LocaleIQ

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Best Areas To Live

Best Areas to Live in Northampton (2026)

NorthamptonshireData checked against live LocaleIQ ranking for Northampton on 28 March 2026.

The best areas to live in Northampton in 2026 are Towcester, Nene Valley, Nene Valley, based on safety, schools, and neighbourhood wellbeing data from LocaleIQ.

Explore the full Northampton map Check your postcode
Best city sectorTowcester (NN12 9)Towcester currently leads Northampton on 84.1 (Top 1%).Safest shortlist pickTowcester (NN12 9)Towcester is the current safety leader among the strongest sectors.Best value shortlistTowcester (NN12 9)Towcester looks stronger on score-versus-price than the most expensive winners.Needs most cautionPemberton (NN10 9)Pemberton is the softest current sector and needs postcode-by-postcode checking before any move decision.

Short answer

Quick answer: where to live in Northampton

Towcester is currently the strongest all-round area in Northampton. After that, the most practical shortlist is Nene Valley, Nene Valley, Hatton Park, Moulton, while Pemberton needs extra caution before committing.

  • Best overall: Towcester.
  • Best for families: Towcester, Nene Valley, Nene Valley.
  • Safest current shortlist: Towcester, Hatton Park, Cogenhoe & The Houghtons, Nene Valley.
  • Best for young professionals: Gretton & Weldon, Oundle, Towcester.
  • Cheapest areas: Daventry South, Castle, Far Cotton.
  • Best value shortlist: Towcester, Nene Valley, Nene Valley.
  • Best outer alternatives: Oundle, Oundle, Gretton & Weldon.
  • Classic areas people still search for: Kingsthorpe, Abington, Duston, Wootton.

Top-ranked areas in Northampton

Live LocaleIQ ranking by postcode sector — with score breakdown, typical sold prices where we have them, and what actually drives each place up or down the table. Median price is from recent sales in that sector, not a forecast.

84.1Top 1%
#1
NN12 9Towcester
Median sold price£323k
Why it ranks

Towcester is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: families and long-stay buyers. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
96
Education
63
Wellbeing
100
Property
50
Employment
61

Top school match for this sector

Map NN12 9BT postcode analysis
78.7Top 3%
#2
NN4 5Nene Valley
Median sold price£299k
Why it ranks

Nene Valley is a quiet, settled area with strong schools and lower crime pressure, making it a solid long-term family option.

Best for: families and long-stay buyers. The obvious compromise is social rented mix, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
80
Education
73
Wellbeing
89
Property
50
Employment
66

Top school match for this sector

Map NN4 5AB postcode analysis
76.4Top 4%
#3
NN4 6Nene Valley
Median sold price£345k
Why it ranks

Nene Valley is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
71
Education
69
Wellbeing
93
Property
50
Employment
68

Top school match for this sector

Map NN4 6AA postcode analysis
75.3Top 5%
#4
NN8 5Hatton Park
Median sold price£311k
Why it ranks

Hatton Park is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
87
Education
46
Wellbeing
86
Property
56
Employment
62

Top school match for this sector

  • Northampton School for BoysSecondary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 96 · Top 4% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
  • John Hellins Primary SchoolPrimary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 99.8 · Top 0% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
Map NN8 5AA postcode analysis
73.2Top 8%
#5
NN6 9Moulton
Median sold price£370k
Why it ranks

Moulton stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
72
Education
70
Wellbeing
80
Property
50
Employment
63

Top school match for this sector

Map NN6 9AA postcode analysis
72.2Top 9%
#6
NN17 5Gretton & Weldon
Median sold price£267k
Why it ranks

Gretton & Weldon offers a lively local market with strong day-to-day convenience, good transport links, and consistent demand from working professionals.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
74
Education
55
Wellbeing
83
Property
80
Employment
71

Top school match for this sector

  • Northampton School for BoysSecondary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 96 · Top 4% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
  • John Hellins Primary SchoolPrimary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 99.8 · Top 0% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
Map NN17 5AA postcode analysis
72.2Top 9%
#7
NN17 3Oundle
Median sold price£290k
Why it ranks

Oundle offers a lively local market with strong day-to-day convenience, good transport links, and consistent demand from working professionals.

Best for: families and long-stay buyers. The obvious compromise is social rented mix, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
75
Education
64
Wellbeing
74
Property
80
Employment
68

Top school match for this sector

  • Northampton School for BoysSecondary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 96 · Top 4% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
  • John Hellins Primary SchoolPrimary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 99.8 · Top 0% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
Map NN17 3AA postcode analysis
72Top 10%
#8
PE8 4Oundle
Median sold price£350k
Why it ranks

Oundle is a quiet, settled area with strong schools and lower crime pressure, making it a solid long-term family option.

