Lincoln vs Plymouth

Which is better to live in? (2026)

57

Lincoln

East Midlands

Grade CHigher Overall
52

Plymouth

South West

Grade D
Lincoln: 7 wins|Plymouth: 2 wins

Lincoln (East Midlands) and Plymouth (South West) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Lincoln rates 57/100 (grade C) and Plymouth rates 52/100 (grade D). Lincoln is the safer of the two on crime (41/100 versus 33/100). 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 ~£445). 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.

Lincoln vs Plymouth: Category Comparison

Lincoln
Category
Plymouth
57/100BETTER
🏆Overall Score
52/100
41/100BETTER
🔒Crime Safety
33/100
67% Good/OutstandingBETTER
🎓Schools
47% Good/Outstanding
84/100
🚆Transport
BETTER89/100
56/100BETTER
💷Affordability
48/100
~£423/moBETTER
🧾Monthly Bills
~£445/mo
70/100BETTER
📶Broadband
65/100
33/100
🌿Environment
BETTER48/100
41/100BETTER
🏥Healthcare
25/100

Our Verdict

Lincoln comes out ahead in 5 of 8 categories, with particular strengths in crime safety, schools, affordability. However, Plymouth performs better in transport and environment, so the best choice depends on your priorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lincoln or Plymouth better to live in?

Lincoln comes out ahead in 5 of 8 categories, with particular strengths in crime safety, schools, affordability. However, Plymouth performs better in transport and environment, so the best choice depends on your priorities.

Is Lincoln safer than Plymouth?

Lincoln scores higher for crime safety (41/100) compared to Plymouth (33/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.

Which has better schools, Lincoln or Plymouth?

Lincoln has 15 schools within 3km, with 67% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Plymouth has 15 schools nearby, with 47% rated Good or Outstanding.

Is it cheaper to live in Lincoln or Plymouth?

Estimated monthly bills are lower in Lincoln (~£423/month) compared to Plymouth (~£445/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.