AN award-winning lifestyle site has announced the winners of its Best Places To Live series, with Woodstock topping the poll in Oxfordshire.
In association with global property consultancy, Knight Frank, acclaimed luxury lifestyle site Muddy Stilettos asked its readers to vote for the best local village, town or city to call home in 2024 using its Top 260 Places to Live guide.
In a regional vote across 29 counties, Woodstock topped the poll of 10 potential candidates in Oxfordshire.
From towns to villages, hamlets to commuter favourites, each of the initial 260 locations were independently researched and picked by the in-the-know Muddy Editorial team, and then over 27,500 readers went on to vote.
The results revealed passion for each town or village’s sense of community, quality of access to schools, restaurants, shops and culture, plus their feeling towards their overall immediate surroundings.
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Only 20 minutes from Oxford with six theatres to choose from, the main tourist attraction in Woodstock is Blenheim Palace.
The venue is the home of local culture including Christmas Lights and Blenheim Palace Flower Show and The Oxfordshire Museum based in Woodstock packs a punch bigger than you might think.
The average house price was £586,896 over the last year. The majority of sales in Woodstock were detached properties, selling for an average price of £872,850.
The top 10 most popular towns and villages in Oxfordshire for 2024 are Woodstock, Wallingford, Watlington, Henley-on-Thames, Goring, Charlbury, east Oxford, Burford, Whitchurch-on-Thames and Warborough.
Hero Brown, founder and editor-in-chief of Muddy Stilettos, said:, “When people move home, they’re searching for more than just a house, they want to find a new lifestyle that works for them.
"Our exclusive Reader Vote gives them a fresh perspective that can make their search easier. It’s hard to be confident on whether a location is the right place for you, but we’ve built our reputation on having first-hand knowledge on the in-the-know places to live and places to go.
"This Reader Vote gives a truly independent view on the towns and villages with the most popular postcodes, schools, restaurants and amenities.”
James Cleland, head of country business at Knight Frank said: “With hybrid working promoting greater flexibility and an enhanced work-life balance, new hotspots are emerging nationwide as the demand for more space continues.
"When it comes to where to live, more than ever people want a vibrant and tight-knit community.
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"It’s a trend that deepened during the pandemic and is likely to remain a leading factor for those looking to relocate.
"Excellent schools, ease of commuting, and access to local amenities also continue to be significant factors.
Voting took place between July 30 and August 15, with readers given one vote each.
The Best Place to Live lists provided information on everything from eating out and best schools to the commute and local arts/culture, but the final decision came from the readers’ own personal experience.
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