Revealed: The top 20 best places in England and Wales to raise a family

St Bees, a tiny coastal town in Cumbria, has been named as the best place in England and Wales to raise a family.

16:23 23 October 2014

Family finance specialist Family Investments has released its annual top 20 best places for families in England and Wales to raise a family.

The places were chosen based on low crime rates, excellent schooling and affordable housing. With these criteria, St Bees, which is a tiny coastal town in Cumbria, was ranked number 1.

The little  coastal village has low crime rate, lower than average house price, and exceptional Stage 2 and 4 exam results at the local St Bees School.

“Deciding where to live is one of the most important financial and lifestyle choices families will make in their lifetimes,” said Steve Ferrari, head of customer insights at Family Investments.

“Our report is designed to help people navigate this decision by showing them how areas of England and Wales score on some of the major factors that play a part in everyday family life – whether that’s the quality of local schools or the area’s crime rates.

“The rural village of St Bees is well deserving of its title as the best place in the UK for families. It has a heritage that stretches back over 1,000 years, the schools achieve excellent results and locals tell us that it has a small but very close-knit community making it a great location for families.”

The top 20 places for families to live in the UK

1. St Bees, Cumbria, CA27
2. Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41
3. Faringdon, Oxfordshire, SN7
4. Lower Earley, Berkshire, RG6
5. Swanland, East Yorkshire, HU14
6. Moor Row, Cumbria, CA24
7. Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11
8. Longridge, Lancashire, PR3
9. Hixon, Staffordshire, ST18
10.  Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4
11.  Wooler, Northumberland, NE71
12.  Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA15
13. Church Crookham, Hampshire, GU52
14. Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45
15.  Sandhurst, Berkshire, GU47
16.  Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24
17.  Cheadle, Staffordshire, ST10
18.  Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, HP18
19.  Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7
20.  Woodley, Berkshire, RG5