Choosing where to live is tough. Being responsible for choosing where your tiny humans grow up is even tougher.
It’s important to pick the right place to raise your family. You want it to have good transport connections, good schools, and access to babysitting for when you need a rest. There are loads of great places to settle down in the UK, but Millie & Jones, a children’s bed business, has decided to find out which is statistically the best for new parents. And the results are pretty surprising.
M&J analysed several cities on a bunch of different metrics including number of schools per 100,000 people, number of playgrounds and parks, unemployment, average rents, and more. Each city was then compared and given a number out of 100 which represented how family friendly it was.
And number one on the list was… Preston! The northern town took the title thanks to its low rents and high number of nurseries per capita, despite placing lower in crime and divorce statistics. Preston also came second overall in happiness, making it an ideal place to do stressful things like mediate a toddlers’ tantrum.
Next was Lichfield in Staffordshire, which did well in the ‘children’s activities’ and amount of playgrounds categories. However, it had a much higher cost of living than other comparable places, so it lost out on the top prize.
In bronze was St Albans, between London and Luton (neither of which made the top 20). According to Millie & Jones St Albans ‘outshines the competition in providing green spaces and recreational opportunities for families,’ but once again its cost of living prevents it from climbing higher on the list.
Overall, smaller cities tended to do better in the study, so the official recommendation is to consider places you might not have otherwise if you’re currently expecting, or plan to be soon. Especially Preston. Check out Preston, parents. You won’t regret it.
Looking to move?
Preston’s not the only place worth settling down in. Saltcoats in Scotland is officially the cheapest seaside town to move to, if you’re into that sort of thing. If you prefer to roam at night, Manchester has some of the best nightlife in the world, or if neither of those take your fancy, why not just buy yourself a castle and move off the grid? The possibilities really are endless. Plus, read about how another study reckons a London neighbourhood is the best place to raise a family.
Why is the UK’s phone signal so bad right now?
Plus: The ‘world’s best airline’ is launching more flights from the UK.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.