Town Pop. 27,493

Living in Darwen: Liveability Score 57/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Darwen scores 57/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 75/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 36/100 versus a median of 88/100.

That makes it the 2nd highest-scoring of the 4 places in the BB2 postcode district. The BB2 district averages 62/100, putting Darwen 5 points below its own postcode area. Its transport score runs 9 points below the BB2 district's 84/100. Wider context for the surrounding area: BB2 postcode district.

57
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.

Darwen scores 57 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Darwen.
Or compare:
BB2 1AA BB2 2AA BB2 3AA BB2 4AA BB2 5AA BB2 6AA BB2 7AA BB2 9FL BB2 BB3

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
36
125.7 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 1,325 crimes
↑ 45% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 908 crimes
↑ 117% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 266 crimes
↑ 43% above national average
Vehicle crime 220 crimes
↑ 67% above national average
Other theft 166 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 570 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Sandringham Road 113 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 92 crimes
  3. 3 Church Bank Street 91 crimes

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

Environment
70
Air Quality NO₂ 8.1 · PM2.5 6.3 · PM10 9.7 µg/m³
73
Green Space 63
Parks Ample 16
Sports Pitches Ample 20
Allotments Ample 4
Golf Courses Some 1
Tennis Courts Adequate 6
Bowling Greens Ample 6
Playgrounds Ample 16

Services

Schools
60
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 21 in area · 26 within 4km
15Good1Requires Improvement5Ungraded
  • Ashleigh Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Avondale Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Crosshill Special SchoolSpecial · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Darwen Aldridge Enterprise StudioSecondary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Darwen Aldridge Sudell PrimaryPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good
  • Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Darwen Vale High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Eden SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Lower Darwen Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good

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
64
A&E departmentsFairfield Hospital9.5 mi
Royal Preston Hospital10.2 mi
Burnley General Hospital11.7 mi
Hospital waitsLancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)6 wks
Treated within 18 weeks94.2%
4 GP surgeries in area 5 within 4km best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity1,767 patients per GP
6dentists6pharmacies

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
71
Full fibre (FTTP)86.8%
available across Blackburn with Darwen
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
89.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
89.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.7%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 636 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
40
Employment rate58.2%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed58.2%Unemployed3.2%Retired21.4%Student4.2%Other inactive13%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial33.1%Skilled & technical34.9%Routine & elementary32%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.6%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14.7%Level 3 (A levels)17.7%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.9%Apprenticeship6.7%Other (incl. vocational)2.4%
Home ownership64.7%
Among the most-deprived 36% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
48
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

Transport
75
Darwen 0.1 mi
Mill Hill 3 mi
Cherry Tree 3.3 mi
J4 M65 1.3 mi
J4 M65 1.5 mi
J5 M65 1.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
35
Pubs & Bars Ample 10
Restaurants & Cafes Some 3
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 7
Retail Shopping Adequate 8
Takeaways Adequate 6
Fitness Adequate 2

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £147,500 230
Detached £304,975 40
Semi-detached £190,250 43
Terraced £125,000 142
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£79k £150k £223k £294k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Hoddlesden 54 1.4 mi away ⇄
Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen) 64 3.4 mi away ⇄
Withnell 47 3.8 mi away ⇄
Oswaldtwistle 58 4.2 mi away ⇄
Brinscall 50 4.3 mi away ⇄
Edgworth 52 4.5 mi away ⇄
Chapeltown 55 4.9 mi away ⇄
Higher Wheelton 54 5.0 mi away ⇄
Rishton 60 5.2 mi away ⇄
Church 60 5.3 mi away ⇄
Accrington 55 5.7 mi away ⇄
Haslingden 53 5.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Darwen a nice place to live?

Darwen is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Darwen is 57/100, 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 Darwen?

Darwen has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 36/100. There were 3,455 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Darwen?

Among the top-rated schools in Darwen are Ashleigh Primary School, Avondale Primary School and Crosshill Special School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 21 rated schools in Darwen in total.

What are house prices like in Darwen?

The current median house price in Darwen is £147,500, around 48% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £304,975, semi-detached £190,250, terraced £125,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 19%. There were 230 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Darwen in context

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

Postcode districts in Darwen

BB2 62 ⇄
BB3 56 ⇄

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