Beith vs Houston
Which is better to live in? Distance: 8.6 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Beith offers lower property prices by roughly 16%. Beith has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Houston edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Beith
£132,002
Houston
£156,798
Crime Rate
Beith
1963.9
Houston
2356.6
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Beith
90.9%
Houston
94.8%
Avg Download Speed
Beith
388.8
Houston
373.1
EPC Rating
Beith
58.8
Houston
56.2
Median Income
Beith
£32,455
Houston
£29,661
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in ScotlandBuyers will find Beith more wallet-friendly, where the average price is £132,002 versus £156,798 in Houston. The most affordable entry point in Beith is a flat at £84,787, while in Houston it is a flat at £102,343.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: semi-detached homes are 28% pricier in Houston (£213,451 vs £153,043).
Price Trend (23 Years)
Over the last 21 years, Houston prices grew faster — 119% vs 105%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in ScotlandCrime is lower in Beith (1,963.9 per 1,000) compared to Houston (2,356.6 per 1,000), a 20% difference. The most common crime category in Beith is other-crime, while in Houston it is other-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Both towns share the same top crime category: other crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in ScotlandSchool quality favours Houston: 94.8% of its schools are in the top two inspection bands, compared with 90.9% in Beith.
Beith School Inspection Breakdown
90.9% of 59 schools (51 primary, 8 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Houston School Inspection Breakdown
94.8% of 63 schools (52 primary, 11 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Beith | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 59 | 63 |
| Primary | 51 | 52 |
| Secondary | 8 | 11 |
| % Top two bands | 90.9% | 94.8% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Internet users in Beith enjoy 388.8 Mbps on average, while Houston lags behind at 373.1 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 83.7% of premises in Beith and 85.5% in Houston. Gigabit availability stands at 76% in Beith and 72.2% in Houston.
Beith is the faster of the two by 4% on average download speed (389 vs 373 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
The average EPC rating in Beith is band D (score 58.8), ahead of Houston's band D (score 56.2). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,365 in Beith and £1,371 in Houston. 54.3% of homes in Beith have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 43% in Houston.
Beith has more energy-efficient housing — 54.3% reach band C or above, vs 43% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Beith has a population of 6,040 while Houston has 6,430. Median household income is £32,455 in Beith and £29,661 in Houston. The median age is 41.7 in Beith and 40.7 in Houston. Employment rates stand at 77.5% in Beith and 74% in Houston.
| Indicator | Beith | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,040 | 6,430 |
| Median Age | 41.7 | 40.7 |
| Median Household Income | £32,455 | £29,661 |
| Employment Rate | 77.5% | 74% |
| Owner Occupied | 61.7% | 63.8% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 25% | 22.3% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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