Carlisle vs Harrogate

Which is better to live in? (2026)

54

Carlisle

North West

Grade C
63

Harrogate

Yorkshire and The Humber

Grade CHigher Overall
Carlisle: 1 wins|Harrogate: 6 wins

Carlisle (North West) and Harrogate (Yorkshire and The Humber) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Carlisle rates 54/100 (grade C) and Harrogate rates 63/100 (grade C). Harrogate is the safer of the two on crime (48/100 versus 25/100). Harrogate has the stronger schools, with 67% of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. 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.

Carlisle vs Harrogate: Category Comparison

Carlisle
Category
Harrogate
54/100
๐Ÿ†Overall Score
BETTER63/100
25/100
๐Ÿ”’Crime Safety
BETTER48/100
53% Good/Outstanding
๐ŸŽ“Schools
BETTER67% Good/Outstanding
82/100
๐Ÿš†Transport
BETTER85/100
79/100
๐Ÿ’ทAffordability
BETTER87/100
~ยฃ444/mo
๐ŸงพMonthly Bills
~ยฃ444/mo
74/100BETTER
๐Ÿ“ถBroadband
70/100
25/100
๐ŸŒฟEnvironment
25/100
33/100
๐ŸฅHealthcare
BETTER48/100

Our Verdict

Harrogate leads in 5 of 8 categories, scoring higher for crime safety, schools, transport. That said, Carlisle has the edge in broadband, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Carlisle or Harrogate better to live in?

Harrogate leads in 5 of 8 categories, scoring higher for crime safety, schools, transport. That said, Carlisle has the edge in broadband, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Is Carlisle safer than Harrogate?

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

Which has better schools, Carlisle or Harrogate?

Carlisle has 15 schools within 3km, with 53% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Harrogate has 15 schools nearby, with 67% rated Good or Outstanding.

Is it cheaper to live in Carlisle or Harrogate?

Monthly bills are similar in both areas (~ยฃ444/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.