UK Rankings 2026
UK areas ranked using official government data — from cost of living and affordability to crime rates and safety.
Cheapest places to live
Areas ranked by council tax (Band D) from lowest to highest - based on 351 ranked UK areas.
View cheapestMost expensive places to live
Where the council tax bill bites hardest. 351 areas sorted from highest to lowest.
View most expensiveBest value places to live
Where your salary goes furthest, by earnings-to-council-tax ratio. 349 areas with both data points.
View best valueSafest places to live
Areas ranked by recorded crime per 10,000 people, lowest first. Covers 303 local authorities with police data.
View safestHighest crime rate areas
Areas ranked by recorded crime per 10,000 people, highest first. Same dataset, sorted the other way.
View highest crimeSunniest 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 sunniestWettest 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 wettestDriest places
Areas with the least annual rainfall. If you're chasing dry weather, these are the places to look.
View driestColdest places
Ranked by average temperature and frost days per year. Upland and northern areas dominate the top of the list.
View coldestAll 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.