Best places for families in England

Homestead ranks places on official data — schools, recorded crime, healthcare, transport, green space, the everyday high street and housing cost — rather than on reputation. Every eligible settlement in England is measured the same way, and the order below is the one that evidence produced.

Scope: 1,238 eligible England settlements, with the 9 highest-ranked shown here.

Where a measure has not been published for a place we say so rather than filling the gap. Nothing here is sponsored, and no place was moved by hand.

Harpenden — Hertfordshire — Excellent overall choice · Very strong nationally
Place overview
Harpenden is a town in Hertfordshire, in the East of England. The nearest railway station is Harpenden Rail Station, about 0.2 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong green space
- ✓ Strong transport links
- ✓ Strong amenities
Trade-off
- • Higher house prices
Harpenden is a town in Hertfordshire, in the East of England. The nearest railway station is Harpenden Rail Station, about 0.2 km away.
For buyers, the clearest advantages are good access to green space, well-provided everyday amenities and good access to healthcare.
Cheltenham — Gloucestershire — Very strong contender · Very strong nationally
Place overview
Cheltenham is a large town in Gloucestershire, in the West Midlands. The nearest railway station is Cheltenham Spa Rail Station, about 1.1 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong green space
- ✓ Strong value for money
- ✓ Strong transport links
Trade-off
- • Variable school performance
Cheltenham is a large town in Gloucestershire, in the West Midlands. The nearest railway station is Cheltenham Spa Rail Station, about 1.1 km away.
The strongest reasons to consider it are good access to green space, well-provided everyday amenities and good access to healthcare.
Ashtead — Surrey — Worth considering · Excellent nationally
Place overview
Ashtead is a small town in Greater London. The nearest railway station is Ashtead Rail Station, about 1.0 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong green space
- ✓ Strong amenities
- ✓ Strong healthcare
Trade-off
- • Limited public transport
Ashtead is a small town in Greater London. The nearest railway station is Ashtead Rail Station, about 1.0 km away.
What gives Ashtead an edge is good access to green space, well-provided everyday amenities and good access to healthcare.
Kesgrave — Suffolk — Worth considering · Excellent nationally
Place overview
Kesgrave is a small town in Suffolk, in the East of England. It lies a short way inland from the coast. The nearest railway station is Entrance1, about 3.9 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong green space
- ✓ Strong value for money
- ✓ Strong transport links
Trade-off
- • Variable school performance
Kesgrave is a small town in Suffolk, in the East of England. It lies a short way inland from the coast.
Kesgrave's case rests on good access to green space, well-provided everyday amenities and good access to healthcare.
Sevenoaks — Kent — Worth considering · Excellent nationally
Place overview
Sevenoaks is a town in Kent, in the South East of England. The nearest railway station is Sevenoaks Rail Station, about 0.2 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong green space
- ✓ Strong amenities
- ✓ Strong healthcare
Trade-off
- • Higher house prices
Sevenoaks is a town in Kent, in the South East of England. The nearest railway station is Sevenoaks Rail Station, about 0.2 km away.
The strongest reasons to consider it are good access to green space, well-provided everyday amenities and good access to healthcare.
Billericay — Essex — Worth considering · Very strong nationally
Place overview
Billericay is a town in Essex, in the East of England. The nearest railway station is Billericay Rail Station, about 0.3 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong green space
- ✓ Strong value for money
- ✓ Strong transport links
Trade-off
- • Variable school performance
Billericay is a town in Essex, in the East of England. The nearest railway station is Billericay Rail Station, about 0.3 km away.
What gives Billericay an edge is good access to green space, well-provided everyday amenities and good access to healthcare.
Bourton-on-the-Water — Gloucestershire — Worth considering · Excellent nationally
Place overview
Bourton-on-the-Water is a village in Gloucestershire, in the West Midlands. The nearest railway station is Kingham Rail Station, about 8.9 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong value for money
- ✓ Strong transport links
- ✓ Strong amenities
Trade-off
- • Less green space nearby
Bourton-on-the-Water is a village in Gloucestershire, in the West Midlands. The nearest railway station is Kingham Rail Station, about 8.9 km away.
The strongest reasons to consider it are well-provided everyday amenities, good access to healthcare and reliable public transport links.
One caveat: Schools has not been measured for Bourton-on-the-Water, so it plays no part in this result and we make no claim about it.
Hitchin — Hertfordshire — Worth considering · Very strong nationally
Place overview
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, in the East of England. The nearest railway station is Hitchin Rail Station, about 0.5 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong green space
- ✓ Strong transport links
- ✓ Strong amenities
Trade-off
- • Variable school performance
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, in the East of England. The nearest railway station is Hitchin Rail Station, about 0.5 km away.
For buyers, the clearest advantages are good access to green space, well-provided everyday amenities and good access to healthcare.
Farnham — Surrey — Worth considering · Excellent nationally
Place overview
Farnham is a town in Surrey, in the South East of England. The nearest railway station is Farnham Rail Station, about 0.3 km away.
Why it ranked
- ✓ Strong green space
- ✓ Strong amenities
- ✓ Strong healthcare
Trade-off
- • Higher house prices
Farnham is a town in Surrey, in the South East of England. The nearest railway station is Farnham Rail Station, about 0.3 km away.
For buyers, the clearest advantages are good access to green space, well-provided everyday amenities and good access to healthcare.

What this means for your search

The strongest signal from this ranking is that Harpenden performs best against the specific criteria we weighted — but it is squarely a pick for families who want school, safety and everyday convenience to line up in one postcode. Ask harder for a specific school phase, or for a particular price band, and the ranking rearranges — the places that lead here for balance aren't always the leaders for a single priority. The best place is rarely the top of any single list — it's the place that fits your priorities. If you'd like a shortlist tuned to yours, try the [Homestead questionnaire](/questionnaire). Otherwise, [the best places for outdoor life](/best-places/outdoor-lovers) is a natural next read.