The Best of the Best Places to Live in the UK
Have you ever been confused by lists that judge the supposed ‘best places to live‘?
Each list can be easily torn apart based on one simple question; best for who? What’s best for one person might not be best for another. That’s why we’ve put together this useful infographic, which looks at the best places to live in the UK for all sorts of reasons; rural living, urban living, job prospects, big city life, enjoying retirement, value-for-money, raising a family, living by the sea, cheap properties and quality of life. Aaaaaannd…breathe!
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For rural living, Rutland in the East Midlands tops the charts with more than 96% of residents reporting good or fairly good health, along with one of the country’s lowest crime rates. Throw in high average earnings and a population that is among the most happy in Britain and you’ve got yourself the perfect rural location.
For urban living, Moseley in Birmingham comes top of the pile. Culture, nightlife and entertainment all play their part, as does its proximity to Birmingham’s city centre and local schools.
Surprise, surprise, London grabs top spot when it comes to job prospects. The number of businesses in the city has increased by a third since 2004, with the number of jobs increasing by 18% in the same time period.
The first location on this list that falls outside of England is the best big city to live in; Cardiff. High salaries, low living costs and high levels of life satisfaction make this the best big city to live in, according to MoneySupermarket.
For enjoying retirement, Dorset comes out on top according to Prudential’s quality of retirement index. Local residents were found to be highly likely to own property and be in good health.
In terms of value-for-money, the Welsh town of Blaenau Gwent ranks best – allowing you to get a square foot of home for just £76.80. Compare this to Kensington and Chelsea, where each square foot will cost you a monsterous £1,008.36.
St. Bees, Cumbria is deemed best for raising a family according to a Family Investment study, due to low crime rates, high salaries, affordable properties and a close knit community feel. The village is also home to a private school that boasts a 100% GCSE and A-Level pass rate (2013/14).
For living by the sea, Rhossili – the third Welsh location on this list – is the best according to TripAdvisor, which ranks their stunning three-mile golden beach as the best in the UK, and ninth best in the world! There is also easy accessibility into Swansea, Wales’s second largest city.
When it comes to cheap properties, North Ormesby in Middlesbrough can’t be beaten – with an average house price of just £57,480 and some properties available for as little as £30,000. However, there is also a decreasing population and unemployment rates that are three times the national average.
Finally, Hart in Hampshire rounds off our infographic as the best place to live for overall quality of life. Boasting the UK’s highest life expectancy (that’s 83 years for men and even more for women) along with low crime rates, high employment rates and average incomes, along with a content and happy population, Hart cannot be beaten for all-around life quality. Their houses look great and likely have some gorgeous external doors on them!