Find and compare places to live in England
House prices are only the beginning. Understand the schools, local crime, flood mapping and practical details behind a move.
Not sure which town? Browse by county or local authority
Free town guides, built from public data. See where the numbers come from
A useful shortlist.
Not a single “best” town.
See the evidence in context, with dates, sample sizes and sources alongside the figures.
Then check the exact address. A town guide cannot replace school admission checks, flood enquiries or a property survey.
Different places. Different priorities.
There is no single “best” town for everyone. Compare a specific measure, then read the local guide to understand what the numbers do—and do not—tell you.
Sold prices
Compare median sale prices, with the number of sales behind each figure.
Recorded crime
Compare recorded incidents per 1,000 residents, with population shown.
Gigabit availability
Compare the share of premises with gigabit-capable broadband.
School ratings
Compare historical school grades, adjusted for the number of rated schools.
Flood-zone coverage
Explore groups by the share of town land in Flood Zone 3.
EPC ratings
Compare recorded energy ratings, with the number of properties included.
Surface-water coverage
Explore mapped high-or-medium surface-water land coverage.
Research a move with more confidence
Our practical articles explain how to compare places, read the figures and know when a town-wide number cannot answer an address-level question.
Explore larger areas
Start with eight directories that open the greatest number of town guides. They are selected for breadth, not presented as England’s most popular places.
A useful starting point, not the final answer.
Use Kerbside to make a shortlist and ask better questions. Each town guide brings the data together with its source, date and limitations.
Get a feel for the place
Read the overview and its geography. Town boundaries and local-authority areas are not always the same.
Look behind the headline
Check sample sizes, dates and the detail behind prices, school grades and recorded crime.
Check the address
Flood exposure, broadband, school admissions and the condition of a home need their own checks.