Town comparison
Buckingham vs Middleton Cheney
Which is better to live in? 13.1 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Overall, Buckingham offers lower property prices by roughly 6%. Buckingham has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Buckingham edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Buckingham
£450,558
Middleton Cheney
£478,921
Crime Rate
Buckingham
59.2
Middleton Cheney
97.6
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Buckingham
100.0%
Middleton Cheney
100.0%
Avg Download Speed
Buckingham
389.6
Middleton Cheney
401.2
EPC Rating
Buckingham
71.2
Middleton Cheney
71.5
Median Income
Buckingham
£35,777
Middleton Cheney
£33,122
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in South EastThe average house price in Buckingham is £450,558, which is 6% less than Middleton Cheney at £478,921. The most affordable entry point in Buckingham is a flat at £207,655, while in Middleton Cheney it is a flat at £310,000.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: flat homes are 33% pricier in Middleton Cheney (£310,000 vs £207,655).
Price Trend (11 Years)
Over the last 9 years, Buckingham prices grew faster — 28% vs 26%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in South EastCrime is lower in Buckingham (59.2 per 1,000) compared to Middleton Cheney (97.6 per 1,000), a 65% difference. The most common crime category in Buckingham is violent-crime, while in Middleton Cheney it is violent-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Both towns share the same top crime category: violent crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in South EastBuckingham has 100% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 100% in Middleton Cheney. Buckingham has 7 schools in total, while Middleton Cheney has 2.
Buckingham School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 7 schools (5 primary, 2 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Middleton Cheney School Inspection Breakdown
100% of 2 schools (1 primary, 1 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Buckingham | Middleton Cheney |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 7 | 2 |
| Primary | 5 | 1 |
| Secondary | 2 | 1 |
| % Top two bands | 100% | 100% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Middleton Cheney offers faster average downloads at 401.2 Mbps, compared to 389.6 Mbps in Buckingham. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 87.9% of premises in Buckingham and 93% in Middleton Cheney. Gigabit availability stands at 75.5% in Buckingham and 76.3% in Middleton Cheney.
Middleton Cheney is the faster of the two by 3% on average download speed (401 vs 390 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Middleton Cheney are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 71.5 (band C) versus 71.2 (band C) in Buckingham. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,214 in Buckingham and £1,267 in Middleton Cheney. 68% of homes in Buckingham have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 66.1% in Middleton Cheney.
Buckingham has more energy-efficient housing — 68% reach band C or above, vs 66.1% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £35,776.5 in Buckingham and £33,121.7 in Middleton Cheney. The median age is 42.9 in Buckingham and 44.1 in Middleton Cheney. Employment rates stand at 63.3% in Buckingham and 62.3% in Middleton Cheney. Owner-occupancy is 67.5% in Buckingham versus 66.9% in Middleton Cheney.
| Indicator | Buckingham | Middleton Cheney |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,296 | 4,127 |
| Median Age | 42.9 | 44.1 |
| Median Household Income | £35,776.5 | £33,121.7 |
| Employment Rate | 63.3% | 62.3% |
| Owner Occupied | 67.5% | 66.9% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 38% | 35.5% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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