Harrogate vs York

Which is better to live in? (2026)

63

Harrogate

Yorkshire and The Humber

Grade CHigher Overall
60

York

Yorkshire and The Humber

Grade C
Harrogate: 3 wins|York: 4 wins

Harrogate (Yorkshire and The Humber) and York (Yorkshire and The Humber) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Harrogate rates 63/100 (grade C) and York rates 60/100 (grade C). Harrogate is the safer of the two on crime (48/100 versus 25/100). York works out cheaper for typical monthly household bills (~£423 versus ~£444). 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.

Harrogate vs York: Category Comparison

Harrogate
Category
York
63/100BETTER
🏆Overall Score
60/100
48/100BETTER
🔒Crime Safety
25/100
67% Good/Outstanding
🎓Schools
67% Good/Outstanding
85/100
🚆Transport
BETTER88/100
87/100BETTER
💷Affordability
79/100
~£444/mo
🧾Monthly Bills
BETTER~£423/mo
70/100
📶Broadband
70/100
25/100
🌿Environment
BETTER41/100
48/100
🏥Healthcare
BETTER56/100

Our Verdict

York leads in 3 of 8 categories, scoring higher for transport, environment, healthcare. That said, Harrogate has the edge in crime safety and affordability, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Harrogate or York better to live in?

York leads in 3 of 8 categories, scoring higher for transport, environment, healthcare. That said, Harrogate has the edge in crime safety and affordability, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Is Harrogate safer than York?

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

Which has better schools, Harrogate or York?

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

Is it cheaper to live in Harrogate or York?

Estimated monthly bills are lower in York (~£423/month) compared to Harrogate (~£444/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.