Bo'ness vs Livingston
Which is better to live in? Distance: 8.9 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Bo'ness offers lower property prices by roughly 24%. Livingston has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Bo'ness edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Bo'ness
£165,479
Livingston
£217,827
Crime Rate
Bo'ness
833.5
Livingston
220.9
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Bo'ness
94.7%
Livingston
91.5%
Avg Download Speed
Bo'ness
461.9
Livingston
434.9
EPC Rating
Bo'ness
47.9
Livingston
58.3
Median Income
Bo'ness
£35,454
Livingston
£33,323
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in ScotlandBuyers will find Bo'ness more wallet-friendly, where the average price is £165,479 versus £217,827 in Livingston. The most affordable entry point in Bo'ness is a flat at £99,408, while in Livingston it is a flat at £123,221.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: flat homes are 19% pricier in Livingston (£123,221 vs £99,408).
Price Trend (23 Years)
Over the last 21 years, Bo'ness prices grew faster — 144% vs 142%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in ScotlandWith 220.9 offences per 1,000 people, Livingston is the safer of the two – 277% lower than Bo'ness's 833.5 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Bo'ness is other-crime, while in Livingston it is violent-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Bo'ness's most common crime is other crime; in Livingston it's violent crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in ScotlandSchool quality favours Bo'ness: 94.7% of its schools are in the top two inspection bands, compared with 91.5% in Livingston.
Bo'ness School Inspection Breakdown
94.7% of 59 schools (50 primary, 9 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Livingston School Inspection Breakdown
91.5% of 86 schools (73 primary, 13 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Bo'ness | Livingston |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 59 | 86 |
| Primary | 50 | 73 |
| Secondary | 9 | 13 |
| % Top two bands | 94.7% | 91.5% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Internet users in Bo'ness enjoy 461.9 Mbps on average, while Livingston lags behind at 434.9 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 98.8% of premises in Bo'ness and 94.9% in Livingston. Gigabit availability stands at 90.9% in Bo'ness and 84.3% in Livingston.
Bo'ness is the faster of the two by 6% on average download speed (462 vs 435 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
The average EPC rating in Livingston is band D (score 58.3), ahead of Bo'ness's band E (score 47.9). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,490 in Bo'ness and £1,486 in Livingston. 38.6% of homes in Bo'ness have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 50.2% in Livingston.
Livingston has more energy-efficient housing — 50.2% reach band C or above, vs 38.6% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Bo'ness has a population of 14,760 while Livingston has 65,810. Median household income is £35,454 in Bo'ness and £33,323 in Livingston. The median age is 37.6 in Bo'ness and 41.5 in Livingston. Employment rates stand at 76% in Bo'ness and 73.6% in Livingston.
| Indicator | Bo'ness | Livingston |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,760 | 65,810 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 41.5 |
| Median Household Income | £35,454 | £33,323 |
| Employment Rate | 76% | 73.6% |
| Owner Occupied | 55.5% | 63.7% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 33.6% | 34.3% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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