#1Longton
Lancashire · 10,912 peopleScore 71.3·#98 of 2,138 UK towns
Strongest: schools A, jobs & income A·lowest: hazard risk C−
Longton, #1 on this list · Photo: Margaret Clough · CC BY-SA 2.0Lancashire · 2026
Best places to live in Lancashire
Longton ranks first of 65 Lancashire towns of 2,500+ residents, and #98 of 2,138 UK towns. 10 of the 65 grade A− or better; scores run from 71.3 down to 18.0.
The overall score, sorted within Lancashire; the letter compares each town with every UK town, and its rank among UK towns sits beside it. How grades work
#1A+
#2Eccleston
Lancashire · 4,543 peopleScore 70.0·#130 of 2,138 UK towns
Strongest: schools A+, jobs & income A−·lowest: walkability D
#3Euxton
Lancashire · 17,519 peopleScore 67.0·#212 of 2,138 UK towns
Strongest: jobs & income A, cost of living A·lowest: walkability C−
All 65 towns, ranked
By overall score against UK towns; ranks are within Lancashire, and each UK rank links to the national list. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among UK towns of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbours on the list often share a letter.
66 towns, 65 ranked.
#TownScoreGrade · UK rankWhat drives it
1Longton10,912 people71.3top 4.7%A+#98 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A, jobs & income A·lowest: hazard risk C−
2Eccleston4,543 people70.0top 6.3%A#130 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A+, jobs & income A−·lowest: walkability D
3Euxton17,519 people67.0top 10.3%A#212 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, cost of living A·lowest: walkability C−
4Adlington8,777 people61.8top 18.3%A−#382 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A·lowest: walkability C+
5Penwortham20,489 people61.7top 18.6%A−#387 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A−, schools A−·lowest: hazard risk D
6Croston2,793 people61.6top 18.9%A−#394 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A+, cost of living B+·lowest: hazard risk D
7Whittle-le-Woods4,388 people61.5top 19.2%A−#402 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A+, schools A−·lowest: walkability D
8Clitheroe16,626 people60.8top 21.0%A−#438 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability A−·lowest: hazard risk D
9Ormskirk27,720 people59.8top 23.1%A−#483 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A−, jobs & income A−·lowest: health C+
10Longridge8,739 people59.2top 24.0%A−#503 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk A·lowest: safety C
11Caton2,552 people56.3top 29.8%B+#627 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A, health A·lowest: hazard risk D
12Tarleton and Hesketh Bank8,756 people55.9top 30.8%B+#648 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A−, health B+·lowest: walkability D
13Carleton4,793 people52.6top 37.4%B#789 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A−, jobs & income B+·lowest: cost of living D
14Farington Moss2,692 people52.4top 38.1%B#804 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A−, cost of living B+·lowest: walkability D
15Bolton-le-Sands6,728 people51.7top 39.5%B#834 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety A, health A−·lowest: cost of living D
16Garstang5,804 people51.3top 40.3%B#851 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A−, safety B+·lowest: cost of living D
17Whalley3,411 people51.3top 40.4%B#854 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A−, health A−·lowest: hazard risk D−
18Fulwood34,693 people50.3top 42.2%B#893 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A, walkability A−·lowest: health C
19Catterall2,800 people49.6top 44.2%B#936 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A−, jobs & income B+·lowest: walkability C−
20Coppull8,303 people49.0top 45.6%B−#965 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, schools B−·lowest: health C−
21Halton2,652 people48.1top 47.4%B−#1,004 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: health A, safety A−·lowest: cost of living D
22Poulton-le-Fylde12,792 people47.1top 49.5%B−#1,050 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools A−, jobs & income B·lowest: hazard risk C−
23Chorley39,539 people47.0top 49.9%B−#1,059 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability B+·lowest: safety D
24Lytham St Anne's42,693 people46.9bottom 49.9%B−#1,062 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools B+, walkability B+·lowest: cost of living C
25Burscough8,773 people45.0bottom 45.5%B−#1,157 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B−·lowest: health C
26Cottam5,507 people44.8bottom 44.6%C+#1,177 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A−, schools B+·lowest: walkability D
27Freckleton4,478 people43.4bottom 41.2%C+#1,251 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B−, jobs & income B−·lowest: hazard risk C−
28Leyland39,281 people43.2bottom 40.7%C+#1,262 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability B−·lowest: hazard risk C−
29Barrowford5,887 people43.0bottom 40.2%C+#1,272 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: health A−, cost of living B·lowest: hazard risk D−
30Grimsargh2,594 people42.5bottom 39.3%C+#1,291 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: jobs & income A, health B−·lowest: hazard risk D
31Lancaster52,646 people42.4bottom 39.1%C+#1,296 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A+, schools A−·lowest: safety D
32Bamber Bridge40,359 people41.5bottom 37.0%C+#1,342 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living A, walkability B−·lowest: hazard risk D
33Barnoldswick10,915 people40.9bottom 35.8%C+#1,367 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living B·lowest: schools D
