MoneySuperMarket, the UK’s leading price comparison site, has unveiled its annual Family Living Index, which revealed that Bath is 2018’s best UK city to raise a family.
The Family Living Index was created to guide parents, or soon–to-be parents, looking to future-proof their next move and help them select the best location to raise a family.
The annual Index analysed 35 of the UK’s biggest cities against key factors that impact family life, including local school rankings, access to green space, likelihood of burglary, house prices, job opportunities and average salary – matching year-on-year data to analyse movements in the Index.
The results reveal that Bath is the place to be for young families, overtaking last year’s hot spot Newcastle, with the South West hub seeing positive movements in almost all categories.
The level of ‘outstanding’ schools and job opportunities in the area helped the city climb the charts, with the highest score out of all cities analysed at 13.76 jobs per 100 capita.
Newcastle dropped to second place despite strong results, including an improved crime rate, an increase in quality schools in the area and a rise in disposable income. It was a reduction in job availability that saw the northern city knocked off the top spot.
Bath jumped four places to grab the top spot, seeing improvement across almost all categories and a rise in the average salary at £29,806.
Kevin Pratt, consumer affairs expert at MoneySuperMarket, commented: “Buying a family house is an exciting milestone and there are plenty of things to think about beyond the property itself, such as local amenities and other factors which contribute to the quality of family life.
“For example, parents with young children will want to find the right sort of neighbourhood. Schools are a huge priority, and many people move specifically to be in a particular catchment area – and that can be long before the children are due to start.
“Equally important is sorting out the finances so families can make the most of their money – and that includes crucial purchases such as life insurance.
“This cover is essential for anyone with dependants. It will release funds to keep your family functioning if you or your partner dies prematurely, by settling debts and providing money to meet living costs.”
Families and parents can explore the metrics and find the city that best matches their requirements here.