St Albans has come second in a new countdown of the best countryside locations to relocate to.
Compare My Move ranked more than 70 rural towns and villages in England and Wales on a range of factors, including average house price, median salary, hours of sunlight, download speed and number of restaurants.
Guildford in Surrey came out on top, while the village of Shere, also in Surrey, was third.
St Albans was the only Herts location to make the list, which featured the Durham market town of Barnard Castle in 32nd place. The Dominic Cummings favourite was named as the best rural location for cost, with an average house price of £188,327 – rather more affordable than the Cathedral city’s average of £559,240.
Dave Sayce, managing director at Compare My Move, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has seen many people reconsidering their living situation, with a large number of city dwellers ditching urban living and relocating to rural areas for a slower-paced life in the beautiful English countryside.
“It’s not surprising to see the top rural destinations are near London, with the likes of Guildford and St Albans proving popular places for Londoners to escape to, whilst having the benefit of quick and easy transport links into the city.”
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