Town comparison
Barnoldswick vs Burnley
Which is better to live in? 9.0 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Overall, Burnley offers lower property prices by roughly 18%. Barnoldswick has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Burnley edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Barnoldswick
£185,134
Burnley
£157,066
Crime Rate
Barnoldswick
27.9
Burnley
103.3
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Barnoldswick
80.0%
Burnley
82.6%
Avg Download Speed
Barnoldswick
447.3
Burnley
426.9
EPC Rating
Barnoldswick
70
Burnley
70.6
Median Income
Barnoldswick
£29,567
Burnley
£29,740
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in North WestThe average house price in Burnley is £157,066, which is 18% less than Barnoldswick at £185,134. The most affordable entry point in Barnoldswick is a flat at £116,000, while in Burnley it is a terraced at £97,493.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: terraced homes are 52% pricier in Barnoldswick (£148,535 vs £97,493).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Barnoldswick prices grew faster — 30% vs 30%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in North WestCrime is lower in Barnoldswick (27.9 per 1,000) compared to Burnley (103.3 per 1,000), a 270% difference. The most common crime category in Barnoldswick is violent-crime, while in Burnley 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 WestBurnley has 82.6% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 80% in Barnoldswick. Barnoldswick has 5 schools in total, while Burnley has 27.
Barnoldswick School Inspection Breakdown
80% of 5 schools (4 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Burnley School Inspection Breakdown
82.6% of 27 schools (23 primary, 4 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Barnoldswick | Burnley |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 5 | 27 |
| Primary | 4 | 23 |
| Secondary | 1 | 4 |
| % Top two bands | 80% | 82.6% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Barnoldswick offers faster average downloads at 447.3 Mbps, compared to 426.9 Mbps in Burnley. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 96% of premises in Barnoldswick and 94.3% in Burnley. Gigabit availability stands at 87.8% in Barnoldswick and 83% in Burnley.
Barnoldswick is the faster of the two by 5% on average download speed (447 vs 427 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Burnley are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 70.6 (band C) versus 70 (band C) in Barnoldswick. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,427 in Barnoldswick and £1,120 in Burnley. 58.8% of homes in Barnoldswick have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 64.1% in Burnley.
Burnley has more energy-efficient housing — 64.1% reach band C or above, vs 58.8% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £29,740 in Burnley and £29,566.6 in Barnoldswick. The median age is 47.3 in Barnoldswick and 41.5 in Burnley. Employment rates stand at 56.4% in Barnoldswick and 53.2% in Burnley. Owner-occupancy is 67.9% in Barnoldswick versus 59.8% in Burnley.
| Indicator | Barnoldswick | Burnley |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,591 | 78,266 |
| Median Age | 47.3 | 41.5 |
| Median Household Income | £29,566.6 | £29,740 |
| Employment Rate | 56.4% | 53.2% |
| Owner Occupied | 67.9% | 59.8% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 33.1% | 24.3% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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