Best for: families and long-stay buyers. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
76
Education
68
Wellbeing
83
Property
20
Employment
54

Top school match for this sector

  • Northampton School for BoysSecondary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 96 · Top 4% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
  • John Hellins Primary SchoolPrimary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 99.8 · Top 0% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
Map PE8 4AA postcode analysis
71.4Top 11%
#9
NN7 1Cogenhoe & The Houghtons
Median sold price£395k
Why it ranks

Cogenhoe & The Houghtons stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is property, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
87
Education
51
Wellbeing
74
Property
41
Employment
62

Top school match for this sector

Map NN7 1AA postcode analysis
71Top 11%
#10
NN8 6Brickhill & Queensway
Median sold price£282k
Why it ranks

Brickhill & Queensway is one of the more affordable options while still keeping a reliable all-round profile for buyers on a tighter budget.

Best for: value-seekers who still want a solid area score. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
72
Education
48
Wellbeing
89
Property
56
Employment
62

Top school match for this sector

  • Northampton School for BoysSecondary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 96 · Top 4% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
  • John Hellins Primary SchoolPrimary · Inspection Outstanding · LocaleIQ 99.8 · Top 0% nationallyNo school in our sample matched this postcode sector (some prefixes have no listed schools) — example from the wider area on this page.
Map NN8 6AB postcode analysis

Areas that need closer checking

Not blanket avoid calls — but the score gap is visible, so check at postcode level.

SectorAreaScoreRankWhy it needs more scrutiny
NN10 9Pemberton48.2Bottom 27%Pemberton is being dragged down by education and safety.
NN4 8Far Cotton48.3Bottom 28%Far Cotton is being dragged down by safety and wellbeing.
NN11 9Daventry South48.4Bottom 28%Daventry South is being dragged down by wellbeing and property.
NN9 5Earls Barton48.6Bottom 28%Earls Barton is being dragged down by education and safety.
NN1 4Castle48.7Bottom 29%Castle is being dragged down by wellbeing and safety.
NN3 2Headlands49.5Bottom 30%Headlands is being dragged down by property and wellbeing.

How Northampton splits

What the Northampton market is really splitting on

Victorian cores, 20th-century sprawl, and western corridors each carry different score signatures. Right now the leading sectors are NN12 9, NN4 5, NN4 6, NN8 5, which is why this page stays at sector level first instead of repeating one broad reputation line.

Where buyers are most likely to get misled

Caution sectors are where affordability stacks with churn or weaker neighbourhood support. In the current table the weaker end is led by NN10 9, with NN4 8, NN11 9, NN9 5 also needing much harder postcode-level checking.

Why the shortlist changes once value enters the picture

Better value is usually relative: pockets where score and mortgage still align. That is why a value-aware shortlist usually ends up including sectors such as NN12 9, NN4 5, NN4 6 rather than simply the cheapest addresses.

Schools in Northampton

Secondary schools

Best secondary schools to cross-check against Northampton postcode choices
SchoolLocaleIQ scoreInspectionWhy it matters
Northampton School for Boys96OutstandingAttainment 8 58.2, Basics 94 85.8%
Northampton Academy87.3OutstandingAttainment 8 52.1, Basics 94 74.6%
Northampton School for Girls82.3GoodAttainment 8 54.9, Basics 94 79.5%
Sponne School73GoodAttainment 8 52.0, Basics 94 82.8%

Primary schools

Best primary schools to compare with Northampton's strongest sectors
SchoolLocaleIQ scoreInspectionWhy it matters
John Hellins Primary School99.8OutstandingKS2 expected 93%, higher 27%
The Arbours Primary Academy98.9OutstandingKS2 expected 83%, higher 38%
Preston Hedges Primary School98.3OutstandingKS2 expected 81%, higher 24%
Yardley Hastings Primary School96.6OutstandingKS2 expected 87%, higher 13%

Shortlists by use case

Best Northampton areas for families

Families often prioritise western and southern belts with stronger school corridors. In the current data that points most clearly to NN12 9, NN4 5, NN4 6.

  • NN12 9: safety 96.4, education 63.2, overall 84.1.
  • NN4 5: safety 80.5, education 73.1, overall 78.7.
  • NN4 6: safety 70.7, education 69.2, overall 76.4.
NN12 9BT postcode analysis NN4 5AB postcode analysis NN4 6AA postcode analysis

Best Northampton areas for schools

Northampton schools need sector context because the town's micro-climates are sharp. In the current school snapshot, the strongest names to cross-check first are Northampton School for Boys, Northampton Academy, John Hellins Primary School, The Arbours Primary Academy.

  • Northampton School for Boys is the strongest current secondary in this city-level sample.
  • John Hellins Primary School is the strongest current primary in this city-level sample.
  • The highest-scoring residential sector is not always the same place as the strongest nearby school.
Northampton School for Boys Northampton Academy John Hellins Primary School The Arbours Primary Academy

Best Northampton areas for young professionals

If jobs access, rental demand and property liquidity matter most, start with Gretton & Weldon (NN17 5), Oundle (NN17 3), Towcester (NN12 9).

