Peterborough named UK's best city for young families

It has a perfect combination of cheap homes and high birth rates meaning families can not only get on the property ladder, but also be near other young parents.

Researchers say having a baby is a key trigger for moving to a new area as many young couples are forced to relocate from small inner city properties when they start a family.

Now for the first time a study has mapped areas with affordable homes and high birth rates.

Consumer group Which? compared birth rates with the Land Registry’s house price index to find cheap areas to buy property which also have a high number of young families.

It says that in these areas there is likely to be more child care, nurseries and primary schools as well as support groups for new parents.

Peterborough comes top for new families, with a £169,261 average property price, well below the national average of £219,000, and a high 16.3 births a year per 1,000 residents.

Second is Leicester where properties cost an average £152,281, but the annual birth rate is 15 per 1,000 residents.

A Which? spokesman said: “Living in an area that’s popular with families is a key priority for many new parents, as it means you’re more likely to make friends with children the same age as yours.

“It’s worth bearing in mind that nothing is ever certain with the UK property market and prices can of course go down as well as up no matter where you buy - so it’s best to prioritise choosing an area where you think you and your family will be happy.”

Table - Top 10 places for young families:

Location Yearly birth rate/1,000 residents Average property price

1 Peterborough 16.3 £169,261

2 Leicester 15 £152,281

3 Middlesbrough 13.8 £105,719

4 Manchester 15.2 £155,972

5 Gloucester 14.1 £182,800

6 Birmingham 15.1 £163,565

7 Corby 15 £161,994

8 Bradford 14.9 £129,327

9 Oldham 14.5 £120,644

10 Salford 14.5 £141,327