Bearwood vs Merley

Property in Merley commands an average of £446,910, compared with £292,602 in Bearwood – a difference of 35%. The most affordable entry point in Bearwood is a flat at £160,500, while in Merley it is a flat at £192,000.

Residents of Bearwood experience less crime overall, with a rate of 56.6 per 1,000 versus 57 per 1,000 in Merley. The most common crime category in Bearwood is violent-crime, while in Merley it is violent-crime.

Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)

→Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.

Families may prefer Bearwood, where 100% of schools are in the top two inspection bands versus 100% in Merley. There are 1 schools in Bearwood and 1 in Merley.

Broadband & Connectivity

Average broadband speeds are 479.7 Mbps in Bearwood and 379.8 Mbps in Merley. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 99.4% of premises in Bearwood and 91.7% in Merley. Gigabit availability stands at 94.9% in Bearwood and 72.4% in Merley.

→Bearwood is the faster of the two by 26% on average download speed (480 vs 380 Mbps).

Energy Efficiency & Running Costs

Bearwood leads on energy efficiency with an average EPC score of 69.8 (C), while Merley averages 69 (C). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,117 in Bearwood and £1,246 in Merley. 63% of homes in Bearwood have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 59.5% in Merley.

→Bearwood has more energy-efficient housing — 63% reach band C or above, vs 59.5% in the other.

Demographics & Economy

Median household income is £30,213 in Bearwood and £29,961 in Merley. The median age is 45.5 in Bearwood and 48.3 in Merley. Owner-occupancy is 62.8% in Bearwood versus 66.6% in Merley. Employment rates stand at 55.5% in Bearwood and 53.8% in Merley.

Location