Orkney named ‘Britain’s best place to live’ in annual quality of life survey

Orkney is the best place to live in Britain, according to the Halifax’s annual quality of life survey.

The islands took the top prize due to high employment levels, low crime rates, smaller primary class sizes and good health and happiness scores.

With its picturesque landscape and rich archaeological treasures, the archipelago off the north coast of Scotland has been the survey runner-up for the past two years.

James Stockan, leader of Orkney Islands Council, said: “I’m not surprised because I think Orkney has so many fabulous attributes and interesting opportunities. But I think the other side of the pendulum swing to that is what this survey doesn’t look into.

“That is, things like the cost of travel, the accessibility to services and of course, the weather.”

Evidently, the perks outweigh the downsides. Not only is Orkney is one of the most affordable places to live in the UK, with an average house price of £173,349, but it also has one the highest employment rates, with 88 per cent of residents currently in work.

There are also just 5.9 crimes per 10,000 population, which is significantly lower than the national average of 44.1. As for overall wellbeing, more than nine in 10 Orkney residents report good or fairly good health.

After coming second in the annual survey for the past two years, the remote area earned the top spot this time around ahead of Richmondshire in North Yorkshire.

Richmondshire scored highly across measures of personal wellbeing, such as happiness and life satisfaction, and also has one of the highest ratios of pubs to population.

The survey found that the top five places to live were all in Scotland or the north of England.

The south tended to score well on earnings, life expectancy and the weather, but northern parts of the country fared better in terms of housing affordability, lower traffic flows and lower primary school sizes.

Rutland in the East Midlands took third place followed by Hambleton in North Yorkshire and Eden in Cumbria. Just two London areas made the top 50: Westminster, in 15th place, and Richmond upon Thames, in 40th place.

The full list:

1. Orkney, Scotland
2. Richmondshire, Yorkshire and The Humber
3. Rutland, East Midlands
4. Hambleton, Yorkshire and The Humber
5. Eden, North West
6. South Oxfordshire, South East
7. Cotswold, South West
8. Ryedale, Yorkshire and The Humber
9. St Albans, East of England
10. Derbyshire Dales, East Midlands
11. Vale of White Horse, South East
12. Waverley, South East
13. Hart, South East
14. East Hertfordshire, East of England
15. Westminster, London
16. Winchester, South East
17. Rushmoor, South East
18. Uttlesford, East of England
19. Wychavon, West Midlands
20. Harborough, East Midlands
21. South Cambridgeshire, East of England
22. Rushcliffe, East Midlands
23. Ribble Valley, North West
24. Surrey Heath, South East
25. Wokingham, South East
26. Harrogate, Yorkshire and The Humber
27. Babergh, East of England
28. West Oxfordshire, South East
29. South Bucks, South East
30. Windsor and Maidenhead, South East
31. Warwick, West Midlands
32. Elmbridge, South East
33. Chichester, South East
34. Stratford-on-Avon, West Midlands
35. Lichfield, West Midlands
36. Malvern Hills, West Midlands
37. Rochford, East of England
38. Chiltern, South East
39. Shetland, Scotland
40. Richmond upon Thames, London
41. West Berkshire, South East
42. Basingstoke and Deane, South East
43. South Hams, South West
44. Fareham, South East
45. St Edmundsbury, East of England
46. Wycombe, South East
47. Mid Suffolk, East of England
48. Monmouthshire, Wales
49. Daventry, East Midlands
50. Selby, Yorkshire and The Humber