Darvel vs Strathaven
Which is better to live in? Distance: 9.6 miles apart.
The verdict
Overall, Darvel offers lower property prices by roughly 27%. Darvel has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Strathaven edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Darvel
£127,807
Strathaven
£175,976
Crime Rate
Darvel
2649.2
Strathaven
3532.8
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Darvel
68.2%
Strathaven
87.8%
Avg Download Speed
Darvel
396.7
Strathaven
318.2
EPC Rating
Darvel
58.5
Strathaven
57.7
Median Income
Darvel
£27,064
Strathaven
£31,131
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in ScotlandBuyers will find Darvel more wallet-friendly, where the average price is £127,807 versus £175,976 in Strathaven. The most affordable entry point in Darvel is a flat at £73,235, while in Strathaven it is a flat at £101,671.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: semi-detached homes are 33% pricier in Strathaven (£210,467 vs £140,569).
Price Trend (23 Years)
Over the last 21 years, Strathaven prices grew faster — 125% vs 102%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in ScotlandCrime is lower in Darvel (2,649.2 per 1,000) compared to Strathaven (3,532.8 per 1,000), a 33% difference. The most common crime category in Darvel is other-crime, while in Strathaven 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 Strathaven: 87.8% of its schools are in the top two inspection bands, compared with 68.2% in Darvel.
Darvel School Inspection Breakdown
68.2% of 54 schools (47 primary, 7 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Strathaven School Inspection Breakdown
87.8% of 151 schools (132 primary, 19 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Darvel | Strathaven |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 54 | 151 |
| Primary | 47 | 132 |
| Secondary | 7 | 19 |
| % Top two bands | 68.2% | 87.8% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Internet users in Darvel enjoy 396.7 Mbps on average, while Strathaven lags behind at 318.2 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 97.2% of premises in Darvel and 95.3% in Strathaven. Gigabit availability stands at 75.8% in Darvel and 57.5% in Strathaven.
Darvel is the faster of the two by 25% on average download speed (397 vs 318 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
The average EPC rating in Darvel is band D (score 58.5), ahead of Strathaven's band D (score 57.7). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,480 in Darvel and £1,289 in Strathaven. 54.3% of homes in Darvel have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 63.6% in Strathaven.
Strathaven has more energy-efficient housing — 63.6% reach band C or above, vs 54.3% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Darvel has a population of 3,940 while Strathaven has 7,350. Median household income is £31,131 in Strathaven and £27,064 in Darvel. The median age is 41.6 in Darvel and 41.3 in Strathaven. Employment rates stand at 74.5% in Darvel and 73.2% in Strathaven.
| Indicator | Darvel | Strathaven |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,940 | 7,350 |
| Median Age | 41.6 | 41.3 |
| Median Household Income | £27,064 | £31,131 |
| Employment Rate | 74.5% | 73.2% |
| Owner Occupied | 62.3% | 52.1% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 30.2% | 29.8% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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