Town Pop. 4,430

Living in Cottam (Preston): Liveability Score 47/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Cottam (Preston) is 47/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 53/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 57/100 against a town median of 88/100.

Of the 5 places sharing the PR2 postcode district, Cottam (Preston) scores lowest. It scores 14 points below the PR2 postcode district as a whole, which averages 61/100. On transport specifically, Cottam (Preston) sits 20 points below the PR2 district figure of 73/100. For the surrounding area, see PR2 postcode district.

47
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
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.

Loading map…

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.

Cottam (Preston) scores 47 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Cottam (Preston).
Or compare:
PR2 0AA PR2 1AD PR2 2AD PR2 3AA PR2 5AP PR2 6AA PR2 7AA PR2 8AA PR2 PR4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
57
137.5 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 242 crimes
↑ 64% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 177 crimes
↑ 163% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 60 crimes
↑ 99% above national average
Other theft 29 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Public order 25 crimes
↓ 14% below national average
other 76 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Canberra Lane 45 crimes
  2. 2 Downy Close 42 crimes
  3. 3 Finch Lane 37 crimes

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

Environment
65
Air Quality NO₂ 6.4 · PM2.5 5.6 · PM10 9.3 µg/m³
76
Green Space 40
Parks Ample 10
Sports Pitches Ample 10
Allotments None
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Some 1
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Ample 11

Services

Schools
47
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 11 in area · 18 within 4km
9Good2Ungraded
  • Ashton Community Science CollegeSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Ashton Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Catforth Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Cottam Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Ingol, PrestonPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Ingol Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Pool House Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Lea TownPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Woodplumpton St Anne's CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Lea Neeld's Endowed Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Ungraded

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

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

Healthcare
25
A&E departmentsRoyal Preston Hospital1.8 mi
Blackpool Victoria Hospital9.2 mi
Southport and Formby District General Hospital12 mi
Hospital waitsBlackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1.5 mi
Routine referral (median)13 wks
Treated within 18 weeks61.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs82.5%
Nearest GP surgeryThe Park Medical Practice2 mi
GP capacity1,376 patients per GP
0dentists0pharmacies

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
36
Full fibre (FTTP)70.3%
available across Preston
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
97.3%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 154 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
65
Employment rate67.2%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed67.2%Unemployed1.9%Retired20.1%Student3.4%Other inactive7.5%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial48.9%Skilled & technical32.8%Routine & elementary18.3%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications10.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)8.5%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13.3%Level 3 (A levels)19.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)40.5%Apprenticeship5.7%Other (incl. vocational)1.6%
Home ownership80.1%
Among the least-deprived 31% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
46
Council tax Preston · 2026-27
A £1,717
B £2,004
C £2,290
D £2,576
E £3,148
F £3,721
G £4,293
H £5,152
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 B
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
53
Salwick 1.9 mi
Preston 3.3 mi
Kirkham and Wesham 4.6 mi
J2 M55 1 mi
J2 M55 1.3 mi
J1 M55 2.2 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
32
Pubs & Bars Adequate 3
Restaurants & Cafes Some 2
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 3
Retail Shopping Some 1
Takeaways Some 2
Fitness None

Places like Cottam (Preston) Pro

Pick the categories you want to beat. Pro members see the most similar settlements that score higher in all of them.

Find somewhere like Cottam (Preston), but with a higher score in …

ProSimilar settlements is a Pro featureUpgrade to Pro

House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £297,500 76
Detached £330,000 55
Semi-detached £220,000 15
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced
£150k £217k £286k £353k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Lea Town 0 1.6 mi away ⇄
Woodplumpton 52 1.7 mi away ⇄
Clifton (Fylde) 35 2.1 mi away ⇄
Fulwood 67 2.2 mi away ⇄
Broughton (Preston) 51 2.9 mi away ⇄
Newton-with-Scales 42 2.9 mi away ⇄
Preston (Preston) 60 3.3 mi away ⇄
Barton (Preston) 37 3.3 mi away ⇄
Bottom of Hutton 0 3.4 mi away ⇄
Penwortham 66 3.5 mi away ⇄
Hutton (South Ribble) 54 3.6 mi away ⇄
Inskip 46 4.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Cottam (Preston) a nice place to live?

Cottam (Preston) has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Cottam (Preston) is 47/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Cottam (Preston)?

Cottam (Preston) has crime levels around the national average. Our safety score is 57/100. There were 609 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Cottam (Preston)?

Among the top-rated schools in Cottam (Preston) are Ashton Community Science College, Ashton Primary School and Catforth Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 11 rated schools in Cottam (Preston) in total.

What are house prices like in Cottam (Preston)?

The current median house price in Cottam (Preston) is £297,500, in line with the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £330,000, semi-detached £220,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 31%. There were 76 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Cottam (Preston) in context

See the best places to live in Lancashire, ranked

Postcode districts in Cottam (Preston)

PR2 61 ⇄
PR4 47 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

Get a personalised score for any UK postcode, tailored to what matters most to you.

Score my postcode