Milton Keynes and Hemel Hempstead named among the best London commuter towns

Milton Keynes and Hemel Hempstead have both been named among the best London commuters towns in a new report.

Estate Agents, Yopa, has released its latest annual report rating the top 10 commuter towns.

Milton Keynes finished ninth in the study, just one place below Hemel Hempstead in eighth.

Yopa rated the areas based on the price of getting train into London, house prices in the neighbourhoods, crime rates, school rankings, and average local salaries.

In Hemel Hempstead research from the property sellers shows that the quickest train into the capital takes just 32 minutes. Rail line season tickets from Hemel cost £4,444, the average house costs £438,878, 132 trains head into London each day, and the crime rate sits at 58.95 per 1,000 people. Using Ofsted data, Yopa found 35 good or outstanding schools nearby, and seven secondary schools with the same rating.

Milton Keynes matched Hemel’s quickest train times, has a higher annual train ticket price of £6,232, a lower average house price of £361,125, 200 trains per day go from MK to the capital, and the crime rate is higher at 97.94 per 1,000. Yopa found 55 good or outstanding schools in the Milton Keynes area, and 11 secondary schools with the same ratings.

Woking has taken the top spot thanks to its short journey time of just 26 minutes to London Waterloo, number of trains each day, low crime rates and average local salaries. Yopa describes it as the perfect place for those “looking to escape the chaos of the capital”.

Reading, Slough, Luton and St Albans also made the top five, recognised for their property prices, train times, season ticket prices and safety in the area. Meanwhile, Maidenhead and Letchworth were both placed in the top 10.

Isaac Bull, London's Divisional Franchise Director at Yopa, said: “Since the first lockdown back in 2020, and the increase in remote working, we have definitely seen a change in buyer's behaviours in and around London.

"Lots of people have opted to move further out of London to take advantage of being able to get significantly more for your money down one of the many commuter routes in the suburbs.”

Yopa’s interactive commuter map can be found online here.