A revealing new study has been launched this week identifying the top 20 postcodes for family living. The report looks at all 2,400 postcodes across England and Wales and examines the crucial factors likely to impact on the decisions families make when they consider moving to a new area.

Winkleigh, a picturesque Devon village which describes itself as an “undiscovered treasure”, tops the table thanks to a winning combination of extremely low crime figures, excellent Key Stage 2 results and average property prices of £150,837

The Family Friendly Hotspots Report from the children’s savings provider Family Investments was compiled using more than 60 sets of data including education attainment from Ofsted, Land Registry property prices, police crime figures and Office of National Statistics population data. These helped to generate overall scores for every postcode region in England and Wales.

Positive indicators included green spaces and parks, low levels of crime and good local schools – all of which was weighted against the affordability of local property prices.

The Top 20 locations include a mix of villages and towns, some with rural locations such as South Petherton in Somerset and others in close proximity to city centres, such as Galgate, Lancaster and Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.

The essentials of family living were taken into account and included Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 results, school inspection outcomes, quantity and quality of Early Years care, local crime figures and property affordability (based on average house prices and local salaries).

Alongside these critical elements, lifestyle factors were also considered, which, the report claims, combine to “create the perfect backdrop for a happy family life”. These included, existing population of parents with young children, parks and green spaces, local leisure centres, zoos and farms, museums and theatres.

Kate Moore, Head of Savings and Investments at Family Investments said, “While we recognise that not everyone can lead a village life like the lucky residents of Winkleigh, we hope the factors we’ve identified will help families across the country when considering a new area to live. As parents, we might research local schools or house prices, but this new report brings all these elements and a great deal more together to create the first ever holistic picture of the best places for families to live.”

“Affordability is a huge consideration for families, with the rising cost of living and the need to start saving earlier than ever pressing on every parent’s mind. That’s why the Family Friendly Hotspots Report uses affordability as a crucial measure of suitability for families.”

Top family hotspot, Winkleigh, in Devon, reacted to their status yesterday. Graham Warmington, chairman of the Winkleigh Society and the village's Methodist minister, told the BBC, "It's a great place to live. It's isolated but with easy access to the beauty of both Devon and Cornwall. There is a community feel here and different activities going on.”

"Twelve years ago we were looking for somewhere to settle long-term in Devon and Cornwall and for us, the village ticked all the boxes. We found the community friendly and settled in really well."

Top 20 Family Friendly Hotspots