Bacup vs Church
Which is better to live in? Distance: 8.4 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Church offers lower property prices by roughly 72%. Bacup has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Church edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Bacup
£190,117
Church
£110,775
Crime Rate
Bacup
64.2
Church
93.5
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Bacup
83.3%
Church
100.0%
Avg Download Speed
Bacup
230
Church
442.6
EPC Rating
Bacup
69.3
Church
69.1
Median Income
Bacup
£30,420
Church
£29,973
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in North WestThe average house price in Church is £110,775, which is 72% less than Bacup at £190,117. The most affordable entry point in Bacup is a terraced at £120,647, while in Church it is a flat at £48,000.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: detached homes are 62% pricier in Bacup (£336,056 vs £208,000).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Bacup prices grew faster — 57% vs 25%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in North WestWith 64.2 offences per 1,000 people, Bacup is the safer of the two – 46% lower than Church's 93.5 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Bacup is violent-crime, while in Church 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 WestChurch has 100% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 83.3% in Bacup. Bacup has 6 schools in total, while Church has 3.
Bacup School Inspection Breakdown
83.3% of 6 schools (6 primary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Church School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 3 schools (2 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Bacup | Church |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 6 | 3 |
| Primary | 6 | 2 |
| Secondary | 0 | 1 |
| % Top two bands | 83.3% | 100% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Church offers faster average downloads at 442.6 Mbps, compared to 230.0 Mbps in Bacup. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 91.2% of premises in Bacup and 96.7% in Church. Gigabit availability stands at 23.4% in Bacup and 85.4% in Church.
Church is the faster of the two by 92% on average download speed (443 vs 230 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Bacup are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 69.3 (band C) versus 69.1 (band C) in Church. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,398 in Bacup and £1,326 in Church. 59.9% of homes in Bacup have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 58% in Church.
Bacup has more energy-efficient housing — 59.9% reach band C or above, vs 58% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £30,420 in Bacup and £29,972.5 in Church. The median age is 43.3 in Bacup and 42.5 in Church. Employment rates stand at 57.8% in Bacup and 56% in Church. Owner-occupancy is 67.9% in Bacup versus 65.5% in Church.
| Indicator | Bacup | Church |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,194 | 5,231 |
| Median Age | 43.3 | 42.5 |
| Median Household Income | £30,420 | £29,972.5 |
| Employment Rate | 57.8% | 56% |
| Owner Occupied | 67.9% | 65.5% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 30.7% | 27.9% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are Bacup and Church?
Which is cheaper to buy a house in, Bacup or Church?
Is Bacup or Church safer?
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