6: The UK is full of amazing cities, bustling market towns and quaint villages.

12: From rose-tinted village life in the southeast to the wonders of Wales,

16: the scenery of Scotland and the buzzy vibe of the northern cities.

20: Here are the top 10 best places to live and raise your family in the UK for 2019:

29: 10. Chelmsford.

30: Chelmsford was granted city status in 2012 and a vast boost in development has since

37: followed, including the refurbishment of the railway

39: station and the redevelopment of Anglia Ruskin’s old city centre campus - which is being turned

45: into 645 homes, shops and offices.

50: It is home to several excellent state schools, from outstanding primaries such as Beehive

55: Lane Community to secondaries such as Sandon School and the Boswells.

60: Families are increasingly looking for city centre houses within walking distance of the

64: schools, the high street and the station.

68: Chelmsford sits close to the A12 between Colchester and London with access to the M25.

75: Trains into Liverpool Street take 32-40 minutes and an annual season ticket is £3,640.

83: There are also some picturesque areas around the city as well, including the flint cathedral,

88: canals and parks.

94: 9. St Albans.

97: Some 20 miles north of central London, St Albans is a buzzy little cathedral city with

102: a great street market and a fantastic selection of restaurants and bars.

106: It also has the kind of schools that tempt parents to leave the capital, plus plenty

111: of parks, open countryside, commons and forests for those who love the great outdoors.

119: This city has the third highest earnings in the country, at £1,000 per week – far higher

124: than the average of £646.

127: But house prices here are high, representing 10.8 times income.

132: Expat families will find that St Albans has a wide variety of neighborhoods to choose

137: from, and single expats will find more than enough

139: to do in terms of recreation and nightlife at pubs and bars.

145: It's proximity to London makes it highly desirable for those that want to live outside of the

149: big city, but still want it within striking distance for work and play.

160: 8. Winchester.

164: Residents of Winchester enjoy the best quality of life in the UK, benefiting from a combination

170: of above average weekly earnings, low crime rate and good health.

175: Women there live more than two years longer than the average for the rest of the UK,

179: and Government figures reveal that Wintonians are among the happiest, satisfied, most content

185: and the least anxious in the country.

190: Perched alongside the South Downs, it has stunning architecture, great schools and plenty

195: of green spaces.

197: Winchester's employment rate, at 83 per cent, is much higher than the national average of

201: 73 per cent, while residents earn almost £200 more than the UK average a week.

208: Crime rates are among the lowest, and the number of pubs and leisure facilities are

212: among the highest.

217: 7. Hambleton.

219: With 20 pubs per 10,000 people, you can see why this area of North Yorkshire would rate

225: highly.

226: It includes the picturesque towns of Bedale and Thirsk and borders the North Yorks Moors,

232: as well as having a high level of employment.

234: The communities really care and everyone seems to look after each other here.

240: It also scores strongly on a low crime rate, traffic flows, population density and primary

246: class size.

248: Hambleton has one of the highest ratios of pubs to population, which is no surprise given

253: its attraction to the many visitors wishing to take in the views and walks around the

257: Yorkshire Dales.

262: 6. Belfast.

263: Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and is part of the United Kingdom.

269: It's one of the least attractive cities in the UK to live and work in,

273: which is as independent as ever and only a short distance from the seaside or countryside

278: scenery.

281: Many of Northern Ireland's more affluent residents base themselves in Holywood, along what is

286: known as the Gold Coast, which has turned into a sophisticated area.

291: Belfast, specifically the east corner known as Ballyhackamore, is a great place to settle

296: down and bring up children: it was recently named as one of the best value UK cities to

302: buy a family home.

304: Housing prices in Belfast are generally lower than the UK mainland.

308: This means that owning a property is within most people’s grasp.

311: The majority of the people living in Belfast and the surrounds prefer to buy property rather

316: than rent.

319: Belfast has a good bus service which is operated by Metro.

323: The Metro Network serves the whole city and outlying areas.

327: There is also a good train service which links Belfast to all the major towns in Ireland.

