Market Harborough or Stamford?

[Mum917]

👋🏽 Hi! New on here. Was just looking for any useful insight into the areas of Market Harborough and Stamford? Looking to move in the summer and can’t decide between the two. Will visit both soon but any advice from those that know the areas would be fab. Our baby will be 1 when we move. Have family in Leicester hence looking at these two areas as they both look lovely. Thanks! 😀

East Midlands person here.

Market Harborough & Stamford are both lovely places to live, and amongst the most desirable towns in this part of the country. They are quite similar in many ways, including size and demographics. Both are predominantly middle class & conservative(in all senses of the word), but Stamford has more of a posh rural feel. It is definitely more historic with many beautiful Georgian stone buildings which, along with Burghley Hall, means it attracts quite a lot of tourists. Officially, Stamford is in Lincolnshire but spiritually, socially & geographically it’s really in Rutland.

Harborough has a more central location in the country which means more places are more easily accessible. Leicester is only half an hour up the road when you fancy a proper curry. Nottingham & Birmingham are fairly close when you want to go to concerts, theatre, sport etc. It also has a mainline station which is less than an hour from St Pancras. This makes it popular with people who commute to London.

In terms of day-to-day life, one obvious difference is that Stamford has an M&S, while Harborough does not. Both have Waitrose.

Thank you, very helpful info. Well I am of Indian descent and from Leicester myself so yes will love a proper curry! Despite living in Leicester, I haven’t ever been to Market Harborough! I think schools and integration are the most important aspects for me so will research the quality of schools in both Market Harborough and Stamford more 😀

I can’t comment on the schools in either town, so hopefully bumping this thread might get the attention of someone who can.

As for integration, the only observation I can offer is that both towns are overwhelmingly, ie at least 95%, white British and that compared to Leicester the lack of diversity is immediately very obvious.

I hope you get some more helpful replies. 😀