Lyme Regis or Cirencester: Which Is Better Value?
Lyme Regis averages £509,500 against £500,000 in Cirencester, a gap of £9,500 or 2%. You would need £950 more deposit and about £50 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Cirencester charges £238 more council tax at Band D.
Lyme Regis averages £509,500 against £500,000 in Cirencester, a gap of £9,500 or 2%. You would need £950 more deposit and about £50 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Cirencester charges £238 more council tax at Band D.
Price and deposit
The headline gap is £9,500, or 2%. On a 10% deposit that is £950 more cash to find before you start. Detached homes average £520,000 against £1,150,000.
Lyme Regis against Cirencester
Town guides for each: Mortgage advice in Lyme Regis and Mortgage advice in Cirencester.
Schools and families
Cirencester holds its own on schools, with 1 graded Outstanding at their last graded Ofsted inspection (before September 2024) against 0 in Lyme Regis. Counting last graded Ofsted inspections (before September 2024), Lyme Regis has 1 school and Cirencester has 2 schools graded Good or better.
A strong catchment in the cheaper town can cost more than an average street in the dearer one. Compare catchments, not averages.
Running costs and getting to work
Band D council tax is £2,300 in Lyme Regis and £2,538 in Cirencester, a difference of £238 a year.
The honest verdict
Cirencester is cheaper to buy on these figures. Lyme Regis carries the higher price and, on this data, not the stronger school profile.
Neither is right in the abstract. If the deposit is your constraint, the £950 difference matters more than anything else here. If catchment is the constraint, price follows the school you need.
What each town is actually like
Price is one axis. These are the things people move for, and the things they find out afterwards.
Lyme Regis
In its favour- A world-famous, beautiful seaside town
- The Cobb, the beach and the fossil coast on the doorstep
- A strong year-round community and culture
- A well-regarded secondary school (The Woodroffe School)
- Expensive, with a strong second-home market
- Coastal, river and landslip risk on the low ground and cliffs
- Remote, hilly and car-dependent; no mainline station
- Nearest full A&E is ~25 miles either way
Best for Second-home buyers ★★★★★
One of England's loveliest resorts, the Cobb, the beach and the Jurassic Coast make Lyme a prime (and pricey) second-home spot.
Cirencester
In its favour- The affluent, historic Capital of the Cotswolds
- Roman Corinium, the wool church & Cotswold stone
- Strong amenities, shops, museum & arts for the size
- Cirencester Park & the Water Park on the doorstep
- A premium market, above the national average
- No railway station in the town (Kemble ~4 miles)
- Conservation & listed-building rules on many homes
- A car is close to essential for the station & many trips
Best for Families ★★★★★
Good and improving schools (Cirencester Deer Park is Good; Kingshill's latest sub-judgements are all Good; Powell's CofE Primary is Outstanding) plus the independent Royal Agricultural University town setting, parks, sport and a safe, walkable centre, a strong family market town.
Lyme Regis and Cirencester, side by side
| Measure | Lyme Regis | Cirencester |
|---|---|---|
| Average property price | £509,500 | £500,000 |
| Average detached | £520,000 | £1,150,000 |
| 10% deposit | £50,950 | £50,000 |
| Illustrative monthly payment | £2,681 | £2,631 |
| Band D council tax | £2,300 | £2,538 |
| Outstanding rated schools | 0 | 1 |
| Good rated schools | 1 | 1 |
Local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own figures before acting.
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Questions people ask
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