Down one place from last year's number one position, it's debatable whether the high quality of life in Winchester has actually changed that much. The 110,000 strong district still boasts higher than UK average levels of sunshine and a rich heritage, with Winchester Cathedral at its centre.
Wild about Winchester? Discuss with others and rate the area >>
It was our Top Town of 2006, but this year we're afraid the results have taken the 'win' out of Winchester! Compared with our new number one, Winchester has lost its shine. They may make loads of money but where do they spend it?
And there's a bigger problem of global proportions: where Winchester lets itself down is on the environment. It has the highest carbon emission rates in our top 20.
On the plus side they certainly swot, look and listen in the classroom. It's these results - together with a strong local economy - which keeps Winchester high in our league tables, along with its exemplary record on health.
Well-served by trains running to and from London Waterloo, Weymouth, Brighton, Southampton and the North, Winchester is a breeze to access from most parts of the country. Trains to Waterloo take around an hour and run every 15 to 20 minutes at peak travel times.
Almost all rates for different types of crime in this orderly location undercut the national average. Car theft stats are around half the national norm, and theft from the home was at 2.3 households per 1000 at the last count, or just 0.23 per cent. As you might expect, council tax is slightly higher than the national average, but remains below a London borough like Haringey.
With these bonuses in mind, it's not surprising that buying property here will set you back £140,000 more than the UK average, and perhaps predictably, this traditional, conservative town has failed to keep up with Britain's multi-cultural revolution, with close to nine in ten of the population being white Brits.
While this might conjure an image of a town filled with retired, high-ranking civil servants, when it comes to age, Winchester folk challenge preconceptions: over 60 per cent of the population are under 49. That said, if you do stick around the town as a pensioner, you've got good odds of a longer than average life, with women typically clocking over 82 years, and men almost 80.
So, if you don't mind spending a little extra for quality of life, you could do far worse than buy in Winchester. We wouldn't be at all surprised to see this pleasant, quintessentially English town back at the top of our list in 2008.
<< Go back to the index to read about another area from our Best & Worst Live list
Discuss Winchester's position with other residents >>
Read about Channel 4's official best place to live in the UK 2007 >>
Local area information on Winchester from upmystreet.com >>
Winchester City Council >>
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