- East Suffolk is the best area in England for new families, with the highest score in the index ranking, which analysed factors related to safety, school availability, and healthcare access.
- North Somerset, Wiltshire, Northumberland, and Dorset are the top five best locations for families.
- Coventry ranks as the least family-friendly area, with the lowest score in the study.
New research has identified the best areas in the UK for new families, with East Suffolk taking the top spot.
Fertility clinic Cada used the most recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) data to analyse 67 factors related to education, crime rates, healthcare facilities, happiness among residents, health and amenities, such as supermarkets and childcare for 93 local authorities in England. For every area, a score out of 10 was given to each factor, which was relevant to the area’s population. Based on these scores, an overall score out of 100 was calculated for each area which has determined the final ranking.
The 20 best areas in England for new families
|
Rank |
Area |
Overall Score Out of 100 |
|
1. |
East Suffolk |
67.3 |
|
2. |
North Somerset |
66.4 |
|
3. |
Wiltshire |
65.4 |
|
4. |
Northumberland |
64.6 |
|
5. |
Dorset |
64.4 |
|
6. |
West Northamptonshire |
63.6 |
|
7. |
Cornwall |
62.7 |
|
8. |
East Riding of Yorkshire |
62.3 |
|
9. |
North Northamptonshire |
61.5 |
|
10. |
Central Bedfordshire |
60.7 |
|
11. |
South Gloucestershire |
60.1 |
|
12.(=) |
Swindon |
59.9 |
|
12.(=) |
Plymouth |
59.9 |
|
13.(=) |
Peterborough |
59.7 |
|
13.(=) |
Cheshire East |
59.7 |
|
14. |
Shropshire |
59.6 |
|
15. |
Croydon |
59.3 |
|
16. |
Luton |
59.2 |
|
17.(=) |
York |
59 |
|
17.(=) |
Calderdale |
59 |
|
18. |
County Durham |
58.5 |
|
19. |
Cheshire West and Chester |
58.3 |
|
20. |
Stockport |
58.2 |
East Suffolk takes the crown as the best area in England for families, with a score of 67.3 out of 100 in the study. The area boasts 103 primary schools per 100,000 residents, which is the highest rate in the study, with only 13% at or over full capacity. Crime rates are notably low in East Suffolk, with just 16 incidents of violence per 1,000 residents, compared to more than 50 in some bottom-ranked areas.
North Somerset is in second place, scoring 66.4 out of 100. Only 9.4% of the area’s primary schools are at or over capacity, which contributed to its high score, as well as the number of daycare centres, at 17 per 100,000 residents.
Wiltshire is third on the list, with a score of 65.4 out of 100. The area scored highly for low crime rates, with a rate of six instances of violence per 1,000 people and one residential burglary per 1,000 people.
Next is Northumberland, which scored 64.6 out of 100 in the study. The area stood out for only 3.9% of primary schools being over-capacity, as well as its restaurant scene, with 94 establishments per 100,000 residents.
Dorset is the fifth-best place in England for families, scoring 64.4 out of 100. The area scored particularly high for its number of supermarket and grocery shops, with 66 per 100,000 residents, as well as its number of nurseries, at 15 per 100,000 residents.
West Northamptonshire is in sixth place, with a score of 63.6 out of 100. The high number of nurseries in the area contributed to its high score, with there being 23 per 100,000 residents. There are also 13 daycare centres for every 100,000 people in the area when the average is 12.
Cornwall ranks seventh, scoring 62.7 out of 100. The area has an impressive number of restaurants, at 110 per 100,000 residents, as well as a high score for healthy eating, according to the most recent ONS survey.
In eighth spot is the East Riding of Yorkshire, which scored 62.3 out of 100. Just 5.6% of secondary schools in the area are at or over capacity, compared with the nation’s average of 23.7%. The area also scored highly for ‘happiness’ among residents, which the latest ONS survey reported.
North Northamptonshire follows in ninth place, with a score of 61.5 out of 100 in the study. The high number of supermarkets and grocery shops contributed to the area’s top ten position, at 57 for every 100,000 residents. The area also has 13 daycare centres per 100,000 people.
Central Bedfordshire completes the ranking, scoring 60.7 out of 100. The area has a low crime rate, with five instances of violence with injury per 1,000 residents, when the average is nine, as well as a high number of daycare centres for every 100,000 people, at 13.
Benedikt Förster, CEO and Founder of Cada, adds:
“This comprehensive analysis reveals that families looking for the best places to raise children should consider locations outside the major urban hubs. The areas on this list offer a balanced mix of schools with capacity, low crime rates and amenities, such as supermarkets and restaurants.
“It is important to look beyond house prices when deciding where to settle. School availability, local healthcare quality, community safety and happiness factors surveyed by the ONS, all have a significant impact on family life and children’s development.”
