Five locations in south Wales have been named among the best in Wales for young families to live.
A new study conducted by moving platform Getamover.co.uk has come up with a list of the top 10 best and worst places for young families to live in Wales.
The analysis looked at factors including:
- Average house prices
- Crime rates
- Proximity to parks and libraries
- Population age
- Schools
The experts then weighed these finding up against their relevance to young families, and assigned each area a score out of 100.
Best places in Wales for young families to live
The best places for young families to live in Wales, according to Getamover.co.uk, are:
- Blaenau Gwent
- Neath Port Talbot
- Wrexham
- Swansea
- Denbighshire
- Flintshire
- Caerphilly
- Torfaen
- Gwynedd
- Carmarthenshire
Worst places for young families
While the experts at Getamover.co.uk also revealed the 10 worst places for young families to live in Wales:
- Monmouthshire
- Ceredigion
- Conwy
- Pembrokeshire
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Cardiff
- Powys
- Isle of Anglesey
- Newport
- Bridgend
South Wales locations among the best for young families to live
There were five locations in south Wales among the best for young families to live in:
- Blaenau Gwent
- Neath Port Talbot
- Swansea
- Caerphilly
- Torfaen
Blaenau Gwent - the county borough containing towns such as Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale, Abertillery and Tredegar - was found to be the best place for young families to live in Wales.
The south Wales county scored 61.1 (out of 100) in as part of the study which was 18% higher than the UK average of 51.8.
This high score is primarily due to the low property prices in the area, particularly in Abertillery, according to Getamover.co.uk.
The average house price for a first time buyer in Blaenau Gwent was found to be £131,029.
Most expensive UK cities to buy a house in
Getamover.co.uk added: "The crime rate in Blaenau Gwent is 46% higher than the UK average, which has dissuaded many young families from moving to the area.
"However, with such low house prices, and some beautiful areas, the county is putting itself on the map."
Neath Port Talbot was the second best place for young families to live, with a score of 60.8 (17% above the national average).
The experts said: "Also ranking very well for house prices, with an average cost of £156,722 for a first home, Neath Port Talbot stands out for its number of recreational activities, with eight cinemas per 100k residents."
Swansea recorded a score of 58.6, making it the fourth best location for young families in Wales.
The average house price for a first time buyer in Swansea is £178,091.
Getamover.co.uk added: "Almost one-fifth (19%) of the local population are children, and a further 29% are under 40 – for new parents looking to relocate, the area’s young population offers plenty of opportunities for making friends."
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Caerphilly (57.4) and Torfaen (57.1) also made the list, finishing in seventh and eighth place respectively.
Meanwhile Monmouthshire was named the worst place for young families to live in Wales in the study by Getamover.co.uk.
Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Newport and Bridgend also featured on the worst places to live list.
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