Two areas of Greater Manchester have ranked in the top 10 most family-friendly places in the UK.
Oldham appears second on the list, behind Preston, while Salford comes in seventh.
The study, from MoneySuperMarket, looked at a range of factors including housing affordability, the cost of childcare, safety, schooling, and general quality of life factors such as the number of family-friendly restaurants and days out in order to find the UK's 50 most family-friendly towns and cities.
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Narrowly missing out on the top spot, Oldham finished in the top 10% across multiple categories such as childcare costs, house prices and affordability, as well as finishing third overall for family-friendly dining options.
The places were all given a 'family-friendly index score' out of 100, with Oldham rated 89.6 and Salford, home to The Lowry theatre among other attractions, rated 85.
Two other Greater Manchester boroughs fared well in the list too - Bolton coming 17th overall after being declared third cheapest place for childcare, and Bury ranking 24th, and taking the top spot for child-friendly restaurants.
The study found there are 92.3 family-friendly restaurants per 10,000 people in Bury and the surrounding area.
Ashton Berkhauer, personal finance expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “While affordability is likely the overriding factor when it comes to buying your first home, there are other considerations that come into play when deciding where to raise a family - or where to retire for that matter.
“While house prices will still play a key role, being close to good schools and local amenities will likely have more of a sway when deciding on a location, as well other things such as proximity to family and friends who might be able to help with reducing the reliance on professional childcare.
“No matter what your house-hunting priorities are, it’s always a good idea to shop around and compare mortgage deals to make sure you’re getting the best deal for you and your individual needs.”
TOP 10 FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLACES:
- Preston - 90.3
- Oldham - 89.6
- Worcester - 89.3
- Southampton - 89.0
- Hastings - 86.3
- Bedford - 85.4
- Salford - 85.0
- Shrewsbury - 84.5
- Maidstone - 84.1
- Barnsley - 81.5
