Town Pop. 230,219

Living in Northampton: Liveability Score 63/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Northampton is 63/100, built from 9 categories. Measured against other towns, lifestyle stands out most: 91/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 30/100 versus a median of 88/100.

That sits 13 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 5% of the towns and villages we score. Broadband (92) sits at 80/100 or above. For the surrounding area, see NN1 postcode district.

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.

Northampton scores 63 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Northampton.

Or compare:

NN1 1AF NN1 2AA NN1 3AE NN1 4AA NN1 5AA NN1 9BT NN1 NN2 NN3 NN4

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety

121.3 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 9,324 crimes

↑ 22% above national average

Anti-social behaviour 5,970 crimes

↑ 70% above national average

Shoplifting 2,640 crimes

↑ 47% above national average

Criminal damage and arson 1,667 crimes

≈ similar to national average

Public order 1,561 crimes

≈ similar to national average

other 6,753 crimes

Highest-crime locations

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1 Supermarket 1,429 crimes
2 Petrol Station 673 crimes
3 Stanhope Road 618 crimes

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

Environment

Air Quality NO₂ 10.2 · PM2.5 7.5 · PM10 13.2 µg/m³

Green Space 96

Parks Ample 112

Sports Pitches Ample 109

Allotments Ample 17

Golf Courses Ample 5

Tennis Courts Ample 39

Bowling Greens Ample 19

Playgrounds Ample 110

Services

Schools

Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 92 in area

9Outstanding66Good1Requires Improvement1Inadequate15Ungraded

Briar Hill Primary School & NurseryPrimary · inspected 2022
Outstanding
Fairfields SchoolSpecial · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Gloucester Nursery SchoolNursery · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Kings Heath Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
Northampton AcademySecondary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Northgate School Academy TrustSpecial · inspected 2025
Outstanding
Simon de Senlis Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
Outstanding
The Arbours Primary AcademyPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Woodland View Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
Outstanding
Abbeyfield SchoolSecondary · inspected 2021
Good

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

Healthcare

A&E departmentsNorthampton General Hospitalin area

Kettering General Hospital9.1 mi

Milton Keynes University Hospital12.3 mi

Hospital waitsNorthampton General Hospital NHS Trust0.3 mi

Routine referral (median)14 wks

Treated within 18 weeks61.1%

A&E seen within 4 hrs75%

18 GP surgeries in area best 'Good'

GP capacity2,284 patients per GP

27dentists29pharmacies

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)93.8%

available across West Northamptonshire

Gigabit-capable · incl. cable

96.7%

Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)

96.8%

Superfast (30+ Mbps)

99.6%

Ofcom Connected Nations · 3,813 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health

Employment rate62.8%

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

Economic activity (16+)

Employed62.8%Unemployed3.5%Retired18.3%Student4.9%Other inactive10.6%

Occupation mix

Professional & managerial34%Skilled & technical33.1%Routine & elementary32.9%

Highest qualification (16+)

No qualifications19.8%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)14%Level 3 (A levels)16.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)29.5%Apprenticeship5.9%Other (incl. vocational)3.4%

Home ownership60.2%

Around the England average for deprivation

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

Bills

Council tax West Northamptonshire · 2026-27

A £1,658

B £1,934

C £2,211

D £2,487

E £3,040

F £3,592

G £4,145

H £4,974

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

Northampton 1.1 mi

Long Buckby 9.2 mi

Wellingborough 9.7 mi

J15A M1 3.4 mi

J15A M1 3.6 mi

J15 M1 3.9 mi

Lifestyle

Pubs & Bars Ample 127

Restaurants & Cafes Ample 274

Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 230

Retail Shopping Ample 811

Takeaways Ample 243

Fitness Ample 60

Places like Northampton Pro

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House Prices

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

Type	Median price	Sales
All dwellings	£257,500	1,455
Detached	£370,000	366
Semi-detached	£262,500	437
Terraced	£227,250	498
Flat / Maisonette	£146,500	154

5-year monthly trend

All Detached Semi Terraced Flat

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Northampton a nice place to live?

Northampton is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Northampton is 63/100, 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 Northampton?

Northampton has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 30/100. There were 27,915 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Northampton?

Among the top-rated schools in Northampton are Briar Hill Primary School & Nursery, Fairfields School and Gloucester Nursery School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 92 rated schools in Northampton in total.

What are house prices like in Northampton?

The current median house price in Northampton is £257,500, around 10% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £370,000, semi-detached £262,500, terraced £227,250, flat £146,500. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 4%. There were 1,455 sales recorded in the past 12 months.