Living here, well, we of course already knew this. After all, here we are, nestled in the heart of the rolling hills and the lush countryside of England. Long has Oxfordshire captivated visitors with its timeless charm and breathtaking landscapes – and now, according to a recent survey – the county as solidified its position as one of the most picturesque places in the UK, ranking fourth in one of the lists of the country’s top 10 scenic destinations voted by Brits.

A Wonderfully Diverse & Cultural Landscape – for a Price

The survey, conducted only last month by fitted-furniture specialist Hammonds, analysed various factors regarding the beauty of the surrounding area – something that, now that remote working has been introduced to all our lives – has taken over the need for our homes to be in close proximity to our offices. A significant amount (31%) of the 2000 asked adults of the survey responded that it is quite important to have their house near something beautiful – and only a small portion of 4% says that the surrounding isn’t important at all. And that’s not just parks, lakes, or the seaside – with a selection of wonderfully preserved cities, proximity to those is equally as desirable.

In the end, the survey got split into three different categories. Whilst Cornwall, the Lake District, and Yorkshire got voted as the top 3 most picturesque locations in the UK (and our neighbour the Cotswolds in position 4!), the survey additionally looked at the affordability of the most beautiful places we have here. Looking at average house prices, the Isle of Brue, Boddam, and Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, are the winners when it comes to choosing a place to live that doesn’t break the bank. With house prices starting at just over £115,000!

We, however, made it onto the third list. The one of the top spots that require the highest budget; Living here definitely comes with a price tag. According to the survey, especially the city of Oxford sits comfortably in position 4 among the top 10 most beautiful, yet expensive places to live in the UK. The allure of its beauty, coupled with its proximity to London (which is, of course, the crowned first place in this category), as well as its thriving economy, las led to soaring property prices and a relatively high cost of living. However – as we probably can all attest – for many of us residents and visitor alike, the stunning scenery and quality of life offered by Oxfordshire are well worth the investment.