Four market towns in region named among best for work-life balance

THREE TOWNS in the West Yorkshire district of Calderdale are among the best places in England to live and work – with affordable homes, good schools and relatively few people working long hours, according to a new study.

Todmorden, Elland and Sowerby Bridge, along with Bingley, near Bradford, appear in a top 10 of market towns drawn up by Royal Mail, which the company says represents centres that offer residents the best possible worklife balance.

Four towns in Cumbria make up most of the rest of the list, with Egremont placed at the top.

The findings were based on average earnings, house prices, access to services, crime figures, the skill level of the local population and unemployment figures.

“The study demonstrates the breadth of market towns providing attractive places for people to live and work in,” a Royal Mail spokesman said.

The news was well received in Calderdale, where the council leader, Tim Swift, was surprised only that Brighouse and Hebden Bridge had also not been included.

“Our market towns are part of what makes Calderdale distinctive. Each has its own identity,” he said.

“These towns were badly affected by the unprecedented flooding in 2015, so it’s particularly impressive that their journey of recovery has now seen them named as some of the best places to live in the country.”