AS THE new school year begins, families in Wales should take note of the most family-friendly areas in the country, according to new data.

Researchers at South Wales conveyancing firm, David W Harris & Co. Solicitors, assessed the factors they deemed necessary for a family to thrive within each UK local authority, city, and county.

This revealed which areas were considered best to raise children.

The study combined eight reputable data sources for each location, each of which was given a score out of 100 based on how high or low it ranked against other areas. The average rating for each area was then found to provide an overall ranking.

The Wales rankings, from best to worst, were: 1. Vale of Glamorgan 2. Ceredigion 3. Gwynedd 4. Powys 5. Flintshire 6. Conwy 7. Isle of Anglesey 8. Pembrokeshire 9. Monmouthshire 10. Cardiff 11. Swansea 12. Carmarthenshire 13. Bridgend 14. Caerphilly 15. Denbighshire 16. Rhondda Cynon Taf 17. Torfaen 18. Newport 19. Wrexham 20. Blaenau Gwent 21. Merthyr Tydfil 22. Neath Port Talbot

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The factors that were considered for the study were house prices, rental prices, educational qualifications, crime rates (2 sets of data), employment rates, childcare costs, and proportion of land dedicated to community/leisure buildings.

With the cost-of-living crisis continuing on, lower house prices, rent prices, and childcare costs for under 4s were deemed important by the researchers as a key element in the rankings.

On top of this, a lower level of crime, as well as a higher level of educational attainment and employment, were also important factors to consider. The safer the area, and the better the career prospects, the more parents can safeguard their children’s futures.

As a bonus, ascertaining the local community spaces was worth considering to ensure parents can give their children the best chance at enriching their social lives through local activities.

Where Wales falls short compared to the rest of the UK is the educational attainment levels. The percentage of people living in the Welsh regions with an Apprenticeship/A Level or equivalent and above, is 53% or below in all places.

In comparison, for crime rates, the areas in Wales have some of the lowest in the whole of the UK.

Nia Gittins, Partner at David W Harris, said of the data, “We have offices across the whole of the South Wales region, and can attest to the natural beauty you’ll find here. That said, it’s fantastic to see our country, especially areas like The Vale of Glamorgan, Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Powys, and Flintshire, being commended for their more practical qualities.

“In today’s current economy, families are looking for more ways to cut down costs. With comparatively cheap housing, as well as great employment rates for parents, Wales could make for somewhere to seriously consider bringing up children.”