The best areas to live in the UK for successful self-isolation
The latest research by Hamilton Fraser’s deposit replacement scheme, Ome, has investigated the most affordable locations across the UK with the lowest population to maximise the chances of successful self-isolation during the current COVID-19 pandemic, whilst also avoiding those still yet to master the art of sitting on the sofa.
Ome looked at the estimated population of every area of the UK coupled with its size to find the number of people populating each square kilometre. Using these figures, Ome then explored the areas that are home to a population density of 100 people per sq km or less and which were also home to the lowest rental costs.
Ranking these areas provided Ome with a list of the most affordable rental locations with the lowest chance of bumping into people during our once-daily outside exercise during the current lockdown.
The research shows that Carmarthenshire is the most affordable rental location for successful self-isolation. The area is home to an estimated population of 187,568 people across 2,370 square kilometres, resulting in a population density of 79 people for every square kilometre. It is also home to an average monthly rent of £458, making it the most affordable of all areas with 100 people or less per square kilometre.
Wales is the place to go for successful self-isolation with Powys the next best option, home to 26 people per sq km and an average rental cost of £462 per month, while Pembrokeshire ranking third with 77 people per sq km and an average monthly rental cost of £471.
Outside of Wales, Fermanagh and Omagh are your next best bet with 41 people per sq km and a rental cost of £482 per month. Dumfries and Galloway are also the best areas for self-isolation in Scotland with a rental cost of £490 per month and just 23 people per sq km.
In England, Copeland, East Lindsey and Allerdale are the best places to successfully self isolate, with the average monthly rents sitting between £511-£517 and between 79 and 93 people per sq km.
In London, population density is far higher making self isolation more difficult, however, Bromley is home to the lowest number of people per sq hm at 2,207. In fact, just three boroughs are home to less than 3,000 people per sq km, the most affordable of which is Havering with the average monthly rent at £1,169. Hillingdon ranks second with rent sitting at £1,270 per month, followed by Bromley at £1,321.
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46 areas with less than 100 people per square kilometre sorted from most affordable rent to least affordable
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Location
|
Average monthly rent 2019
|
Population (estimated)
|
Area (sq km)
|
People per sq km
|
|
Carmarthenshire
|
£458
|
187,568
|
2,370
|
79
|
|
Powys
|
£462
|
132,447
|
5,181
|
26
|
|
Pembrokeshire
|
£471
|
125,055
|
1,619
|
77
|
|
Fermanagh and Omagh
|
£482
|
116,835
|
2,864
|
41
|
|
Gwynedd
|
£488
|
124,178
|
2,535
|
49
|
|
Isle of Anglesey
|
£490
|
69,961
|
711
|
98
|
|
Dumfries and Galloway
|
£490
|
148,790
|
6,427
|
23
|
|
Ceredigion
|
£507
|
72,992
|
1,786
|
41
|
|
Copeland
|
£511
|
68,424
|
732
|
93
|
|
East Lindsey
|
£513
|
140,741
|
1,765
|
80
|
|
Allerdale
|
£517
|
97,527
|
1,242
|
79
|
|
Mid Ulster
|
£525
|
147,392
|
1,831
|
80
|
|
Causeway Coast and Glens
|
£526
|
144,246
|
1,986
|
73
|
|
South Ayrshire
|
£528
|
112,550
|
1,222
|
92
|
|
East Ayrshire
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£528
|
121,840
|
1,262
|
97
|
|
Northumberland
|
£539
|
320,274
|
5,014
|
64
|
|
Cumbria
|
£543
|
498,888
|
6,767
|
74
|
|
West Lindsey
|
£550
|
94,869