  • Gretton & Weldon (NN17 5): employment 71, property 80, overall 72.2.
  • Oundle (NN17 3): employment 67.8, property 80, overall 72.2.
  • Towcester (NN12 9): employment 61.2, property 50, overall 84.1.
Gretton & Weldon on the map Oundle on the map Towcester on the map

Cheapest areas in Northampton

These are the lowest median-price sectors in the current Northampton table, shown with score so you can separate value from risk.

  • Daventry South (NN11 1): median price £220k, overall 63.1.
  • Castle (NN1 4): median price £225k, overall 48.7.
  • Far Cotton (NN4 8): median price £230k, overall 48.3.
NN11 1DB postcode analysis NN1 4AA postcode analysis NN4 8AA postcode analysis

Areas to avoid in Northampton

No area should be ruled out blindly, but these sectors currently need the most caution before you commit to viewings: Pemberton (NN10 9), Far Cotton (NN4 8), Daventry South (NN11 9), Earls Barton (NN9 5).

  • Pemberton (NN10 9): overall 48.2; weaker on education and safety.
  • Far Cotton (NN4 8): overall 48.3; weaker on safety and wellbeing.
  • Daventry South (NN11 9): overall 48.4; weaker on wellbeing and property.
  • Earls Barton (NN9 5): overall 48.6; weaker on education and safety.
NN10 9AB postcode analysis NN4 8AA postcode analysis NN11 9AA postcode analysis NN9 5AA postcode analysis

Classic Northampton areas people ask about

These areas are popular in search and local conversations even when they are not always top in the score table: Kingsthorpe, Abington, Duston, Wootton.

  • Kingsthorpe: closest current sector match is NN2 8 (score 55.6).
  • Abington: closest current sector match is NN3 3 (score 68.3).
  • Duston: closest current sector match is NN5 6 (score 59.4).
  • Wootton: include this in your shortlist, then verify the exact postcode on the map.
Kingsthorpe North (NN2 8) Abington & Phippsville (NN3 3) Duston (NN5 6)

Best outer areas near Northampton

Village belts toward Rugby or the A5 matter when you want fundamentals plus commute choice. Right now the sectors worth checking first are NN17 3, PE8 4, NN17 5.

  • NN17 3: about 20.9 miles from the city anchor, score 72.2.
  • PE8 4: about 20.3 miles from the city anchor, score 72.
  • NN17 5: about 16.8 miles from the city anchor, score 72.2.
NN17 3 on the map PE8 4 on the map NN17 5 on the map

Explore further

Explore Northampton sectors on the mapCompare Northampton sectors visually before you narrow to an exact address.Check NN12 9BTOpen the strongest current postcode example.Check NN10 9ABSee why one of the weaker sectors needs closer checking.Browse schools mapCompare school performance separately from postcode score.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Northampton a good place to live?

Northampton has strong and weak pockets, which is why sector and postcode-level ranking matters. The current top shortlists are Towcester (NN12 9), Nene Valley (NN4 5), Nene Valley (NN4 6), Hatton Park (NN8 5), Moulton (NN6 9).

Where is safest in Northampton?

Towcester (NN12 9, safety 96.4), Hatton Park (NN8 5, safety 87.3), Cogenhoe & The Houghtons (NN7 1, safety 87.3), Nene Valley (NN4 5, safety 80.5) are the strongest current safety-led options.

What areas should I avoid in Northampton?

Treat Pemberton (NN10 9), Far Cotton (NN4 8), Daventry South (NN11 9), Earls Barton (NN9 5) as caution-first sectors. They are not automatic no-go zones, but they need postcode-level checking before any move decision.

What is the best area to live in Northampton in 2026?

Right now the top pick is Towcester (NN12 9) on 84.1. The more practical shortlist is Towcester (NN12 9), Nene Valley (NN4 5), Nene Valley (NN4 6), Hatton Park (NN8 5), Moulton (NN6 9).

What are the best value areas in Northampton?

Towcester (NN12 9, score 84.1), Nene Valley (NN4 5, score 78.7), Nene Valley (NN4 6, score 76.4) are the strongest current value-led sectors because they hold up better on score than their price suggests.

Which outer areas near Northampton look strongest right now?

Oundle (NN17 3, score 72.2), Oundle (PE8 4, score 72), Gretton & Weldon (NN17 5, score 72.2) are the strongest current outer-market options in the live table.

How should I use this Northampton ranking before I move?

Use the sector table to build a shortlist, then open the exact postcode you are considering. Northampton is too granular for a broad city-level answer to be enough on its own.

Compare Northampton on the map, then check the exact postcode

The fastest way to use this page is to shortlist sectors first, then open the exact address you are considering. That is where the real move trade-offs show up.

Explore the full Northampton map Check your postcode