Glasgow vs York

Which is better to live in? (2026)

72

Glasgow

Grade BHigher Overall
60

York

Yorkshire and The Humber

Grade C
Glasgow: 7 wins|York: 2 wins

Glasgow () and York (Yorkshire and The Humber) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Glasgow rates 72/100 (grade B) and York rates 60/100 (grade C). Glasgow is the safer of the two on crime (72/100 versus 25/100). York has the stronger schools, with 67% of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Glasgow works out cheaper for typical monthly household bills (~£371 versus ~£423). 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.

Glasgow vs York: Category Comparison

Glasgow
Category
York
72/100BETTER
🏆Overall Score
60/100
72/100BETTER
🔒Crime Safety
25/100
0% Good/OutstandingBETTER
🎓Schools
67% Good/Outstanding
60/100
🚆Transport
BETTER88/100
72/100
💷Affordability
BETTER79/100
~£371/moBETTER
🧾Monthly Bills
~£423/mo
75/100BETTER
📶Broadband
70/100
87/100BETTER
🌿Environment
41/100
72/100BETTER
🏥Healthcare
56/100

Our Verdict

Glasgow comes out ahead in 6 of 8 categories, with particular strengths in crime safety, schools, broadband. However, York performs better in transport and affordability, so the best choice depends on your priorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Glasgow or York better to live in?

Glasgow comes out ahead in 6 of 8 categories, with particular strengths in crime safety, schools, broadband. However, York performs better in transport and affordability, so the best choice depends on your priorities.

Is Glasgow safer than York?

Glasgow scores higher for crime safety (72/100) compared to York (25/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.

Which has better schools, Glasgow or York?

Glasgow has 0 schools within 3km, with 0% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. York has 15 schools nearby, with 67% rated Good or Outstanding.

Is it cheaper to live in Glasgow or York?

Estimated monthly bills are lower in Glasgow (~£371/month) compared to York (~£423/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.