The best 50 areas to live in the UK revealed: Hampshire and the South East dominate quality of life index
The South East is the best place to live in the UK according to a new quality of life index which is dominated by the home counties and surrounding areas.
Over half of the UK's top 50 places to live are in the South East, according to Halifax's annual list, which names Hart, a serene district in Hampshire, the best place to live in the UK for the fifth year in a row.
Seven of the top 10 places to live and 27 of the top 50 were areas in the South East on Halifax's annual list which measures a range of categories including residents' health and life expectancy, personal well-being, employment, a low crime rate and good weather to determine the best places to live.
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Richmond upon Thames was London's only representative on the list while the North of England, Scotland and Wales also had just one area between them.
South Oxfordshire climbed 19 places from last year to take second place behind Hart.
According to Halifax, residents in Hart rate themselves as the healthiest in the UK and are also ranked among the happiest, most satisfied, least anxious and highest percentage who believe what they do is worthwhile.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, such a quality of life comes at a cost – the average house price in Hart is eight times the average annual pre-tax local income.
The top 50 areas to live in the UK:
1. Hart, South East
2. South Oxfordshire, South East
3. Chiltern, South East
4. Winchester, South East
5. Rutland, East Midlands
6. Waverley, South East
7. Mole Valley, South East
8. Guildford, South East
9. South Cambridgeshire, East of England
10. Rushcliffe, East Midlands
11. Wokingham, South East
12. East Cambridgeshire, East of England
13. St Albans, East of England
14. South Northamptonshire, East Midlands
15. Horsham, South East
16. Mid Sussex, South East
17. St Edmundsbury, East of England
18. Eastleigh, South East
19. Epsom and Ewell, South East
20. Surrey Heath, South East
21. Stratford-on-Avon, West Midlands
22. Richmond upon Thames, London
23. Uttlesford, East of England
24. Vale of White Horse, South East
25. Chelmsford, East of England
26. Sevenoaks, South East
27. Tunbridge Wells, South East
28. South Bucks, South East
29. Tonbridge and Malling, South East
30. North Kesteven, East Midlands
31. New Forest, South East
32. Chichester, South East
33. East Hampshire, South East
34. West Dorset, South West
35. Hambleton, Yorkshire and the Humber
36. West Oxfordshire, South East
37. East Dorset, South West
38. North Dorset, South West
39. Harborough, East Midlands
40. Warwick, West Midlands
41. West Berkshire, South East
42. Wychavon, West Midlands
43. Windsor and Maidenhead, South East
44. Blaby, East Midlands
45. Mid Suffolk, East of England
46. South Norfolk, East of England
47. Basingstoke and Deane, South East
48. Wealden, South East
49. Test Valley, South East
50. East Hertfordshire, East of England