Accrington vs Barrowford
Which is better to live in? Distance: 9.0 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Accrington offers lower property prices by roughly 26%. Barrowford has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Barrowford edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Accrington
£145,475
Barrowford
£195,365
Crime Rate
Accrington
93.3
Barrowford
69.0
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Accrington
70.0%
Barrowford
100.0%
Avg Download Speed
Accrington
442.6
Barrowford
445.5
EPC Rating
Accrington
69.1
Barrowford
69.2
Median Income
Accrington
£29,973
Barrowford
£29,992
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in North WestThe average house price in Accrington is £145,475, which is 26% less than Barrowford at £195,365. The most affordable entry point in Accrington is a flat at £94,333, while in Barrowford it is a flat at £101,450.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: terraced homes are 30% pricier in Barrowford (£146,035 vs £102,513).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Barrowford prices grew faster — 15% vs 9%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in North WestCrime is lower in Barrowford (69 per 1,000) compared to Accrington (93.3 per 1,000), a 35% difference. The most common crime category in Accrington is violent-crime, while in Barrowford it is violent-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in North WestBarrowford has 100% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 70% in Accrington. Accrington has 14 schools in total, while Barrowford has 3.
Accrington School Inspection Breakdown
70% of 14 schools (11 primary, 3 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Barrowford School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 3 schools (3 primary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Accrington | Barrowford |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 14 | 3 |
| Primary | 11 | 3 |
| Secondary | 3 | 0 |
| % Top two bands | 70% | 100% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Barrowford offers faster average downloads at 445.5 Mbps, compared to 442.6 Mbps in Accrington. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 96.7% of premises in Accrington and 96.4% in Barrowford. Gigabit availability stands at 85.4% in Accrington and 87.4% in Barrowford.
Barrowford is the faster of the two by 1% on average download speed (446 vs 443 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Barrowford are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 69.2 (band C) versus 69.1 (band C) in Accrington. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,326 in Accrington and £1,386 in Barrowford. 58% of homes in Accrington have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 55.6% in Barrowford.
Accrington has more energy-efficient housing — 58% reach band C or above, vs 55.6% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £29,992 in Barrowford and £29,972.5 in Accrington. The median age is 42.5 in Accrington and 44.5 in Barrowford. Employment rates stand at 56% in Accrington and 55.9% in Barrowford. Owner-occupancy is 65.5% in Accrington versus 70.2% in Barrowford.
| Indicator | Accrington | Barrowford |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,897 | 5,887 |
| Median Age | 42.5 | 44.5 |
| Median Household Income | £29,972.5 | £29,992 |
| Employment Rate | 56% | 55.9% |
| Owner Occupied | 65.5% | 70.2% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 27.9% | 32.5% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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