The best areas to live in the UK for successful self-isolation

April 10, 2020
LIVING BY THE SEASIDE 2022

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.

46 areas with less than 100 people per square kilometre sorted from most affordable rent to least affordable
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
£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
£612
68,143
984
69
Na h-Eileanan Siar
£618
26,830
3,059
9
Highland
£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

 

London boroughs sorted by the least number of people per square kilometre
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:
Population estimates
Average rents
Eng
Scot
Wal
NI

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