We have ranked all 138 UK statistical regions using an index derived from official stats relating to all different factors that impact quality of life in general.
Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham is a UK region in the Yorkshire and the Humber wider area of England. It is a UK NUTS 3 region that has seen, in terms of the statistics we use for uSwitch's Best Places to Live in The UK Quality of Life Index, some significant negative changes since the last time we conducted this study in 2013.
Where in 2013 Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham sat in the top half of the table at 54, when we analysed its 2015 data it had fallen 68 places, and now ranks in the 20 worst places to live for quality of life in the UK.
Here are some of the statistics we used in our research for Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham in 2015:
Employment
In 2015, employment rates in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham were at the lower end of average, with a 70% overall rate of employment and 45% of people in full time work of between 35 and 45 hours per week.
A higher than average 25% on top of that were working over 45 a week on a regular basis – a statistic that is important in quality of life terms as it shows how many people are 'overworking'.
Income
Incomes are also quite average in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham with the gross weekly income coming to £471.37 on average in 2015.
House Prices
House prices are below average in the region of Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, and are actually also below average for the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancies in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham are slightly below average for England and the UK as a whole at 78 for men and 82 for women, however this is consistent with most of the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
Life expectancy is an influential factor that insurance companies use to determine life insurance premiums. You can check our advice guide on how to get a cheaper life insurance policy
Living Costs
The cost of feeding your family is below average in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham at £50 per week, but again, this is in line with average costs in Yorkshire and the Humber in general.
The price of car insurance is, on the other hand, high at £509.60, and petrol is also slightly above the average price at 118p, making this a comparatively expensive place for those who see their car as an important part of their quality of life.
Compare car insurance deals with our comparison tool to ensure you're on the cheapest deal.
Other Important Factors
Only 95% of the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham region receives mobile phone signal, which appears high but many of the places in our study have 99% coverage. The local broadband speeds are also quite mediocre at 20.6Mbps.
How do your broadband speeds compare to the national average? Test them with our broadand speed checker.
While Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham have fairly average statistics for most things, there are no stand out positives in this region and some negatives like the mediocre technology and low life expectancy that cause it to sit so low on our table.
More to life than rankings
At uSwitch, we know that there is more to life than rankings, stats and figures, and our Qualify of Life Index merely highlights the vast differences in the experiences of people across the UK.
Whether you're living in the best city or the worst, millions of households in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland face financial struggles including rising energy bills and credit card debt. That's why it's more important than ever for households to assess their budgets, and uSwitch.com offers a great way to start.
Below you can find ways to save on everything from car insurance to mobile bills.
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Place to Live 2015 — Where did your region rank?
About the research
The uSwitch.com study assessed 138 local areas (NUTS3 regions) for 26 factors such as salaries, disposable household income, and the cost of essential goods including food bills, fuel costs and energy bills. The study also factored in lifestyle issues like hours of sunshine, working hours and life expectancy to ensure a full picture of the quality of life in each NUTS3 region.
For more about the study's methodology, read the full press release .