Chester (North West) and Plymouth (South West) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Chester rates 60/100 (grade C) and Plymouth rates 52/100 (grade D). Plymouth is the safer of the two on crime (33/100 versus 25/100). Chester has the stronger schools, with 73% 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.
Chester vs Plymouth: Category Comparison
Our Verdict
Chester and Plymouth are closely matched overall. Chester performs better in schools and affordability, while Plymouth has the advantage in crime safety and transport. Your ideal choice depends on which factors matter most to your lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chester or Plymouth better to live in?
Chester and Plymouth are closely matched overall. Chester performs better in schools and affordability, while Plymouth has the advantage in crime safety and transport. Your ideal choice depends on which factors matter most to your lifestyle.
Is Chester safer than Plymouth?
Plymouth scores higher for crime safety (33/100) compared to Chester (25/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.
Which has better schools, Chester or Plymouth?
Chester has 15 schools within 3km, with 73% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Plymouth has 15 schools nearby, with 47% rated Good or Outstanding.
Is it cheaper to live in Chester or Plymouth?
Monthly bills are similar in both areas (~£445/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.