MoveRadius

Area planning

UK Area Planning: Compare Anywhere by Schools, Commute and Budget

Wherever you are moving in the UK, the same four checks let you compare areas fairly: school distance, commute, affordability and the cost of moving. This page is the method and the tools — not property prices or admissions data.

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Planning framework, not live data

MoveRadius does not publish live property prices, school admissions, catchment boundaries, crime data or rankings. These pages are a planning framework — verify the specifics with official sources for the home, school and area you are considering.

How to compare areas in the UK

Wherever you are looking in the UK, the same four checks let you compare any two places on a fair, consistent basis. Run each one with the relevant free tool, then weigh them together.

1. School distance

Start from the schools that matter to you. Use the Find Schools Near a Postcode tool to see what is nearby, the School Distance Calculator to measure a specific home-to-school distance, and the School Radius Map to picture a catchment radius. Distances are straight-line, and distance never guarantees a place.

2. Commute

Test the journey you would actually make with the Commute Cost Calculator, and weigh two locations against each other with Compare Two Postcodes.

3. Affordability

Get a rough sense of borrowing and monthly repayments with the Mortgage Affordability Calculator, using live prices from a property portal as your input.

4. Moving cost

Build a realistic one-off budget with the Moving Cost Calculator, and confirm any property tax for the UK on the official government source.

School data in the UK

How school data is sourced depends on the nation:

  • England uses the official DfE register where available.
  • Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland currently rely on OpenStreetMap or future nation-specific data sources, so coverage can vary.

In every nation, all school and admissions details must be verified with the school or local authority — distance never guarantees a place.

Choose your nation

Admissions systems and data sources differ across the UK. Start with the nation you are moving to: England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. For a worked example of the method applied to specific places, see our example local area guides.

What to verify before you decide

  • The current admissions policy and distance method for any school, with the school and local authority.
  • Live property prices and recent sold prices on a property portal.
  • Real commute times and costs at the times of day you would travel.
  • Property tax for the relevant nation (Stamp Duty Land Tax, LBTT or LTT) on the official source.
  • Which local authority an address falls under, as it shapes schools and services.

Tools for area planning

School Distance Calculator

Work out the straight-line distance between a home and a school, and check whether it falls within a chosen catchment radius.

Useful for: Parents checking school catchment areas before they move or apply.

Open calculator

Find Schools Near a Postcode

Enter a UK postcode and radius to find schools nearby, ranked by straight-line distance. Uses the official DfE register for England, with OpenStreetMap as a fallback.

Useful for: Families starting a school search from a home or work postcode.

Open calculator

School Radius Map

Set a school location, a home postcode and a radius to see the straight-line distance and a simple radius diagram for planning a move.

Useful for: Anyone visualising how a home sits within a school catchment radius.

Open calculator

Compare Two Postcodes

Compare two postcodes side by side for distance to a school, distance to work and estimated commute cost, with a transparent planning score.

Useful for: Families weighing two locations for the same school and workplace.

Open calculator

Commute Cost Calculator

Estimate the daily, monthly and annual cost of driving to work, with an optional public transport comparison.

Useful for: Anyone weighing up how a longer or shorter commute affects the household budget.

Open calculator

Moving Cost Calculator

Add up the typical costs of moving home in the UK, from removals and conveyancing to surveys and mortgage fees.

Useful for: Buyers and movers budgeting for the full cost of a move, not just the deposit.

Open calculator

Mortgage Affordability Calculator

Get a simple estimate of how much you might borrow, your monthly repayment, loan-to-value and deposit percentage.

Useful for: Households getting a rough idea of what they could afford before speaking to a lender.

Open calculator

Area Comparison Tool

Compare up to three areas side by side using a weighted score for affordability, school distance and commute.

Useful for: Families torn between two or three locations who want a structured comparison.

Open calculator

Frequently asked questions

Does MoveRadius cover the whole UK?

Yes. The tools work anywhere in the UK from a postcode. School locations use the official DfE register in England and OpenStreetMap elsewhere, so coverage varies by nation — but the comparison method is the same throughout.

Can you tell me the best area to live in?

No — 'best' depends on your priorities. We give you a consistent way to compare areas on school distance, commute, affordability and moving cost, so you can decide what is best for your family.

Do you publish property prices or school rankings?

No. We never publish live prices, admissions data, catchments or rankings. We point you to the official sources to verify those for the specific home and school you are considering.

Verify the specifics officially

This is a planning framework, not live data and not advice. School admissions are set by schools and local authorities and change year to year; property prices, taxes and lending all depend on your circumstances. Always confirm school admissions with the school and local authority, and financial figures with a qualified professional, before relying on anything here.