The East Midlands county of Rutland is the best place to buy property across England and Wales when it comes to safety and affordability, according to Emoov.co.uk.
The estate agent analysed both crime statistics and house price data to highlight where offers the best blend of low crime and affordability.
Property values across the Midlands are still relatively affordable despite both the East and West Midlands seeing strong price growth over the last year, and so areas like Rutland are attractive to potential property buyers looking to live in a low crime area and still stay within budget.
Joining Rutland are a number of areas across the UK where property owners can pay a reasonable price and also have low crime rates. These include West Somerset, Eden, Ryedale, Richmondshire and Purbeck.
On the other side of the coin, the majority of the areas with the worst balance of unaffordable property values and high crime levels are in larger urban centres. Outside of London, Bristol tops the list, followed by Brighton and Hove, Wiltshire, Cambridge and Leeds.
London has the most expensive property values and highest crime rates. However, Sutton sees property prices are below London’s average at £384,902 and crime levels are -110% below the capital’s average.
Although the City of London itself does rank higher than Sutton, the average price tag is £768,751.
The City of Westminster and Camden are among the worst for unaffordability and high crime levels.
Russell Quirk, founder and CEO of Emoov.co.uk, said: “There is of course, a direct correlation between the amount of crime in an area and the price home buyers are willing to pay to live there.
“Unfortunately for many, the cost of getting on the ladder means they don’t have the luxury of considering crime rates when looking to buy, while city living also remains popular despite a higher tendency for crime in more populated urban environments.
“That said, the good news is that there are a number of areas across England and Wales with affordable price tags and a lower propensity for crime. As always, doing your research is key during the property buying process and can really help refine your search even before you reach the likes of Rightmove and Zoopla.”
Pictured: Oakham in Rutland