City Pop. 96,559

Living in Preston (Preston): Liveability Score 60/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Preston (Preston) scores 60/100 overall, across 9 scored categories. Healthcare is where Preston (Preston) most outperforms the national norm: 82/100 against a median of 18/100 across UK towns. Safety falls furthest short: 15/100 where the typical UK town reaches 88/100.

That is 10 points above the national benchmark of 50, the top 10% of all UK towns and villages. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the PR0 postcode district.

60
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.

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.

Preston (Preston) scores 60 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Preston (Preston).
Or compare:
PR0 2AA PR0 PR1 PR11 PR2

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
15
189 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 5,578 crimes
↑ 74% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 5,118 crimes
↑ 249% above national average
Shoplifting 1,347 crimes
↑ 79% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 1,276 crimes
↑ 94% above national average
Public order 975 crimes
↑ 55% above national average
other 3,951 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Nightclub 726 crimes
  2. 2 Supermarket 539 crimes
  3. 3 Shopping Area 522 crimes

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

Environment
66
Air Quality NO₂ 9.7 · PM2.5 6.1 · PM10 10.1 µg/m³
72
Green Space 52
Parks Ample 49
Sports Pitches Ample 36
Allotments Adequate 3
Golf Courses Ample 3
Tennis Courts Ample 7
Bowling Greens Ample 26
Playgrounds Ample 56

Services

Schools
79
Top 10 by Ofsted rating · 59 in area · 66 within 4km
3Outstanding42Good2Requires Improvement2Inadequate10Ungraded
  • Eden Boys' School, PrestonSecondary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Penwortham Girls' High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Preston Muslim Girls High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2022
    Outstanding
  • Acorns Primary SchoolSpecial · inspected 2025
    Good
  • Ashton Community Science CollegeSecondary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Ashton Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Brockholes Wood Community Primary School and NurseryPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Brookfield Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2022
    Good
  • Cottam Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Good
  • Deepdale Community Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    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
82
A&E departmentsRoyal Preston Hospital0.7 mi
Blackpool Victoria Hospital10.5 mi
Southport and Formby District General Hospital12.3 mi
Hospital waitsLancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust0.2 mi
Routine referral (median)6 wks
Treated within 18 weeks94.2%
13 GP surgeries in area 18 within 4km best 'Good'
GP capacity1,686 patients per GP
17dentists29pharmacies

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
74
Full fibre (FTTP)70.3%
available across Preston
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
91%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
91.2%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 1,763 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
30
Employment rate55.1%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed55.1%Unemployed4.6%Retired14.6%Student9.6%Other inactive16%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial30.3%Skilled & technical32%Routine & elementary37.7%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications21.2%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)9.9%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)13%Level 3 (A levels)18.9%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.7%Apprenticeship5.2%Other (incl. vocational)3.2%
Home ownership51%
Among the most-deprived 27% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
36
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 D
Water United Utilities
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
79
Preston 1.2 mi
Lostock Hall 3.2 mi
Bamber Bridge 3.3 mi
J32 M6 1.9 mi
J31A M6 2 mi
J1 M55 2.3 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
70
Pubs & Bars Ample 70
Restaurants & Cafes Ample 95
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 73
Retail Shopping Ample 457
Takeaways Ample 121
Fitness Ample 11

Places like Preston (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 Preston (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 £145,000 476
Detached £281,250 56
Semi-detached £190,000 145
Terraced £127,500 225
Flat / Maisonette £96,000 50
5-year monthly trend
All Detached Semi Terraced Flat
£82k £149k £219k £287k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

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

Nearby places

Fulwood 67 1.4 mi away ⇄
Penwortham 66 2.4 mi away ⇄
Broughton (Preston) 51 2.6 mi away ⇄
Higher Walton 58 3.0 mi away ⇄
Cottam (Preston) 47 3.3 mi away ⇄
Bamber Bridge 60 3.4 mi away ⇄
Grimsargh 48 3.5 mi away ⇄
New Gate 56 3.6 mi away ⇄
Woodplumpton 52 3.6 mi away ⇄
Coup Green 52 3.7 mi away ⇄
Hutton (South Ribble) 54 3.7 mi away ⇄
Goosnargh 36 3.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Preston (Preston) a nice place to live?

Preston (Preston) is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Preston (Preston) is 60/100, 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 Preston (Preston)?

Crime levels in Preston (Preston) are high relative to the national average. Our safety score is 15/100. There were 18,245 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Preston (Preston)?

Among the top-rated schools in Preston (Preston) are Eden Boys' School, Preston, Penwortham Girls' High School and Preston Muslim Girls High School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 59 rated schools in Preston (Preston) in total.

What are house prices like in Preston (Preston)?

The current median house price in Preston (Preston) is £145,000, around 49% below the England and Wales average. By property type: detached £281,250, semi-detached £190,000, terraced £127,500, flat £96,000. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 14%. There were 476 sales recorded in the past 12 months.

Preston (Preston) in context

See where Preston (Preston) ranks among the best places to live in Lancashire

Postcode districts in Preston (Preston)

PR0 62 ⇄
PR1 62 ⇄
PR11 68 ⇄
PR2 61 ⇄
PR3 48 ⇄
PR4 47 ⇄

Check your exact postcode

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

Score my postcode