Back in 2013, uSwitch did a detailed analysis covering a huge amount of data, in order to rank the 138 different UK statistical regions from best to worst in terms of the quality of life their residents enjoyed. Now, we have performed the study again, to come up with uSwitch's Best Places to Live in The UK Quality of Life Index using data from 2015.
This not only allows us to compare what you can expect if you are looking to move to a different area, but also to see where a given region has improved or fallen down the table in the past couple of years.
Derby, in the East Midlands, is a city that has moved up in the rankings since 2013. It has gone from 37th position in uSwitch's Best Places to Live in The UK Quality of Life Index to 23rd in 2015, meaning it is an area that is, statistically at least, on the up, and in the top 30 best places to live in the UK.
Here are some of the statistics relating to quality of life in Derby:
Employment
Employment is very important when calculating quality of life, as even if you are retired or self employed and don't need to find work yourself, low unemployment indicates a prosperous area. Derby's employment rate is 73%, which while not among the very highest on our table, is pretty good for 2015.
Income
One thing that really stands out in the data for Derby is the incomes people there are enjoying, which are actually comparable to traditionally well paid areas like West London and Surrey. The average weekly gross income for Derby's individuals is a very high £662.90. However, this doesn't translate into high disposable income, with the average household having £13,788 for the year, which is actually very low.
House Prices
House prices in Derby are quite low, with the average house sold in 2015 costing £134,000. Rental prices are moderate, with the weekly cost of renting per person at £72. Why not use our free mortgage calculator that helps you determine how much you could afford to borrow.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy doesn't differ wildly throughout the UK, however Derby's is lower than most of the places above it in our rankings with life expectancy for men in Derby at 79 and 83 for women.
Living Costs
Cost of living is fairly low in Derby, with a weekly grocery shop in 2015 for a Derby household costing £55, and petrol below average at 116p. Car insurance is fairly high at just under £500 on average, though still lower than many of the other places in the UK. Try our cheaper car insurance and can save you heaps on your renewals
Other Important Factors
One area where Derby excels is communications. It has some of the highest broadband speeds in the UK at 30.8Mps, and 99% of the area has a mobile phone signal.
Derby scores highly on a number of things including technology, and of course income. Cost of living is also good, as are house prices. This is why Derby has made such a big jump between the 2013 and 2015 comparisons by uSwitch.
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.
Compare energy
Compare broadband
Compare credit cards
Compare mortgages
Compare car insurance
Compare mobiles
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 .