A recent research study commissioned by BBC Radio 4’s “Woman’s Hour” has revealed the five best and worst places in the UK for women to live. This isn’t something many of us likely ponder very often, regardless of gender. Relatively speaking, we’re incredibly privileged here in the UK. Nevertheless, it’s a fascinating topic when you delve into it, as demographics and socio-economic issues impact highly on the value of property.
By collating and comparing data from 380 local authorities and the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) was able to form a core index by examining a broad variety of indicators that impact on women’s quality of life in the UK. These included education, employment opportunities, gender pay gap, housing affordability, personal wellbeing, community safety, happiness, life satisfaction, life expectancy at birth, culture, environmental quality, and access to green spaces.
So which part of Scotland, pray tell, has been reported as the best places for women to live in the UK? Well, we’ve actually taken the top two spots on the list, with no Scottish areas listed in the worst five places. Here at Clyde Property, we’re not at all surprised! Here they are…
#1 East Dunbartonshire
Congratulations, East Dunbartonshire! You’re officially fabulous, and the best place in the UK for women to live. Of course, we know how popular an area this is because we sell so many properties in East Dunbartonshire—particularly Bearsden! The results of the study which places East Dunbartonshire at the top of the list is based on the area’s high rankings for the following indicators: education, income, residents’ happiness and personal wellbeing, access to green spaces, the wide variety of outdoor activities in the area, and environmental quality.
Current average value of residential property in East Dunbartonshire: £225,570, according to Rightmove.
#2. East Renfrewshire
A close runner up in second place is East Renfrewshire! By far one of the most highly-desirable areas to live in Scotland, we are consistently inundated with enquiries from house-hunters looking to buy properties in East Renfrewshire. It’s particularly popular with families because of its excellent local schooling, semi-rural placement, and excellent commuter links.
The indicators that make East Renfrewshire the second best place in the UK for women to live include education, income, safety, and the quality of the environment. However, it ranked lower when it came to housing affordability, which is no surprise. The property market in the area has long been competitive due to the performance of local authority schools.
Homes in desirable school catchments always carry a postcode premium. The good news is, properties in these areas retain their value and are far less likely to be affected by house falling prices to the same extent as homes in other parts of the country!
Current average value of residential property in East Renfrewshire: ££247,024 was more expensive than nearby Glasgow (£147,828), according to Rightmove.
Clyde Property is a leading independent, multiple award winning estate and letting agent with 30 years’ experience in selling and letting property in Scotland. Just call your local Clyde Property branch today, for friendly, impartial advice on finding your next dream home.
Register your details and property criteria below, and we will send you updates about homes that match your search criteria.