Town comparison
Bath vs Bristol
Which is better to live in? 11.1 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Property in Bristol is about 38% cheaper on average. Bristol has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Bath edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Bath
£603,871
Bristol
£438,474
Crime Rate
Bath
63.9
Bristol
46.8
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Bath
91.3%
Bristol
86.2%
Avg Download Speed
Bath
234.4
Bristol
500
EPC Rating
Bath
71
Bristol
71.3
Median Income
Bath
£33,027
Bristol
£32,799
House Prices (2025)
The average house price in Bristol is £438,474, which is 38% less than Bath at £603,871. The most affordable entry point in Bath is a flat at £352,975, while in Bristol it is a flat at £278,270.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: detached homes are 52% pricier in Bath (£930,941 vs £612,227).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Bristol prices grew faster — 38% vs 20%.
Crime & Safety
With 46.8 offences per 1,000 people, Bristol is the safer of the two – 37% lower than Bath's 63.9 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Bath is violent-crime, while in Bristol it is violent-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.
Schools & Education
Bath has 91.3% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 86.2% in Bristol. Bath has 28 schools in total, while Bristol has 115.
Bath School Inspection Breakdown
91.3% of 28 schools (22 primary, 6 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Bristol School Inspection Breakdown
86.2% of 115 schools (93 primary, 22 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Bath | Bristol |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 28 | 115 |
| Primary | 22 | 93 |
| Secondary | 6 | 22 |
| % Top two bands | 91.3% | 86.2% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Bristol offers faster average downloads at 500.0 Mbps, compared to 234.4 Mbps in Bath. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 86.8% of premises in Bath and 100% in Bristol. Gigabit availability stands at 32.8% in Bath and 100% in Bristol.
Bristol is the faster of the two by 113% on average download speed (500 vs 234 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Bristol are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 71.3 (band C) versus 71 (band C) in Bath. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,175 in Bath and £1,044 in Bristol. 64.8% of homes in Bath have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 66.3% in Bristol.
Bristol has more energy-efficient housing — 66.3% reach band C or above, vs 64.8% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £33,026.5 in Bath and £32,799 in Bristol. The median age is 43.1 in Bath and 38.2 in Bristol. Employment rates stand at 58.9% in Bath and 61.2% in Bristol. Owner-occupancy is 68.8% in Bath versus 54% in Bristol.
| Indicator | Bath | Bristol |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 94,080 | 425,196 |
| Median Age | 43.1 | 38.2 |
| Median Household Income | £33,026.5 | £32,799 |
| Employment Rate | 58.9% | 61.2% |
| Owner Occupied | 68.8% | 54% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 36.4% | 42.1% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are Bath and Bristol?
Which is cheaper to buy a house in, Bath or Bristol?
Is Bath or Bristol safer?
Which has better schools, Bath or Bristol?
Which has faster broadband, Bath or Bristol?
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