North West named best place for families

It’s pretty safe to say that there’s not a lot in our lives that we consider to be more important than our families. Whether it be the ones we’re stuck with or the ones we choose, very few of us would be where we are today without them. You could say they’re up there with good ol’ oxygen and H2O.  

So, if you’re looking for a place to raise a happy and healthy family, where do you look? New research released this month, aptly named ‘The Family Friendliness Index’ (our favourite name for a report… ever) examined and dissected every possible detail to determine where in the UK are the best areas for families to live. Pretty handy if you ask us.

The index looked at everything from proximities to good schools, crime rates, ease of commute and lots of other functional and emotional factors that affect parents and their offspring. The results came in and yes, you guessed it, the North is the place to be. The cream of the crop. The daddy of all locations. The icing on the cake. The… well, we think you get the jist.

The results were broken down very specifically, not just to cities, towns or villages but actual roads – it doesn’t get more precise than that. Eight out of the ten locations were all located north, with areas in Manchester, Bolton and Cheshire named as either best places to start a family or the best places to raise a family.

Of course, everyone will have different views and there may be other factors to look at when deciding where to live. As they say, home is where heart is. However, we’re pretty chuffed that Manchester and other areas in the North West are once again hitting the headlines.

While there may be no “perfect” place to raise your little ones, the north certainly comes close and we wanted to share just a few snippets as to why the North West is a top place for families of all ages:

• It’s Wild: With top attractions such as Chester Zoo, Sea Life and Go Ape, animal lovers flock to the north for a real jungle adventure
• It’s Outdoorsy: Big central parks like Sefton and Heaton are great for a family day out and all you need is a picnic
• It’s Educational: Learning can be fun with great museums and educational centres such as exhibitions at The Lowry and the Museum of Science and Industry
• It’s Cool: Literally. The Chill Factore in Manchester will leave kids shaking in their snow boots 
• It’s Fun: Theme parks like Legoland and Blackpool Pleasure Beach will have everyone leaving with a smile on their face

Although we’ve highlighted more of the ‘fun’ features, the North West has so much more to offer than just a great day out. Manchester is well known for having some of the best schools in the country and throughout Cheshire and its surrounding areas, you’ll find miles of rolling countryside. So if you’re looking for a new home in a new location that’s likely to tick all the family friendly boxes, it may be time to look north.

If you've been considering a move, contact Ascend today. We have a large selection of beautiful properties available that are for sale or to rent. To find out more, give us a call today on 0161 637 8336.