336: 5. Derbyshire Dales.

339: Situated in the Peak District, the area is best known for its astounding scenery.

344: Derbyshire is an area of great natural beauty with rugged, peat-covered moorlands and magnificent

350: limestone dales, with picturesque towns and villages, historic churches and some grand

356: houses.

357: It is the location of Britain’s first National Park - the Peak District National Park, which

361: is the world’s second most visited National Park.

367: Whether you enjoy your shopping or leisurely sightseeing trips Derbyshire’s lively towns

371: offer a delightful array of attractions.

374: Derbyshire is a county of contradictions.

376: It’s home to the wilderness of the Peak District National Park, but only a one to

380: two hour drive from the cosmopolitan cities of Manchester and Sheffield.

387: Perfect for outdoor-lovers is the new Monsal Trail, running around 20km from Bakewell to

393: Buxton along an old railway line, and following the path of the River Wye,

398: which has been newly refurbished to offer spectacular scenery and access for walkers,

403: cyclists and horse-riders.

410: 4. Rutland.

412: Rutland is England’s smallest county with a population just shy of 40,000.

418: Incomes are about average here, with the gross weekly income of the average person in 2017

423: at about £540.

427: Life expectancy is good here, with men expected to live to 80 and women to 84.

434: Food costs are about average for the UK in Rutland, with the average household spending

439: £55 a week on food.

443: Because Rutland is so small, it’s likely you’ll always find a connection with someone

446: you meet and they’ll know someone you know.

449: With a huge local attraction, Rutland Water is a man-made reservoir completed in 1975.

457: Rutland Water has everything to do from rock climbing, a 26-mile cycle track, a beach,

463: an aqua park, water sports, wildlife and more.

473: 3. Richmondshire.

476: Richmondshire is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England.

480: It has excellent personal wellbeing scores across all measures of life satisfaction,

485: worthwhile, happiness and low anxiety.

489: It also scores strongly on a low crime rate, traffic flows, population density and primary

495: class size.

499: Richmondshire has one of the highest ratios of pubs to population, which is no surprise

503: given its attraction to the many visitors wishing to take in the views and walks around

507: the Yorkshire Dales.

509: The rate of unemployment in Richmond is both lower than the average for North Yorkshire

514: and lower than the national average.

518: The percentage of residents in Richmond rating their health as 'very good' is more than the

522: national average.

524: Also the percentage of residents in Richmond rating their health as 'very bad' is less

529: than the national average, suggesting that the health of the residents

532: of Richmond is generally better than in the average person in England.

540: 2. York.

542: The walled city in North Yorkshire, home to York Minster, is one of the best places to

547: live in the Uk because of its combination of ancient beauty and a recent modernisation.

553: York comes out in top spot due to its emergence as a mini metropolis, with trendy cafes and

558: destination restaurants, innovative tech and media firms, and a dynamic workforce.

565: York has ambitions to become one of the best-connected hubs in Europe, has an average house price

570: of £300,000 and a population of about 200,000.

575: It has encouraging employment rates at 73% of its population in work in 2015.

582: Income and disposable income are in fairly good shape in York compared with nearby areas,

588: however they are still on the low end for places that made the top 10 in best places

593: to live in the UK.

596: With good value for money on both housing and living expenses and great amenities, York

601: is a good place to consider moving to if you are looking for the best places to live in

605: the UK.

609: 1. Orkney.

612: Orkney is the best place to live in the UK because of its high employment levels (with

616: 88 per cent of residents currently in work), high average spend per pupil on education,

622: low anxiety levels, low crime rates, low primary class sizes and consistently high

628: scores in life satisfaction and happiness.

634: Incomes in the Orkneys are fairly good, at £500 gross per week for the average person,

639: which is comparable to some of our other top 20 locations like South Nottinghamshire and

644: higher than many others.

648: With its picturesque landscape and rich archaeological treasures,

652: the archipelago off the north coast of Scotland has been the survey runner-up for the past

657: two years.

659: Orkney is also one of the most affordable places to live in the UK, with an average

663: house price of £170,000.