Area report
Is Stoke-on-Trent a good place to live?
Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands, England
Report completeness: 75%. Score is based on the categories with data loaded for this area.
In short
Stoke-on-Trent scores 81 out of 100 overall, putting it in the top 1 per cent of the 539 UK areas we have scored. Its biggest lead is affordability, scoring 100 against the English median of 64; its biggest shortfall is education, 16 against 39.
- Nearest scored area: Newcastle-under-Lyme, about 2 miles away, scoring 68.
- Median overall score across the 539 areas in our index: 67 out of 100.
- Report completeness 75 per cent: categories without data are excluded rather than estimated.
How detailed is this report?
Open data is published at different levels of detail, and this report always uses the most granular level available rather than pretending otherwise.
- Point-level for this exact location: Healthcare (facilities within about 2 km, hospitals within about 8 km); Transport (stops within 800 m and the nearest railway station); Air quality (the 1 km grid cell containing this point).
- Council-level, covering all of Stoke-on-Trent: Cost of living, Affordability, Housing, Employment, Broadband, Education. Every postcode and town in the council shares these figures.
- Not scored here: Weather (the nearest Met Office historic station, Shawbury, is 42 km away), too far to describe this location, so it is left out of the overall score.
Research this area further with trusted open data: police.uk street-level crime map, HM Land Registry sold prices, ONS local area profiles, Ofcom broadband checker. This report is open-source intelligence: everything is built from published government and public datasets you can check yourself.
Affordability
Source: HM Land RegistryWith a ten per cent deposit, the average Stoke-on-Trent home needs borrowing of 3.4 times a single UK median full-time salary of £39,039, inside the 4.5 times most lenders will go to, so one median earner can buy here. Try your own figures below.
Guidance only, using standard lending multiples and typical outgoings. Not a mortgage offer or financial advice. TrackPostcode.UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority; always seek independent professional advice before financial decisions.
Housing
Source: HM Land RegistryUK House Price Index for Stoke-on-Trent, all property types. Steady growth scores best; sharp falls and overheating both score lower.
Crime and safety
Source: police.ukCrime data could not be loaded for this location.
Weather and outdoors
Source: Met OfficeNo weather score for Stoke-on-Trent. The nearest Met Office historic station, Shawbury, is 42 km away, beyond the 40 km we accept, so its climate would describe somewhere else. Weather is left out of the overall score here rather than borrowed. Why.
Broadband and mobile
Source: Ofcom Connected NationsOfcom Connected Nations coverage for Stoke-on-Trent: the share of premises that can get each service, not the share that has taken it up.
Schools and education
Source: DfE and devolved governmentsLocal authority average, key stage 4, state-funded schools. Source: Department for Education. Each nation publishes its own measure, so this compares within England only. How education is scored.
Healthcare
Source: OpenStreetMapCounted from OpenStreetMap around this exact point; a nearby GP and pharmacy carry the most weight. How it is scored. Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Employment
Source: ONS / NOMISONS Annual Population Survey for Stoke-on-Trent, via NOMIS. Most UK councils fall between about 62% and 82% employment.
Environment
Source: Defra UK-AIRDefra modelled background air for the 1 km grid cell around this point (Crown copyright), scored against the WHO 2021 guidelines.
Transport
Source: DfT NaPTANDfT NaPTAN stops around this exact point. Twelve or more stops within 800 m, and a station within 1 km, each earn full marks.
Cost of living
Source: ONSAverage private rent, from the ONS Price Index of Private Rents. Rent stands in for cost of living because it is the largest living cost and the one that varies most between places.
Lifestyle and amenities
Source: OpenStreetMapLifestyle data is being sourced. We only publish figures once they are loaded from OpenStreetMap, so nothing here is estimated or invented.
Who Stoke-on-Trent suits
Stoke-on-Trent suits most households about equally: every household type sits in the top 1% of the 539 areas we have scored.
| Household | Score | Standing | What it weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote workers | 84 | top 1% | Weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. |
| Families | 75 | top 1% | Weighted towards schools, safety, housing and healthcare. |
| Retirees | 85 | top 1% | Weighted towards healthcare, safety, environment and cost of living. |
| Young professionals | 79 | top 1% | Weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. |
| Students | 82 | top 1% | Weighted towards cost of living, lifestyle, transport and safety. |
The same twelve scores, weighted per household. Set your own weights in the relocation quiz.
Stands out on
- Cost of living
- Affordability
- Housing
- Transport
- Broadband
Worth checking carefully
- Education
Built only from the categories with data; 3 are still to load for this area.
How Stoke-on-Trent compares
| Category | Stoke-on-Trent | England median | UK median | vs England median | UK position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 88 | 71 | 72 | +17 | top 9% |
| Affordability | 100 | 64 | 68 | +36 | top 3% |
| Employment | 53 | 61 | 59 | -8 | bottom 34% |
| Housing | 99 | 83 | 83 | +16 | top 3% |
| Transport | 81 | 75 | 75 | +6 | top 24% |
| Broadband | 97 | 88 | 88 | +9 | top 8% |
| Environment | 82 | 89 | 91 | -7 | bottom 18% |
| Healthcare | 68 | 54 | 52 | +14 | top 24% |
| Education | 16 | 39 | 40 | -23 | bottom 1% |
Medians and positions are across the 539 areas in our index. Safety and education are measured differently in each nation, so read those two rows against the England median only.
