Comparison / North West

Silloth or Barnoldswick: Which Is Better Value?

Silloth averages £175,000 against £170,000 in Barnoldswick, a gap of £5,000 or 3%. You would need £500 more deposit and about £26 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Barnoldswick charges £54 less council tax at Band D.

The short answer

Silloth averages £175,000 against £170,000 in Barnoldswick, a gap of £5,000 or 3%. You would need £500 more deposit and about £26 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Barnoldswick charges £54 less council tax at Band D.

Price and deposit

The headline gap is £5,000, or 3%. On a 10% deposit that is £500 more cash to find before you start. Detached homes average £195,000 against £170,000.

Silloth against Barnoldswick

Silloth average price£175,000Barnoldswick average price£170,000The gap£5,000
A £5,000 gap, which is £500 of extra deposit at 10% and about £26 a month more.

Town guides for each: Mortgage advice in Silloth and Mortgage advice in Barnoldswick.

Schools and families

Silloth has more schools graded Outstanding at their last graded Ofsted inspection (before September 2024), with 1 against 0 in Barnoldswick. Counting last graded Ofsted inspections (before September 2024), Silloth has 1 school and Barnoldswick has 1 school 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 £2,684 in Silloth and £2,630 in Barnoldswick, a difference of £54 a year.

The honest verdict

Barnoldswick is cheaper to buy on these figures. Silloth carries the higher price and, on this data, the stronger school profile.

Neither is right in the abstract. If the deposit is your constraint, the £500 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.

Silloth

In its favour
  • A characterful planned Victorian seaside town
  • Some of the lowest house prices in Cumbria
  • A promenade, a huge green & a famous golf links
  • The Solway Coast National Landscape all around
Worth knowing
  • Genuinely remote, a long drive to the M6, the Lakes & a full A&E
  • No railway station, car-dependent (nearest fast rail Carlisle)
  • Nearest full A&E is the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle (~22 miles)
  • A quieter, more seasonal far-coast economy

Best for First-time buyers ★★★★☆
Some of the most affordable prices in Cumbria, terraces and flats often from around £110,000 to £160,000, make Silloth an accessible way onto the ladder, provided you are happy with a remote, car-dependent coast and check any older or coastal home carefully.

Barnoldswick

In its favour
  • Among the most affordable towns in England
  • Outsized heritage, Rolls-Royce & the jet engine
  • A strong, close-knit community
  • The canal at Greenberfield & the Dales on the doorstep
Worth knowing
  • No railway station, drive to Colne or Skipton
  • No A&E in town, nearest full A&E at Airedale (near Keighley)
  • Burnley's A&E downgraded, a drive for emergencies
  • Canal/beck flood risk in low-lying areas

Best for First-time buyers ★★★★★
Barnoldswick is one of the most affordable places to buy in England, terraces frequently well under £130,000, so it is an outstanding entry point, provided you check the condition and mortgageability of older ex-cotton stock.

Silloth and Barnoldswick, side by side

Measure Silloth Barnoldswick
Average property price £175,000 £170,000
Average detached £195,000 £170,000
10% deposit £17,500 £17,000
Illustrative monthly payment £921 £894
Band D council tax £2,684 £2,630
Outstanding rated schools 1 0
Good rated schools 0 1

Local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own figures before acting.

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Questions people ask

Is Silloth or Barnoldswick cheaper?
Barnoldswick is cheaper on these figures, averaging £170,000 against £175,000. The gap is £5,000.
Which has better schools?
Silloth has more schools graded Outstanding at their last graded Ofsted inspection (before September 2024), with 1 against 0 in Barnoldswick.
Which is cheaper to run?
Band D council tax is £2,684 in Silloth and £2,630 in Barnoldswick.
How do I check broadband speed at a property in Silloth or Barnoldswick?
Use Ofcom's free broadband and mobile checker at checker.ofcom.org.uk. Enter the property's postcode and choose the address to see which broadband speeds and mobile coverage are available before you make an offer.

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