Town Pop. 16,500

Living in Penrith: Liveability Score 57/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Penrith scores 57/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Lifestyle is where Penrith most outperforms the national norm: 69/100 against a median of 21/100 across UK towns. The biggest shortfall against other towns is safety: 44/100 versus a median of 88/100.

No other settlement in the CA10 postcode district scores higher. Penrith leads all 9. Notably, nothing falls below 43/100. Most UK towns have at least one category in the 30s or worse. It scores 13 points above the CA10 postcode district as a whole, which averages 44/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the CA10 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.

Penrith scores 57 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Penrith.
Or compare:
CA10 1AA CA10 2AA CA10 3AA CA10 CA11

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
44
97.9 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 780 crimes
↑ 42% above national average
Shoplifting 169 crimes
↑ 31% above national average
Public order 164 crimes
↑ 52% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 127 crimes
↑ 13% above national average
Drugs 101 crimes
↑ 85% above national average
other 275 crimes
Highest-crime locations
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  1. 1 Petrol Station 79 crimes
  2. 2 Parking Area 64 crimes
  3. 3 Supermarket 58 crimes

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

Environment
72
Air Quality NO₂ 5.4 · PM2.5 5 · PM10 8.3 µg/m³
79
Green Space 54
Parks Ample 12
Sports Pitches Ample 15
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Adequate 2
Tennis Courts Ample 12
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 10

Services

Schools
52
6 schools in area · 8 within 4km
6Good
  • Beaconside CofE Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Brunswick SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • North Lakes SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Queen Elizabeth Grammar School PenrithSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, PenrithPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Ullswater Community CollegeSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good

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

Healthcare
55
A&E departmentsCumberland Infirmary17 mi
Hexham General Hospital32.7 mi
Royal Lancaster Infirmary42.3 mi
Hospital waitsNorth Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)12 wks
Treated within 18 weeks64.3%
A&E seen within 4 hrs62.6%
2 GP surgeries in area best 'Outstanding'
GP capacity1,192 patients per GP
7dentists4pharmacies

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
84
Full fibre (FTTP)79.2%
available across Westmorland and Furness
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
94.8%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
94.8%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 583 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
58
Employment rate59.4%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed59.4%Unemployed2.2%Retired26.1%Student2.6%Other inactive9.6%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial30.2%Skilled & technical32.6%Routine & elementary37.2%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.9%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)11.3%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15.3%Level 3 (A levels)16.4%Level 4+ (degree & above)27%Apprenticeship7.4%Other (incl. vocational)2.7%
Home ownership64.2%
Among the least-deprived 39% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
43
Council tax Westmorland and Furness · 2026-27
A £1,672
B £1,951
C £2,229
D £2,508
E £3,065
F £3,623
G £4,180
H £5,016
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
50
Penrith (North Lakes) 0.4 mi
Langwathby 4.1 mi
Lazonby and Kirkoswald 6.3 mi
J40 M6 0.8 mi
J40 M6 1 mi
J41 M6 2.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
69
Pubs & Bars Ample 20
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 43
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 15
Retail Shopping Ample 248
Takeaways Ample 23
Fitness Ample 5

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House Prices

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

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £190,000 166
Detached £300,000 26
Semi-detached £225,000 49
Terraced £167,500 59
Flat / Maisonette £129,250 32
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£105k £201k £301k £397k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Newton Rigg 0 1.7 mi away ⇄
Sockbridge 47 2.4 mi away ⇄
Stainton (Eden) 43 2.4 mi away ⇄
Clifton (Eden) 53 2.5 mi away ⇄
Langwathby 28 4.0 mi away ⇄
Cliburn 0 4.3 mi away ⇄
Greystoke 48 4.8 mi away ⇄
Culgaith 41 5.7 mi away ⇄
Skelton (Eden) 48 6.1 mi away ⇄
Temple Sowerby 47 6.1 mi away ⇄
Lazonby 37 6.2 mi away ⇄
Kirkby Thore 44 8.0 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Penrith a nice place to live?

Penrith is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Penrith 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 Penrith?

Penrith has above-average crime levels. Our safety score is 44/100. There were 1,616 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Penrith?

Among the top-rated schools in Penrith are Beaconside CofE Primary School, Brunswick School and North Lakes School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 6 rated schools in Penrith in total.

What are house prices like in Penrith?

The current median house price in Penrith is £190,000, around 33% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £300,000, semi-detached £225,000, terraced £167,500, flat £129,250. Over the past five years, prices have fallen by around 4%. There were 166 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Penrith in context

See where Penrith ranks among the best places to live in Cumbria

Postcode districts in Penrith

CA10 44 ⇄
CA11 50 ⇄

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