What Stoke-on-Trent does well. Measured against everywhere else in the index, the standouts are affordability (100, 36 above the median), cost of living (88, 17 above the median) and housing (99, 16 above the median).
Where it falls short. Education (16, 23 below) and employment (53, 8 below).
Near Stoke-on-Trent, and places like it
Stoke-on-Trent scores higher than every one of the 6 scored areas within about 50 miles of it, at 81 out of 100.
| Area | Distance | Where | Overall | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | 2.4 miles | Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands, England | 68 | Good |
| Kidsgrove | 5.3 miles | Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands, England | 66 | Good |
| Biddulph | 6.4 miles | Staffordshire Moorlands, West Midlands, England | 63 | Good |
| Stone | 8.4 miles | Stafford, West Midlands, England | 69 | Good |
| Leek | 8.5 miles | Staffordshire Moorlands, West Midlands, England | 63 | Good |
| Congleton | 9.8 miles | Cheshire East, North West, England | 66 | Good |
Straight-line distances, so roads are longer. Any place not listed can be searched directly.
| Area | Where | Overall | Average gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-on-Tees | Stockton-on-Tees, North East, England | 75 | 6 |
| Darlington | Darlington, North East, England | 77 | 6 |
| Rotherham | Rotherham, Yorkshire and The Humber, England | 73 | 6.3 |
| Mansfield | Mansfield, East Midlands, England | 73 | 6.8 |
| Runcorn | Halton, North West, England | 74 | 7 |
Average score gap across every category both areas have, so smaller is closer. Neighbouring areas are left out.
What a home in Stoke-on-Trent actually costs
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPIThe average home in Stoke-on-Trent is £148,799, 45 per cent below the median of the areas we have scored. With a ten per cent deposit of £14,880, repaying the rest costs about £863 a month, £156 more than renting at the local average of £707, and needs a household income of about £29,800 to borrow.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average property price | £148,799 (June 2026) |
| Change over 12 months | +2.9%, rising |
| Against our index median | 45% below the £270,569 median across every area we have scored |
| 10% deposit | £14,880 |
| 15% deposit | £22,320 |
| Price to earnings | 3.8 times UK median full-time earnings of £39,039 |
| Monthly repayment | £863 on a £133,919 mortgage (10% deposit, 6% over 25 years) |
| Against renting | £156 more than the £707 average monthly rent |
| Income to borrow it | About £29,800 a year at 4.5 times income |
Council-wide average across all property types; the multiple uses UK median full-time earnings (April 2025 (ONS ASHE)). Illustrative arithmetic, not a mortgage assessment or financial advice; TrackPostcode.UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Air quality in Stoke-on-Trent, against the limits
Source: Defra modelled background mapsFine particulates, at 7.4, sit inside the UK 2040 target of 10 but above the World Health Organization guideline of 5, as in most of Britain. Nitrogen dioxide, at 13.1, is well inside the UK limit of 40 but above the WHO guideline of 10.
| Pollutant | Stoke-on-Trent | UK objective | WHO guideline | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine particulates (PM2.5) | 7.4 | 10 | 5 | Inside the UK target, above the WHO guideline |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 13.1 | 40 | 10 | Inside the UK limit, above the WHO guideline |
Neighbourhood background levels from the Defra 1 km model; readings beside a busy road are higher. UK figures are the legal limit (NO₂) and 2040 target (PM2.5); WHO figures are health guidelines, not law.
Questions about Stoke-on-Trent
Is Stoke-on-Trent a good place to live?
Stoke-on-Trent has an overall liveability score of 81 out of 100 (very good) on TrackPostcode.UK, based on 75% of categories currently loaded. It scores best on housing and broadband. The score combines cost, affordability, safety, weather and more from open government data.
What is the crime rate in Stoke-on-Trent?
Recorded crime for Stoke-on-Trent is shown in the crime and safety section, from police.uk for England and Wales or Scottish Government statistics for Scotland.
What is the weather like in Stoke-on-Trent?
The weather section shows annual sunshine, rainfall and typical temperatures for Stoke-on-Trent from Met Office climate data for the location.
How expensive is it to live in Stoke-on-Trent?
Average private rent in the Stoke-on-Trent area is about £707 a month (Jun-26, ONS), giving Stoke-on-Trent a cost-of-living score of 88 out of 100. Use the affordability calculator to estimate what you could comfortably afford here.
What are house prices like in Stoke-on-Trent?
The average property price in Stoke-on-Trent is about £148,799 (2026-06, HM Land Registry). Prices changed +2.9% over the year. See the affordability section for how that compares to local earnings.
