A recent study has ranked Chester as one of the country’s most sought-after place for property buyers seeking a friendly neighbourhood to live in.
With access to an impressive range of places to eat and drink, verdant greenspaces like Grosvenor Park and a strong sense of community, Chester was deemed one of the top three locations nationwide.
Undertaken by London-headquartered estate agent business, John D Wood & Co, the analysis, titled the “Neighbourhood Appeal Index”, scored locations with a list of key categories that included prioritisation of community engagement, safety, residential stability and access to amenities.
The estate agents found the northwest metropolis second only to Sutton, a southwest borough of London, while Liverpool ranked in third place. For safety, Chester showed strong performance with only 7.7 reports anti-social behaviour for every 1,000 citizens. Out of all locations surveyed, the city had the lowest rate of reports.
Chester also ranked well for residential stability. Surveys indicated that 69.4% of properties in the city were either owned outright or residents were paying a mortgage, positioning it among the best performing places for homeownership.
In the category of amenities, the city also excelled. The report explained that Chester residents benefit from a wealth of greenspaces and access to a wide range of products, services and community spaces. It listed 8.84 pubs, cafes and places for public use per 10,000 residents and an abundance of gardens, parks and playing fields.
The study also noted that Chester had won five awards for community initiatives.