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.
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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