Bo'ness vs Whitburn
Which is better to live in? Distance: 10.6 miles apart.
The verdict
Property in Bo'ness is about 24% cheaper on average. Bo'ness has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Bo'ness edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Bo'ness
£165,479
Whitburn
£217,827
Crime Rate
Bo'ness
833.5
Whitburn
1195.3
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Bo'ness
94.7%
Whitburn
91.5%
Avg Download Speed
Bo'ness
461.9
Whitburn
462.9
EPC Rating
Bo'ness
47.9
Whitburn
65.3
Median Income
Bo'ness
£35,454
Whitburn
£30,362
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in ScotlandThe average house price in Bo'ness is £165,479, which is 24% less than Whitburn at £217,827. The most affordable entry point in Bo'ness is a flat at £99,408, while in Whitburn it is a flat at £123,221.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: flat homes are 19% pricier in Whitburn (£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 ScotlandCrime is lower in Bo'ness (833.5 per 1,000) compared to Whitburn (1,195.3 per 1,000), a 43% difference. The most common crime category in Bo'ness is other-crime, while in Whitburn it is violent-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Bo'ness's most common crime is other crime; in Whitburn it's violent crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in ScotlandBo'ness has 94.7% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 91.5% in Whitburn. Bo'ness has 59 schools in total, while Whitburn has 86.
Bo'ness School Inspection Breakdown
94.7% of 59 schools (50 primary, 9 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Whitburn School Inspection Breakdown
91.5% of 86 schools (73 primary, 13 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Bo'ness | Whitburn |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 59 | 86 |
| Primary | 50 | 73 |
| Secondary | 9 | 13 |
| % Top two bands | 94.7% | 91.5% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Whitburn offers faster average downloads at 462.9 Mbps, compared to 461.9 Mbps in Bo'ness. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 98.8% of premises in Bo'ness and 98.5% in Whitburn. Gigabit availability stands at 90.9% in Bo'ness and 91.4% in Whitburn.
Whitburn is the faster of the two by 0% on average download speed (463 vs 462 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Whitburn are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 65.3 (band D) versus 47.9 (band E) in Bo'ness. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,490 in Bo'ness and £1,515 in Whitburn. 38.6% of homes in Bo'ness have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 40.9% in Whitburn.
Whitburn has more energy-efficient housing — 40.9% reach band C or above, vs 38.6% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £35,454 in Bo'ness and £30,362 in Whitburn. The median age is 37.6 in Bo'ness and 44.1 in Whitburn. Employment rates stand at 76% in Bo'ness and 70.7% in Whitburn. Owner-occupancy is 55.5% in Bo'ness versus 64.4% in Whitburn.
| Indicator | Bo'ness | Whitburn |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,760 | 12,160 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 44.1 |
| Median Household Income | £35,454 | £30,362 |
| Employment Rate | 76% | 70.7% |
| Owner Occupied | 55.5% | 64.4% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 33.6% | 26.6% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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