UK Rankings 2026
UK areas ranked using official government data, from cost of living and affordability to crime rates and safety.
Cost of living
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Cheapest places to live
Areas ranked by council tax (Band D) from lowest to highest - based on 351 ranked UK areas.
- View most expensive
Most expensive places to live
Where the council tax bill bites hardest. 351 areas sorted from highest to lowest.
- View best value
Best value places to live
Where your salary goes furthest, by earnings-to-council-tax ratio. 349 areas with both data points.
Safety
Climate
- View sunniest
Sunniest and warmest places
Where the sun shines longest and the summers get warmest. Ranked across 350 local authorities using Met Office 30-year climate data.
- View wettest
Wettest and rainiest places
Which UK areas get the most rain by annual rainfall and rainy days. Same dataset as the sunniest ranking, focused on precipitation.
- View driest
Driest places
Areas with the least annual rainfall. If you're chasing dry weather, these are the places to look.
- View coldest
Coldest places
Ranked by average temperature and frost days per year. Upland and northern areas dominate the top of the list.
Broadband
- View best broadband
Best broadband coverage
UK areas ranked by gigabit-capable and full fibre coverage from Ofcom Connected Nations, July 2025.
- View worst broadband
Worst broadband coverage
The other end of the broadband ranking: areas with the lowest gigabit-capable coverage, mostly rural and remote.
Schools
- View best schools
Best school ratings (England)
English areas ranked by the percentage of schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, based on the March 2026 release.
- View lowest school ratings
Lowest school ratings (England)
The other end of the Ofsted ranking: areas where fewer schools reached Good or Outstanding at their most recent inspection.
All rankings are based on official government data: council tax figures from MHCLG (England), the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government for 2026-27, and earnings from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Read more on the About page.
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