Orkney named best in UK for rural quality of life

Orkney offers the best quality of life of any rural area in Britain, says a new survey.

The islands in Scotland benefit from low crimates, low traffic levels, low anxiety levels, a high employment rate and good number of pubs to choose from.

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The area tops the Bank of Scotland's rural quality of life survey, jumping up from 46th place last year.

Orkney knocked Wychavon in the West Midlands into second place, while the Derbyshire Dales in the East Midlands came in third.

A number of factors were taken into account, including employment levels, anxiety levels and quality of education and, this year, two new categories were added, raring the number of pubs as well as health clubs and leisure centres.

According to the BBC, the Orkney islands have the lowest crime rate in Britain - a burglary rate of 2.3 per 10,000 people compared with a Scottish average of 27.2.

The employment rate is 87.6%, while there are just 142 cars per square kilometre, with the UK average being 9,617.

Graham Blair, mortgage director at Bank of Scotland, said: "The Orkney islands is a stunning part of Scotland with some beautiful scenery.

"Pair this with one of the lowest population densities and traffic levels in Scotland, as well as the lowest levels of anxiety and highest life satisfaction ratings, and it's not surprising that the Orkneys offer a quality of life that is unmatched elsewhere in rural Britain."


The top rural areas with the best quality of life:
Orkney Islands, Scotland
Wychavon, West Midlands
Derbyshire Dales, East Midlands
Hambleton, Yorkshire and the Humber
Purbeck, South West
South Cambridgeshire, East of England
Chiltern, South East
West Oxfordshire, South East
South Hams, South West
South Oxfordshire, South East