Now, we’ve been saying it for years, but now everyone else has caught up, as Leeds has been named the best place to live in the England…
The announcement came off the back of MoneySupermarket’s 2015 Quality of Living Index, which compares 12 of the UK’s biggest cities, taking into account factors like average salaries, cost of living and renting, unemployment rates and general satisfaction.
Edinburgh topped the list, with Belfast and Cardiff falling in behind, but Leeds took the fourth spot, making it the best of the eight English cities included. Sheffield, Bradford and Bristol all followed after Leeds, with Manchester, Liverpool, London and Birmingham making up the bottom quarter of the list.
The cost of living in Leeds was relatively affordable, coming in at an average of £377.60 a week. Unsurprisingly, it was significantly lower than London, which came in at £480.60, but it was also a blind sight cheaper than the 12-city average at £402.95 per week.
Our houses are pretty gosh-darned affordable too, at least in the grand scheme of things. Leeds boasts an income multiple of 6.6, while Birmingham totted up 7.7 and Bristol totalled a massive 9.2. That puts us in good stead for folk looking to settle down with a plot of their own.
Unemployment is also relatively low in Leeds, with our 8% rate standing in good stead against Birmingham’s 10.3% and Liverpool’s 10.6%, although we’re still a long way off Edinburgh, which in top spot, sports a minuscule 5.5% unemployment rate, with Belfast close behind at 6.5%.
It’s not just the numbers that are important though – it’s the recognition, as Leeds claws its way into the country’s subconscious, one accolade at a time. Once a city that went unnoticed, it’s finally beginning to get the attention it deserves, and that can only be a good thing.
So hell, let’s shout it from the rooftops – Leeds is the best place to live in England!
