Are you looking to move to a new part of the United Kingdom? If so, it can be a good idea to do your research and find the places that can offer the best quality of life, and uSwitch's Best Places to Live in The UK Quality of Life Index for 2015 is a good place to start!
We've compared our analysis of 2015 quality of life data with our findings from our similar analysis in 2013, to see how each of the UK's 138 statistical regions has fared in the last two years.
East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland in the South Western region of Scotland is one of the NUTS 3 statistical regions of the UK that has gained a few places since our 2013 study.
It has risen 20 places to go from 138 to 118 on our list. While this is still a poor placement comparative to other locations, it shows some improvement in quality of life in this area, especially when you consider that in 2013 it topped our list of the worst places to live!
Here are some of the statistics for East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland:
Employment
East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire employment rates that are about average for the UK, with 70% of people living in East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland in 2015 having a paying job.
42% of the population of East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland in 2015 were working the standard full time hours of 35-45 hours a week.
Income
The average gross weekly income for East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland is reasonably high, at £499.05. Household annual disposable income is however pretty much in line with the average at £15,066.
Household annual disposable income in East Sussex CC is quite high, however, at £18,499.
House Prices
House prices in East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland are exceptionally low by UK standards overall at an average of £87,500 – this is one of the few places in the UK where average house prices are below £100k, and by a significant amount!. Rent in East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland is also comparatively low, at £61 per person, per week.
Life Expectancy
Average life expectancy in East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland is well below the overall averages at 76 for men and 80 for women. This means East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland has some of the shortest life expectancies in the UK.
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 food is average for the whole of the UK at £55 for a weekly shop. Car insurance is among the least expensive in the UK at £343.20, however, with Scotland as a country having lower car insurance premiums than the rest of the UK in general.
Other Important Factors
East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland suffers from having just 80% mobile phone network coverage, and average broadband speeds are poor at 13.2Mbps.
Use our broadband postcode checker to see which deals and what speeds are on offer in your area.
East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland does have some positives as you can see from these statistics, however the negatives in its stats like poor life expectancy and low standards of technology mean that on balance it falls in the bottom region of the table for quality of life.
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 .