Town comparison
Ashbourne vs Leek
Which is better to live in? 14.2 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Overall, Leek offers lower property prices by roughly 94%. Ashbourne has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Ashbourne edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Ashbourne
£449,634
Leek
£232,024
Crime Rate
Ashbourne
45.1
Leek
55.4
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Ashbourne
100.0%
Leek
71.4%
Avg Download Speed
Ashbourne
243.9
Leek
364.7
EPC Rating
Ashbourne
69.4
Leek
67.2
Median Income
Ashbourne
£31,239
Leek
£29,976
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in East MidlandsThe average house price in Leek is £232,024, which is 94% less than Ashbourne at £449,634. The most affordable entry point in Ashbourne is a flat at £197,960, while in Leek it is a flat at £100,524.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: flat homes are 97% pricier in Ashbourne (£197,960 vs £100,524).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Ashbourne prices grew faster — 48% vs 26%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in East MidlandsCrime is lower in Ashbourne (45.1 per 1,000) compared to Leek (55.4 per 1,000), a 23% difference. The most common crime category in Ashbourne is violent-crime, while in Leek 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 East MidlandsAshbourne has 100% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 71.4% in Leek. Ashbourne has 3 schools in total, while Leek has 10.
Ashbourne School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 3 schools (2 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Leek School Inspection Breakdown
71.4% of 10 schools (6 primary, 4 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Ashbourne | Leek |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 3 | 10 |
| Primary | 2 | 6 |
| Secondary | 1 | 4 |
| % Top two bands | 100% | 71.4% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Leek offers faster average downloads at 364.7 Mbps, compared to 243.9 Mbps in Ashbourne. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 79.9% of premises in Ashbourne and 82.6% in Leek. Gigabit availability stands at 42.1% in Ashbourne and 70.5% in Leek.
Leek is the faster of the two by 50% on average download speed (365 vs 244 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Ashbourne are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 69.4 (band C) versus 67.2 (band C) in Leek. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,301 in Ashbourne and £1,457 in Leek. 58.2% of homes in Ashbourne have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 50.5% in Leek.
Ashbourne has more energy-efficient housing — 58.2% reach band C or above, vs 50.5% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £31,239.4 in Ashbourne and £29,976 in Leek. The median age is 46.2 in Ashbourne and 48.6 in Leek. Employment rates stand at 57.7% in Ashbourne and 55.7% in Leek. Owner-occupancy is 72.7% in Ashbourne versus 78.2% in Leek.
| Indicator | Ashbourne | Leek |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,854 | 19,388 |
| Median Age | 46.2 | 48.6 |
| Median Household Income | £31,239.4 | £29,976 |
| Employment Rate | 57.7% | 55.7% |
| Owner Occupied | 72.7% | 78.2% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 31.4% | 28.4% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are Ashbourne and Leek?
Which is cheaper to buy a house in, Ashbourne or Leek?
Is Ashbourne or Leek safer?
Which has better schools, Ashbourne or Leek?
Which has faster broadband, Ashbourne or Leek?
Keep exploring