Darvel vs Hamilton
Which is better to live in? Distance: 14.4 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Darvel offers lower property prices by roughly 27%. Hamilton has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Hamilton edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Darvel
£127,807
Hamilton
£175,976
Crime Rate
Darvel
2649.2
Hamilton
310.1
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Darvel
68.2%
Hamilton
87.8%
Avg Download Speed
Darvel
396.7
Hamilton
439.7
EPC Rating
Darvel
58.5
Hamilton
71.1
Median Income
Darvel
£27,064
Hamilton
£36,521
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in ScotlandThe average house price in Darvel is £127,807, which is 27% less than Hamilton at £175,976. The most affordable entry point in Darvel is a flat at £73,235, while in Hamilton it is a flat at £101,671.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: semi-detached homes are 33% pricier in Hamilton (£210,467 vs £140,569).
Price Trend (23 Years)
Over the last 21 years, Hamilton prices grew faster — 125% vs 102%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in ScotlandWith 310.1 offences per 1,000 people, Hamilton is the safer of the two – 754% lower than Darvel's 2,649.2 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Darvel is other-crime, while in Hamilton 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 ScotlandHamilton has 87.8% of schools in the top two inspection bands, compared to 68.2% in Darvel. Darvel has 54 schools in total, while Hamilton has 151.
Darvel School Inspection Breakdown
68.2% of 54 schools (47 primary, 7 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Hamilton School Inspection Breakdown
87.8% of 151 schools (132 primary, 19 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Darvel | Hamilton |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 54 | 151 |
| Primary | 47 | 132 |
| Secondary | 7 | 19 |
| % Top two bands | 68.2% | 87.8% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Hamilton offers faster average downloads at 439.7 Mbps, compared to 396.7 Mbps in Darvel. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 97.2% of premises in Darvel and 98.3% in Hamilton. Gigabit availability stands at 75.8% in Darvel and 85.8% in Hamilton.
Hamilton is the faster of the two by 11% on average download speed (440 vs 397 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Homes in Hamilton are more energy-efficient on average, with an EPC score of 71.1 (band C) versus 58.5 (band D) in Darvel. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,480 in Darvel and £1,218 in Hamilton. 54.3% of homes in Darvel have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 49.8% in Hamilton.
Darvel has more energy-efficient housing — 54.3% reach band C or above, vs 49.8% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £36,521 in Hamilton and £27,064 in Darvel. The median age is 41.6 in Darvel and 46.3 in Hamilton. Employment rates stand at 74.5% in Darvel and 76.9% in Hamilton. Owner-occupancy is 62.3% in Darvel versus 65.7% in Hamilton.
| Indicator | Darvel | Hamilton |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,940 | 83,730 |
| Median Age | 41.6 | 46.3 |
| Median Household Income | £27,064 | £36,521 |
| Employment Rate | 74.5% | 76.9% |
| Owner Occupied | 62.3% | 65.7% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 30.2% | 27.9% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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