|
1,156
|
82
|
|
Scottish Borders
|
£552
|
115,270
|
4,732
|
24
|
|
Eden
|
£570
|
52,881
|
2,142
|
25
|
|
Richmondshire
|
£587
|
53,244
|
1,319
|
40
|
|
Argyll and Bute
|
£594
|
86,260
|
6,909
|
12
|
|
Craven
|
£605
|
56,832
|
1,177
|
48
|
|
Torridge
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£612
|
68,143
|
984
|
69
|
|
Na h-Eileanan Siar
|
£618
|
26,830
|
3,059
|
9
|
|
Highland
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£618
|
235,540
|
25,657
|
9
|
|
Shetland Islands
|
£618
|
22,990
|
1,468
|
16
|
|
Orkney Islands
|
£618
|
22,190
|
989
|
22
|
|
Perth and Kinross
|
£624
|
151,290
|
5,286
|
29
|
|
Shropshire
|
£628
|
320,274
|
3,197
|
100
|
|
Herefordshire
|
£631
|
192,107
|
2,180
|
88
|
|
Hambleton
|
£635
|
91,134
|
1,311
|
70
|
|
North Devon
|
£637
|
96,110
|
1,086
|
88
|
|
Ryedale
|
£641
|
54,920
|
1,507
|
36
|
|
Angus
|
£660
|
116,040
|
2,182
|
53
|
|
Stirling
|
£677
|
94,330
|
2,187
|
43
|
|
West Devon
|
£679
|
55,528
|
1,160
|
48
|
|
Mid Devon
|
£683
|
81,695
|
913
|
89
|
|
North Yorkshire
|
£686
|
614,505
|
8,038
|
76
|
|
South Lakeland
|
£687
|
104,532
|
1,534
|
68
|
|
Derbyshire Dales
|
£703
|
71,977
|
792
|
91
|
|
Aberdeenshire
|
£735
|
261,470
|
6,313
|
41
|
|
Moray
|
£735
|
95,520
|
2,238
|
43
|
|
Scotland
|
£748
|
5,438,100
|
77,911
|
70
|
|
South Hams
|
£776
|
86,221
|
886
|
97
|
|
Cotswold
|
£956
|
89,022
|
1,165
|
76
|
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London boroughs sorted by the least number of people per square kilometre
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London boroughs
|
Average monthly rent 2019
|
Population (estimated)
|
Area (sq km)
|
People per sq km
|
|
Bromley
|
£1,321
|
331,096
|
150
|
2,207
|
|
Havering
|
£1,169
|
257,810
|
112
|
2,302
|
|
Hillingdon
|
£1,270
|
304,824
|
116
|
2,628
|
|
City of London
|
£2,446
|
8,706
|
3
|
2,902
|
|
Richmond upon Thames
|
£1,857
|
196,904
|
57
|
3,454
|
|
Bexley
|
£1,106
|
247,258
|
61
|
4,053
|
|
Enfield
|
£1,310
|
333,869
|
81
|
4,122
|
|
Croydon
|
£1,136
|
385,346
|
86
|
4,481
|
|
Barnet
|
£1,523
|
392,140
|
87
|
4,507
|
|
Sutton
|
£1,167
|
204,525
|
44
|
4,648
|
|
Kingston upon Thames
|
£1,390
|
175,470
|
37
|
4,742
|
|
Hounslow
|
£1,432
|
270,782
|
56
|
4,835
|
|
Harrow
|
£1,407
|
250,149
|
50
|
5,003
|
|
Merton
|
£1,530
|
206,186
|
38
|
5,426
|
|
Redbridge
|
£1,318
|
303,858
|
56
|
5,426
|
|
Barking and Dagenham
|
£1,194
|
211,998
|
36
|
5,889
|
|
Greenwich
|
£1,404
|
286,186
|
47
|
6,089
|
|
Ealing
|
£1,463
|
341,982
|
56
|
6,107
|
|
Waltham Forest
|
£1,309
|
276,700
|
39
|
7,095
|
|
Brent
|
£1,535
|
330,795
|
43
|
7,693
|
|
Lewisham
|
£1,324
|
303,536
|
35
|
8,672
|
|
Haringey
|
£1,558
|
270,624
|
30
|
9,021
|
|
Wandsworth
|
£1,883
|
326,474
|
34
|
9,602
|
|
Newham
|
£1,424
|
352,005
|
36
|
9,778
|
|
Southwark
|
£1,654
|
317,256
|
29
|
10,940
|
|
Hammersmith and Fulham
|
£2,117
|
185,426
|
16
|
11,589
|
|
Camden
|
£2,536
|
262,226
|
22
|
11,919
|
|
Lambeth
|
£1,754
|
325,917
|
27
|
12,071
|
|
City of Westminster
|
£3,018
|
255,324
|
21
|
12,158
|
|
Kensington And Chelsea
|
£3,053
|
156,197
|
12
|
13,016
|
|
Hackney
|
£1,834
|
279,665
|
19
|
14,719
|
|
Tower Hamlets
|
£1,803
|
317,705
|
20
|
15,885
|
|
Islington
|
£1,914
|
239,142
|
15
|
15,943
|
|
Sources:
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Population estimates
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Average rents
|
|
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Eng
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Scot
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Wal
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NI
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