Bath vs Brighton

Which is better to live in? (2026)

62

Bath

South West

Grade CHigher Overall
59

Brighton

South East

Grade C
Bath: 5 wins|Brighton: 3 wins

Bath (South West) and Brighton (South East) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Bath rates 62/100 (grade C) and Brighton rates 59/100 (grade C). Bath is the safer of the two on crime (48/100 versus 25/100). Brighton has the stronger schools, with 100% of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Bath works out cheaper for typical monthly household bills (~£440 versus ~£451). The full side-by-side breakdown of crime, schools, transport, affordability, broadband, environment and healthcare is below, followed by our verdict on which area fits which kind of buyer.

Bath vs Brighton: Category Comparison

Bath
Category
Brighton
62/100BETTER
🏆Overall Score
59/100
48/100BETTER
🔒Crime Safety
25/100
60% Good/Outstanding
🎓Schools
BETTER100% Good/Outstanding
88/100
🚆Transport
BETTER90/100
72/100BETTER
💷Affordability
48/100
~£440/moBETTER
🧾Monthly Bills
~£451/mo
65/100
📶Broadband
BETTER76/100
25/100
🌿Environment
25/100
64/100BETTER
🏥Healthcare
41/100

Our Verdict

Brighton leads in 4 of 8 categories, scoring higher for schools, transport, broadband. That said, Bath has the edge in crime safety and affordability, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bath or Brighton better to live in?

Brighton leads in 4 of 8 categories, scoring higher for schools, transport, broadband. That said, Bath has the edge in crime safety and affordability, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Is Bath safer than Brighton?

Bath scores higher for crime safety (48/100) compared to Brighton (25/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.

Which has better schools, Bath or Brighton?

Bath has 15 schools within 3km, with 60% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Brighton has 15 schools nearby, with 100% rated Good or Outstanding.

Is it cheaper to live in Bath or Brighton?

Estimated monthly bills are lower in Bath (~£440/month) compared to Brighton (~£451/month). Bills include council tax, energy, water, broadband, and insurance estimates.

Related Comparisons

Data sources: Scores are estimated using pre-loaded data from MHCLG Indices of Deprivation, Ofsted/GIAS school ratings, DfT Transport Connectivity 2025, MHCLG council tax data, Ofgem energy price cap, and regional averages. For full live data from 20+ government sources, view the individual town reports. Data provided under the Open Government Licence v3.0.