Area planning
England Area Planning: Schools, Commute, Affordability and Moving
Planning a move within England means weighing schools, commute, affordability and moving costs together. This page sets out the method and tools, using official school data where available — not property prices or admissions decisions.
Last reviewed:
Planning framework, not live data
How to compare areas in England
Wherever you are looking in England, 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 England on the official government source.
School data in England
In England, our Find Schools Near a Postcode tool uses the official DfE "Get Information about Schools" register where available, falling back to OpenStreetMap if needed. The DfE register is also the place to confirm a school's type, phase and local authority.
It is a register, not an admissions service: it cannot tell you whether a place would be offered. All school and admissions details must be verified with the school or local authority.
Example local guides in England
For the method applied to specific places, see our example guides for Leicester, Rugby, Market Harborough and Lutterworth, or compare two with Leicester to Rugby.
What to verify before you decide
- The school's current admissions policy, distance method and recent cut-off distance, with the school and local authority.
- Live property prices and recent sold prices on a property portal.
- Real commute times and costs for the journeys you would make.
- Stamp Duty Land Tax for your circumstances on GOV.UK.
- School admissions deadlines, which differ by phase and area.
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 calculatorFind 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 calculatorSchool 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 calculatorCompare 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 calculatorCommute 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 calculatorMoving 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 calculatorMortgage 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 calculatorArea 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 calculatorFrequently asked questions
Where does school data for England come from?
School locations come from the Department for Education's official 'Get Information about Schools' register where available, with OpenStreetMap as a fallback. Neither is an admissions register, so always confirm admissions with the school and local authority.
How are school places decided in England?
Each school or local authority publishes an admissions policy with criteria such as looked-after children, siblings, faith and distance. Distance is often only a tie-breaker, and cut-off distances change every year.
Do you cover stamp duty?
We deliberately don't estimate Stamp Duty Land Tax because rates and reliefs change and depend on your circumstances. Check the current position on GOV.UK or with a solicitor.
Verify the specifics officially