Bradford vs Lincoln

Which is better to live in? (2026)

45

Bradford

Yorkshire and The Humber

Grade D
57

Lincoln

East Midlands

Grade CHigher Overall
Bradford: 1 wins|Lincoln: 7 wins

Bradford (Yorkshire and The Humber) and Lincoln (East Midlands) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Bradford rates 45/100 (grade D) and Lincoln rates 57/100 (grade C). Lincoln is the safer of the two on crime (41/100 versus 25/100). Lincoln has the stronger schools, with 67% of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Lincoln works out cheaper for typical monthly household bills (~£423 versus ~£429). 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.

Bradford vs Lincoln: Category Comparison

Bradford
Category
Lincoln
45/100
🏆Overall Score
BETTER57/100
25/100
🔒Crime Safety
BETTER41/100
33% Good/Outstanding
🎓Schools
BETTER67% Good/Outstanding
89/100BETTER
🚆Transport
84/100
41/100
💷Affordability
BETTER56/100
~£429/mo
🧾Monthly Bills
BETTER~£423/mo
70/100
📶Broadband
70/100
25/100
🌿Environment
BETTER33/100
25/100
🏥Healthcare
BETTER41/100

Our Verdict

Lincoln leads in 6 of 8 categories, scoring higher for crime safety, schools, affordability. That said, Bradford has the edge in transport, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bradford or Lincoln better to live in?

Lincoln leads in 6 of 8 categories, scoring higher for crime safety, schools, affordability. That said, Bradford has the edge in transport, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Is Bradford safer than Lincoln?

Lincoln scores higher for crime safety (41/100) compared to Bradford (25/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.

Which has better schools, Bradford or Lincoln?

Bradford has 15 schools within 3km, with 33% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Lincoln has 15 schools nearby, with 67% rated Good or Outstanding.

Is it cheaper to live in Bradford or Lincoln?

Estimated monthly bills are lower in Lincoln (~£423/month) compared to Bradford (~£429/month). Bills include council tax, energy, water, broadband, and insurance estimates.

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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.