34Wesham4,474 people40.7bottom 35.3%C+#1,377 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B+·lowest: schools D
35Thornton19,263 people40.2bottom 34.2%C#1,402 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B−, schools C+·lowest: health C
36Earby4,416 people39.6bottom 32.7%C#1,431 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B, walkability B·lowest: hazard risk D
37Kirkham8,939 people39.3bottom 32.1%C#1,445 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A−, hazard risk B−·lowest: safety C−
38Haslingden16,005 people39.0bottom 31.5%C#1,458 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B, schools B−·lowest: health C−
39Banks4,439 people38.0bottom 29.0%C#1,512 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: safety B+, cost of living B·lowest: schools D
40Carnforth5,852 people36.8bottom 25.9%C#1,579 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, safety C+·lowest: schools D
41Blackburn124,958 people36.5bottom 24.8%C−#1,603 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, cost of living B·lowest: health D
42Whitworth6,713 people35.8bottom 22.9%C−#1,643 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools B, cost of living B−·lowest: jobs & income D
43Rawtenstall23,683 people35.6bottom 22.2%C−#1,658 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: schools B−, cost of living B−·lowest: hazard risk C−
44Skelmersdale34,921 people35.4bottom 21.6%C−#1,671 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living A−·lowest: health D−
45Preston94,502 people33.9bottom 18.1%C−#1,747 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A+, cost of living B+·lowest: safety D−
46Cleveleys11,121 people33.9bottom 18.0%C−#1,749 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B, cost of living B−·lowest: health C−
47Bacup13,559 people32.9bottom 15.8%C−#1,797 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B, walkability B·lowest: jobs & income D
48Nelson33,808 people32.5bottom 15.3%C−#1,808 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living B+·lowest: health D
49Rishton6,653 people32.3bottom 14.4%D#1,827 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk A, cost of living B·lowest: safety D
50Warton (Fylde)4,180 people31.9bottom 13.6%D#1,844 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: hazard risk B, cost of living C+·lowest: schools C−
51Colne18,914 people30.3bottom 11.0%D#1,901 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, cost of living B+·lowest: safety D
52Great Harwood11,022 people30.0bottom 10.6%D#1,910 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B, hazard risk B·lowest: jobs & income D
53Brierfield10,723 people28.3bottom 7.6%D#1,974 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B, walkability B−·lowest: jobs & income D
54Burnley78,266 people28.2bottom 7.5%D#1,975 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A−, cost of living B+·lowest: safety D−
55Padiham10,121 people27.5bottom 6.7%D#1,993 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A−, cost of living A−·lowest: safety D−
56Clayton-le-Moors7,969 people27.3bottom 6.3%D#2,001 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B, hazard risk B−·lowest: safety D
57Heysham16,593 people27.3bottom 6.3%D#2,003 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B, cost of living C+·lowest: health D
58Darwen27,897 people27.1bottom 6.1%D#2,007 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B+, walkability B+·lowest: health D
59Oswaldtwistle10,810 people26.5bottom 5.5%D#2,019 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B, walkability B−·lowest: safety D
60Fleetwood26,224 people26.1bottom 5.0%D#2,031 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living B·lowest: health D
61Accrington34,897 people25.7bottom 4.7%D−#2,037 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, cost of living B+·lowest: safety D−
62Preesall and Knott End-on-Sea4,679 people25.1bottom 4.1%D−#2,049 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living C+, walkability C+·lowest: hazard risk D−
63Church5,030 people24.6bottom 3.8%D−#2,057 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability B+, cost of living B+·lowest: safety D−
64Morecambe32,745 people20.8bottom 1.0%D−#2,116 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living C+·lowest: safety D
65Blackpool149,087 people18.0bottom 0.3%D−#2,131 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living C−·lowest: safety D−
–Bailrigg University campus4,788 people69.1top 7.4%AStrongest: safety A+, walkability A+·lowest: cost of living D
Military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked: most residents serve in the forces or are students.
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the best place to live in Lancashire?
Longton ranks first of 65 graded towns of 2,500+: schools (A) and jobs & income (A) are its strongest grades; hazard risk (C−) is its lowest. Eccleston and Euxton follow.
How are these towns ranked?
By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades (cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability, hazard risk) from public data, each comparing a town with every UK town. The rank is within Lancashire. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers places of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade. Smaller places, and towns missing figures the overall grade needs, show their subject grades on their own pages; every town in Lancashire is listed on the county page.
County by county
Best places to live, county by county
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Sources: TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.