South Cambridgeshire has been a fixture in our top 10 for the past three years, and it's not too hard to see why. As well as being slap bang in the middle of miles of uninterrupted open countryside, it's also a gateway to the centuries of history and culture offered by Cambridge city.
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This green and pleasant Authority ranks well due to high salaries and employment levels. The downside though is the usual with these posh spots - there's very little to do. We guess they must make their own entertainment, but with birth rates being lower than the national average it's certainly not in the bedroom!
If it's peace and quiet you're looking for, there are few better choices. South Cambridgeshire's residents tend to be affluent middle class professionals, typically earning around £555 a week, almost 20 per cent higher than the national average. And, crime figures are exceptionally low, with incidents of violence numbering less than half the national average, and vehicle theft and robbery figures similarly low.
Despite a sizeable growth in housing over the last decade, new developments continue to be encouraged to respect the local environment: the area's new administrative centre, Cambourne, which began construction in 1998, is testament to this, with an 'eco park' and a new 80-acre country park as integral to its planning as its business park.
Concern for the environment in an already well-preserved area is commendably high, too. An impressive 100 per cent of homes have kerbside recycling collection.
Travel links aren't bad, either. Stansted Airport is easily accessible, and frequent trains to London run through the larger villages of the area, making a jaunt to the capital a breeze. Even more attractive for an area with so much to offer, the average house cost a very reasonable £260,000 in July 2007.
When surveyed just three years ago, 60 per cent of residents said they were satisfied with the area's arts and cultural facilities, far exceeding the national average of 47 per cent. For an area surrounding a city that has hosted the talents of everyone from Lord Byron to the Monty Python team, this is perhaps one of the less newsworthy facts about an area full of surprises.
Venturing away from the attractions of the university and another weekend punting on the river Cam, there's plenty to explore outside the city borders. Whether it's enjoying a walk in Milton Country Park, taking in one of English Sinfonia's concerts in a medieval church, marveling at Duxford's historical air shows, or simply reveling in the quaint delights of villages like Six Mile Bottom, you'll have no difficulty finding something to keep you amused. And we would be more than happy to continue welcoming this affable borough to our list for many years to come.
<< Go back to the index to read about more Best and Worst places
Have your say by discussing South Cambridgeshire with other users >>
Check out the 6th Best Place to Live >>
Local area info for South Cambridgeshire on upmystreet.com >>
South Cambridgeshire District Council >>
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