The UK’s dream locations
to live have been revealed, with generational trends showing that the buzz
around British towns and cities is returning.
Looking into the
UK’s ideal places to live, the survey revealed that different generations
across the nation have their sights set on a range of British locations to make
their dream move.
The survey, Generational
Property Hotspots, from McCarthy Stone, aimed to uncover the latest trends
around property, looking at popular locations and priorities for moving, the
most sought-after features of the home, and perceptions of the property market.
Findings from
the survey showed that although London was the overall top ‘dream’ location to
live, the results differed by generation, and what people wanted from their
property also varied.
Dream property locations for generations
Nearly a fifth (18.9%) of Gen Zs, those born between 1997 and 2012, said that London would be their dream location to live,
opting for hustle and bustle over country life. Following the top pick, the
youngest generation continued this trend with Birmingham (10.6%) and Manchester
(8.7%) second and third most popular.
While millennials, the age group born between 1980 and
1995, also favour capital cities, with both London (13.5%) and Edinburgh (9.9%)
topping the rankings, the trends show an interest in less populated cities. Bath
(9.2%), Brighton (8.6%) and Bristol (7.7%) were top choices for the age
group.
This figure for London was halved (7.2%) with baby
boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, with the older generation choosing
picturesque cities and seaside locations. York (10.1%) topped the rankings as
their dream location to reside, followed by the seaside towns of Torquay (10%)
and Newquay (9.1%).
Table of the UK’s top 10 dream locations across
generations
Rank | Gen Z’s top locations | Millennial’s top locations
| Gen X’s top locations | Baby Boomers top locations |
1 | London – 18.9% | London – 13.5% | Torquay – 12.2% | York – 10.1% |
2 | Birmingham – 10.6% | Edinburgh – 9.9% | London – 11.7% | Torquay – 10% |
3 | Brighton – 10.2% | Bath – 9.2% | Newquay – 10.2% | Newquay – 9.1% |
4 | Manchester – 8.7% | Brighton – 8.6% | Brighton – 9.7% | Bath – 7.2% |
5 | Bristol – 8.4% | Bristol – 7.7% | Bath – 9.1% | London – 7.2% |
6 | Cambridge – 8% | Birmingham – 7.7% | York – 8.8% | Brighton – 5.8% |
7 | Bath – 8% | York – 7.5% | Edinburgh – 8.2% | Edinburgh – 5.7% |
8 | Edinburgh – 7.6% | Belfast – 7.1% | Cambridge – 7.1% | Canterbury – 5.7% |
9 | Glasgow – 6.9% | Cambridge – 7.1% | Exeter – 5.4% | Cambridge – 5% |
10 | Canterbury – 6.6% | Cardiff – 6.9% | Canterbury – 5.1% | Falmouth – 4.2% |
Overall results
showed that 11.7 per cent of Brits chose London as their dream location,
followed by the historic cities of York (8.4%) and Bath (8.3%), suggesting that
this generation of house hunters are enticed by culture-rich cities. The Devon town of Torquay (8.3%) and popular seaside hub
Brighton (8%) took fourth and fifth place.
Table of the UK’s top 10 dream locations
Rank | City | Percentage |
1 | London | 11.7% |
2 | York | 8.4% |
3 | Bath | 8.3% |
4 | Torquay | 8.3% |
5 | Brighton | 8% |
6 | Edinburgh | 7.8% |
7 | Newquay | 7.8% |
8 | Cambridge | 6.5% |
9 | Bristol | 5.7% |
10 | Birmingham | 5.5% |
Priorities for Brits moving home
The study also suggests Brits may
have itchy feet after the pandemic halted moving plans, with nearly a fifth
(18.8%) of people citing a ‘fresh start’ as the top reason for their next move.
According to the findings, our next property move is more likely to be
starting anew rather than ‘because we miss family’ (7.5%), ‘want to pursue a
job’ (6%), or ‘pursue a relationship’ (4.7%). The UK also ranked outdoor
opportunities (69.8%) and healthcare options (63.2%) as more important reasons
to move than being close to friends (51.4%) and family (58.6%).
Access to healthcare
(67.3%) and public transport links (66.1%) topped the list for baby boomers,
but the results revealed that being able to make new friends (56.4%) is also a
top reason for this age group to move.
Starting out in their
careers, 59.6 per cent of ambitious Gen Z’s placed job prospects highly on
their house-hunting agenda. Another popular reason for moving amongst those in
the age group, born between 1997 and 2012, was forging relationships with
peers. Over three fifths (61.8%) placed importance on the ability to make
friends in their new location.
Set apart from their younger peers, and looking to settle down, over a
fifth (22.4%) of millennials said they would relocate to have more outdoor
space for their family, with 64.5 per cent of those aged between 25 and 41 wanting
to be closer to their family.
Priorities for choosing a location
Rank | Reason for | Percentage |
1 | By the sea | 34.8% |
2 | History | 31.9% |
3 | Culture | 30.7% |
4 | Quaint and picturesque | 30.3% |
5 | In the countryside | 23.2% |
6 | A modern, busy city | 20.5% |
7 | Wide selection of independent shops | 18.9% |
8 | Hotter/sunnier climate | 15.8% |
9 | Famous people and celebrities live there | 8.3% |
10 | Appears in tv, film or books | 8.3% |
Important features for house hunters eyeing their next move
The research also uncovered the most
desirable property features for house-hunters, finding that practical Brits want
trusty parking spaces over glamorous aesthetics.
Nearly two-thirds (63.9%) of people named
a driveway the most important property feature for their next move, followed by
56.5 per cent who claimed to be seeking a garage. UK
residents also named a big garden (54.3%), large windows (51.6%) and an attic
(44.1%) as the most important property features.
Alastair
Pegg, Marketing Director at McCarthy
Stone, said: “Across the UK’s generations, the most
consistent results we’ve seen from the findings is that variety is the most
important thing for Brits, whether they’re a Gen Z or a baby boomer, or want to
live in the north or south of the country.
“Even though the trends seem to show people dream of a
life away from the big cities as they get older, there are still plenty of
those who are just as keen to be in one of the nation’s hubs. No matter which
generation it is, things like access to the outdoors and being near to family
and friends always remain top of our priorities, so there will always be a
different perspective on where someone’s dream location and property will be.
“We know the importance of having these options and
whatever your choice of where you want to live, you’ll also have the option to
make your own dream home.”
For more information on the UK’s dream homes and to view
full findings per area, visit: https://www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk/content-and-resources/friends-and-family/generational-living-hotspots
