Towns on the outskirts of London have ranked among the best places to live in the England for 2024.

Twyford in Berkshire, St Albans in Hertfordshire, and Epsom in Surrey are the top three most desirable places to live in the England and Wales, according to a report by Garrington Property Finders.

Twyford, a popular place to live for both families and professionals, tops the list.

With its pristine air, low crime rate and speedy train links to central London, it offers residents the charm of countryside living coupled with city conveniences.

Fast broadband speeds, proximity to high-paying jobs and quality schools all added up to make it the best place to live in 2024.

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Despite properties being priced well above national averages at £767,521 for a typical family home, prices fell by three per cent in the 12 months to September 2023.

This boosted Twyford to 26th place in the value for money category.

St Albans in Hertfordshire took second place.

Celebrated for its rich history, thriving community, and excellent transport links to London, it is a much-sought after location.

A wealth of good schools and historic attractions added to its ranking in the 2024 report.

The average family home in St Albans, priced at £972,494, saw values increase by 0.4 per cent in the year to September 2023, bucking the national trend.

In third place was Epsom in Surrey, home of the prestigious annual Derby race.

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The area ranked highly for its heritage, as well as for its school, employment and connectivity.

The ranking also included other locations close to London, such as Henley in Oxfordshire and Tring in Hertfordshire, both securing a spot in the top 10.

The methodology involved analysing publicly available data across 18 categories, including closeness to open space, air quality, crime figures, and percentage of homes with the nearest primary school ranked outstanding by Ofsted.

The study covered 1,429 locations, including large cities, mid-sized and small towns, and large villages, to provide an unbiased, comprehensive overview.

The drop in property prices in the past year has meant that many of the most desirable places to live in England and Wales became better value in 2023.