Can I afford to buy a house in Stoke-on-Trent?
The average property in Stoke-on-Trent costs about £148,799, which is 3.8 times earnings against assumed full-time earnings of £39,039 a year (ONS ASHE), giving an affordability score of 100 out of 100. Mainstream lenders usually cap borrowing at around four to four and a half times income, so a ratio above that generally means a larger deposit, a second income or a cheaper property than the local average. With a ten per cent deposit, repaying the rest costs about £863 a month at 6% over 25 years, £156 more than the £707 average local rent. The affordability calculator on this page estimates it from your own salary and savings.
How fast is broadband in Stoke-on-Trent?
About 99.4% of premises in Stoke-on-Trent can get superfast broadband of 30 Mbit/s or more, and 96.3% can get a gigabit-capable connection, giving a broadband score of 97 out of 100 (Ofcom Connected Nations). These are council-area availability figures - the share of premises able to order each service, not the speed any single line achieves - so check the exact address with the Ofcom broadband checker before committing to it.
What is the job market like in Stoke-on-Trent?
74.5% of 16 to 64 year olds in Stoke-on-Trent are in work (NOMIS latest, retrieved Sep 2026, ONS Annual Population Survey via NOMIS), giving an employment score of 53 out of 100. Unemployment stands at 4.6%. UK local authorities typically range from about 62% to 82%. This is a whole-authority figure, so it describes the local labour market rather than any one town within it.
Are the schools good in Stoke-on-Trent?
Stoke-on-Trent records 40.9 on Attainment 8 average score (202425), giving an education score of 16 out of 100. Each nation publishes its own attainment measure and they are not interchangeable, so education scores compare within England, Scotland or Wales and not across them. Attainment is published for the whole council or county rather than for a school catchment, so check individual schools with the inspectorate before deciding.
What is the air quality like in Stoke-on-Trent?
For the 1 km grid square containing Stoke-on-Trent, fine particulates (PM2.5) average 7.37 µg/m³ against a World Health Organization guideline of 5 and nitrogen dioxide averages 13.13 µg/m³ against a guideline of 10 (2024, Defra Pollution Climate Mapping, Crown copyright). That gives an environment score of 82 out of 100; an area meeting both guideline levels scores 100. These are modelled background concentrations for the square, not a reading taken at the roadside.
Are there GPs and dentists near Stoke-on-Trent?
Within about two kilometres of this point there are 9 GP surgeries, 8 pharmacies and 4 dentists. 10 hospitals are within about eight kilometres. That gives a healthcare score of 68 out of 100. Facilities are counted from OpenStreetMap and the score describes how close services are, not waiting times, capacity or clinical quality.
Does Stoke-on-Trent have good transport links?
The nearest railway station is Stoke-on-Trent Rail Station, about 1.7 km away, and there are 60 bus, tram or metro stops within an 800 metre walk, giving a transport score of 81 out of 100. Stops come from the DfT NaPTAN dataset and are counted for this exact point, so the figure measures access rather than how frequently anything runs.
Which council area is Stoke-on-Trent in?
Stoke-on-Trent is in the Stoke-on-Trent local authority, West Midlands, England. It falls within the Hanley Park, Joiner's Square & Shelton ward and the Stoke-on-Trent Central parliamentary constituency. Cost of living, housing, affordability, employment, broadband and education figures in this report are published at local-authority level, so every postcode and town inside Stoke-on-Trent shares them. Weather, crime, amenities, healthcare, transport and air quality are measured for this point instead.
How does Stoke-on-Trent compare with the rest of England?
Stoke-on-Trent sits in the top 1% of the 539 UK areas we have scored. The median area in the index scores 67 out of 100. It is furthest above the benchmark for its nation on affordability, cost of living and housing. It is furthest below on education and employment. Categories are compared against the area's own nation where the samples allow it, because crime and school attainment are measured differently either side of the border.
What are the best places to live near Stoke-on-Trent?
Of the areas we have scored within about 50 miles of Stoke-on-Trent, the highest are Stone (69 out of 100, about 8 miles away), Newcastle-under-Lyme (68 out of 100, about 2 miles away) and Kidsgrove (66 out of 100, about 5 miles away). Stoke-on-Trent itself scores 81. Distances are straight-line from this point, and each of those names links to its own full report.
Which places are most similar to Stoke-on-Trent?
Across the twelve category scores, the closest matches elsewhere in Britain are Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees, North East, England), Darlington (Darlington, North East, England) and Rotherham (Rotherham, Yorkshire and The Humber, England). Similarity is the average gap across every category both areas have data for, with immediate neighbours excluded, so these are places that score alike rather than places that look alike or sit nearby.
What area does this report cover?
Weather, crime, local amenities, healthcare access, transport access and air quality are measured for this exact point. Cost of living, affordability, housing, employment and broadband come from official statistics for the Stoke-on-Trent council area, so nearby postcodes and towns in the same council share those figures. Education comes from the local authority, or from the county where attainment is only published at county level. The "How detailed is this report" section explains each level.