Lincoln vs York

Which is better to live in? (2026)

57

Lincoln

East Midlands

Grade C
60

York

Yorkshire and The Humber

Grade CHigher Overall
Lincoln: 1 wins|York: 5 wins

Lincoln (East Midlands) and York (Yorkshire and The Humber) 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 York rates 60/100 (grade C). Lincoln is the safer of the two on crime (41/100 versus 25/100). 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 York: Category Comparison

Lincoln
Category
York
57/100
๐Ÿ†Overall Score
BETTER60/100
41/100BETTER
๐Ÿ”’Crime Safety
25/100
67% Good/Outstanding
๐ŸŽ“Schools
67% Good/Outstanding
84/100
๐Ÿš†Transport
BETTER88/100
56/100
๐Ÿ’ทAffordability
BETTER79/100
~ยฃ423/mo
๐ŸงพMonthly Bills
~ยฃ423/mo
70/100
๐Ÿ“ถBroadband
70/100
33/100
๐ŸŒฟEnvironment
BETTER41/100
41/100
๐ŸฅHealthcare
BETTER56/100

Our Verdict

York leads in 4 of 8 categories, scoring higher for transport, affordability, environment. That said, Lincoln has the edge in crime safety and energy efficiency, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lincoln or York better to live in?

York leads in 4 of 8 categories, scoring higher for transport, affordability, environment. That said, Lincoln has the edge in crime safety and energy efficiency, making it a strong option depending on what matters most to you.

Is Lincoln safer than York?

Lincoln scores higher for crime safety (41/100) compared to York (25/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.

Which has better schools, Lincoln or York?

Lincoln 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 Lincoln or York?

Monthly bills are similar in both areas (~ยฃ423/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.