City Pop. 376,063

Living in Leicester: Liveability Score 66/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Leicester comes out at 66/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. Measured against other towns, healthcare stands out most: 91/100 where the typical UK town scores 18/100. Furthest below the national norm is safety, at 34/100 against a town median of 88/100.

That sits 16 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Broadband (96) and schools (82) also clear 80/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the LE1 postcode district.

66
OUT OF 100
Good
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.

Leicester scores 66 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Leicester.
Or compare:
LE1 1AA LE1 2AA LE1 3AE LE1 4AF LE1 5AA LE1 6AA LE1 7AA LE1 8AD LE1 LE19 LE2 LE21

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
34
114.3 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 15,374 crimes
↑ 23% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 6,090 crimes
≈ similar to national average
Criminal damage and arson 4,124 crimes
↑ 62% above national average
Public order 3,884 crimes
↑ 58% above national average
Shoplifting 2,935 crimes
≈ similar to national average
other 10,589 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Supermarket 1,588 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 947 crimes
  3. 3 Shopping Area 792 crimes

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

Environment
64
Air Quality NO₂ 13.2 · PM2.5 7.8 · PM10 12.7 µg/m³
64
Green Space 65
Parks Ample 157
Sports Pitches Ample 179
Allotments Ample 39
Golf Courses Ample 7
Tennis Courts Ample 63
Bowling Greens Ample 23
Playgrounds Ample 241

Services

Schools
82
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 139 in area
9Outstanding102Good10Requires Improvement1Inadequate17Ungraded
  • Abbey Mead Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Ash Field AcademySpecial · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Brook Mead AcademySecondary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Castle Mead AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Catherine Infant SchoolPrimary · inspected 2025
    Outstanding
  • Humberstone Junior SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Millgate SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Rushey Mead AcademySecondary · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • The Children's Hospital SchoolSpecial · inspected 2023
    Outstanding
  • Alderman Richard Hallam Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good

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

Healthcare
91
A&E departmentsLeicester Royal Infirmaryin area
University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire15.7 mi
University Hospital Coventry15.7 mi
Hospital waitsMidlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust0.7 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks92.8%
40 GP surgeries in area best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity3,262 patients per GP
58dentists70pharmacies

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
96
Full fibre (FTTP)93.8%
available across Leicester
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
96.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
96.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.6%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 6,056 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
37
Employment rate54.6%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54.6%Unemployed4.5%Retired15.6%Student9%Other inactive16.4%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial28.3%Skilled & technical29.7%Routine & elementary42%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications26.1%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10.8%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)12.1%Level 3 (A levels)15.6%Level 4+ (degree & above)27.1%Apprenticeship4.2%Other (incl. vocational)4%
Home ownership53.4%
Among the most-deprived 32% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
41
Council tax Leicester · 2026-27
A £1,686
B £1,967
C £2,248
D £2,529
E £3,091
F £3,653
G £4,215
H £5,058
Energy East Midlands region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Severn Trent Water
Average bill regional £424/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
59
Leicester 0.4 mi
South Wigston 3.5 mi
Syston 4.7 mi
J21 M1 3.3 mi
J21 M1 3.3 mi
J21A M1 3.6 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
75
Pubs & Bars Ample 168
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 321
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 259
Retail Shopping Ample 946
Takeaways Ample 265
Fitness Ample 61

Places like Leicester Pro

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £255,000 1,370
Detached £350,000 234
Semi-detached £270,000 494
Terraced £222,000 515
Flat / Maisonette £120,000 127
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£115k £205k £299k £389k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Birstall 68 3.2 mi away ⇄
Oadby 69 3.3 mi away ⇄
Thurmaston 60 3.5 mi away ⇄
Wigston 68 3.5 mi away ⇄
Anstey 62 3.8 mi away ⇄
Leicester Forest East and Kirby Muxloe 56 3.9 mi away ⇄
Thurcaston 53 3.9 mi away ⇄
Groby 62 4.4 mi away ⇄
Great Stretton 0 4.5 mi away ⇄
Wanlip 0 4.6 mi away ⇄
Cropston 52 4.7 mi away ⇄
Ratby 55 4.7 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Leicester a nice place to live?

Yes, Leicester is a nice place to live. Our liveability score for Leicester is 66/100, placing it among one of the better-scoring areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Leicester?

Leicester has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 34/100. There were 42,996 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Leicester?

Among the top-rated schools in Leicester are Abbey Mead Primary Academy, Ash Field Academy and Brook Mead Academy, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 139 rated schools in Leicester in total.

What are house prices like in Leicester?

The current median house price in Leicester is £255,000, around 11% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £350,000, semi-detached £270,000, terraced £222,000, flat £120,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 13%. There were 1,370 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Leicester in context

See where Leicester ranks among the best places to live in Leicestershire

Postcode districts in Leicester

LE1 64 ⇄
LE19 54 ⇄
LE2 66 ⇄
LE21 60 ⇄
LE3 63 ⇄
LE4 66 ⇄
LE41 58 ⇄
LE5 69 ⇄
LE7 52 ⇄
LE87 62 ⇄
LE95 59 ⇄

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