42 crimes
↑ 16% above national average
Public order 28 crimes
↓ 26% below national average
other 97 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 John Street 32 crimes
  2. 2 Highfield Road 29 crimes
  3. 3 Hawk Street 24 crimes

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

Environment
75
Air Quality NO₂ 5.5 · PM2.5 5.2 · PM10 9.3 µg/m³
78
Green Space 65
Parks Ample 6
Sports Pitches Ample 14
Allotments Some 1
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts Adequate 4
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 8

Services

Schools
43
5 schools in area · 8 within 4km
5Good
  • Carnforth Christ Church, Church of England, Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Carnforth Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Carnforth High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, CarnforthPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Warton Archbishop Hutton's VC Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
28
A&E departmentsRoyal Lancaster Infirmary5.3 mi
Blackpool Victoria Hospital22.7 mi
Royal Preston Hospital22.9 mi
Hospital waitsLancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust0.1 mi
Routine referral (median)6 wks
Treated within 18 weeks94.2%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,845 patients per GP
1dentist4pharmacies

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
92
Full fibre (FTTP)88%
available across Lancaster
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
95.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
95.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 156 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
64
Employment rate56.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed56.1%Unemployed1.6%Retired31%Student3.1%Other inactive8.3%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial36.4%Skilled & technical36.3%Routine & elementary27.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications15.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.7%Level 3 (A levels)18.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)32.6%Apprenticeship7.3%Other (incl. vocational)2.6%
Home ownership78.8%
Around the England average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
43
Council tax Lancaster · 2026-27
A £1,669
B £1,947
C £2,225
D £2,503
E £3,059
F £3,615
G £4,172
H £5,006
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

Transport
38
Carnforth 0.2 mi
Silverdale 3.2 mi
Bare Lane 4.5 mi
J35 M6 0.6 mi
J35 M6 1 mi
J34 M6 3.9 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
37
Pubs & Bars Ample 9
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 4
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 7
Retail Shopping Ample 55
Takeaways Adequate 7
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £170,000 42
Semi-detached £224,950 11
Terraced £149,250 20
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£124k £186k £251k £313k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Warton (Lancaster) 51 1.2 mi away ⇄
Nether Kellet 48 1.5 mi away ⇄
Over Kellet 48 1.5 mi away ⇄
Tewitfield 0 1.7 mi away ⇄
Bolton-le-Sands 55 2.5 mi away ⇄
Halton (Lancaster) 49 3.4 mi away ⇄
Silverdale 52 3.8 mi away ⇄
Caton 47 4.3 mi away ⇄
Burton-in-Kendal 48 4.3 mi away ⇄
Morecambe 50 5.3 mi away ⇄
Holme (South Lakeland) 45 5.4 mi away ⇄
Hornby 49 5.4 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Carnforth a nice place to live?

Carnforth is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Carnforth is 54/100, 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 Carnforth?

Carnforth has crime levels below the national average. Our safety score is 74/100. There were 625 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Carnforth?

Among the top-rated schools in Carnforth are Carnforth Christ Church, Church of England, Voluntary Aided Primary School, Carnforth Community Primary School and Carnforth High School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 5 rated schools in Carnforth in total.

What are house prices like in Carnforth?

The current median house price in Carnforth is £170,000, around 40% below the England and Wales average. By property type: semi-detached £224,950, terraced £149,250. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 4%. There were 42 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Carnforth in context

See where Carnforth ranks among the best places to live in Lancashire

Postcode districts in Carnforth

LA5 51 ⇄
LA6 44 ⇄

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