Where are the best out-of-town locations for remote working?

Maidstone in Kent tops the list of towns that are best for remote working, according to a new league table devised by online estate agent Emoov. The number of city dwellers looking to escape to the country has more than doubled in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak with rural hotspots spiking in popularity, but some are more suitable for remote working than others. Home office space and good broadband speeds are vital of course, but anyone moving out of town to a more rural location should also consider local amenities and the distance to the nearest town or city for shopping or entertainment. So Emoov has done the hard work for anyone dreaming of a country lifestyle by producing a Rural Working Index. It ranks the UK’s most desirable destinations based on their remote working credentials.

The index ranks the top 10 best locations as:

1. Maidstone - Kent
2. St Helens- Merseyside
3. High Peak - Derbyshire
4. Newark - Nottinghamshire
5. Sevenoaks - Kent
6. Hertford - Hertfordshire
7. Dorking - Surrey
8. Shoreham-By-Sea - West Sussex
9. Malvern Hills - Worcestershire
10. Ryedale - Yorkshire

Emoov used Rightmove to give each destination points for the availability of homes with a garden, with three bedrooms or more, with at-home office space and with off-road parking. Amenities and things to do in the area were rated using Trip Advisor, while the availability of fibre broadband was checked using the OfCom Connected Nations Report Summer 2020. Finally, average house prices (according to Zoopla) the distance to the nearest urban centre and the estimated commute cost saved per day via car return were included in the calculations.

And if you prefer the idea of village life to living in a town, the index also lists the most picturesque rural locations using the same criteria. The top five are:

1. Rye - East Sussex
2. St Agnes - Cornwall
3. Lavenham - Suffolk
4. Ilmington - Warwickshire
5. Crail - Fifie

Rye or Maidstone may not be for everyone but the index does make for interesting reading. It also lists a useful set of criteria that anyone considering exchanging the city for the country should be thinking about.