HORSHAM has been crowned one of the UK’s best places to live, according to an annual quality of life survey.

The Sussex town made it to the top due to strong exam results, high life expectancy, excellent health and happiness scores, and high average earnings.

The Halifax Quality of Life survey looks at how local authority areas compare, and takes into consideration 26 different factors that home buyers may consider when choosing a place to live.

These factors include employment, earnings, housing affordability, health and wellbeing, education, traffic and crime rates.

Russell Galley, managing director, Halifax said: “Everyone has different priorities when it comes to choosing a place to live, depending on time of life, and personal circumstances.

“Affordability will always be one of the most important factors, with getting a foot on the property ladder still difficult for some people.”

Top 50 places to live in the UK - according to Halifax

1. East Hertfordshire, East of England

2. Fareham, South East

3. Hart, South East

4. Horsham, South East

5. Maldon, East of England

6. Selby, Yorkshire and the Humber

7. Hambleton, Yorkshire and the Humber

8. Babergh, East of England

9. St Edmundsbury, East of England

10. Wokingham, South East

11. Ryedale, Yorkshire and the Humber

12. South Derbyshire, East Midlands

13. South Cambridgeshire, East of England

14. Tonbridge and Malling, South East

15. Rugby, West Midlands

16. Runnymede, South East

17. Wychavon, West Midlands

18. Orkney, Scotland

19. Woking, South East

20. Warwick, West Midlands

21. South Oxfordshire, South East

22. Rushcliffe, East Midlands

23. Huntingdonshire, East of England

24. Newark and Sherwood, East Midlands

25. Rushmoor, South East

26. Forest Heath, East of England

27. Elmbridge, South East

28. Wiltshire, South West

29. Gedling, East Midlands

30. North Dorset, South West

31. Rutland, East Midlands

32. Tewkesbury, South West

33. Rochford, East of England

34. Winchester, South East

35. Bracknell Forest, South East

36. Cherwell, South East

37. Central Bedfordshire, East of England

38. Charnwood, East Midlands

39. Forest of Dean, South West

40. Vale of White Horse, South East

41. West Berkshire, South East

42. New Forest, South East

43. North Warwickshire, West Midlands

44. Guildford, South East

45. Swindon, South West

46. Lichfield, West Midlands

47. Suffolk Coastal, East of England

48. York, Yorkshire and the Humber

49. Basingstoke and Deane, South East

50. Erewash, East Midlands