Moving to Essex? Here Are The 9 Best Places to Relocate
11th October 2019

Moving to Essex? Here Are The 9 Best Places to Relocate

The attraction of Essex has always been present to many.

Areas like Greater London and Oxford are the least affordable cities in the UK.

Many now pine for the countryside, and the larger living space that comes with it.

Across the UK, families are taking the leap and moving to Essex; as are workers and just general lovers of the countryside.

With so many areas to choose from, it’s hard to know where to go.

So here is a comprehensive guide to help you figure out where you should move to next:

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For the Family

Moving home with a family isn’t an easy task.

You want to ensure there are enough high-quality local schools, entertainment and family activities to be had at the weekend.

Colchester

With a rich and colourful history, Colchester was made into a fortress by the roman empire, which eventually led to it being the first city in Britain.

Even with its fantastic history, Colchester still keeps up with the times with family amenities such as the Colchester Zoo and the astounding Firstsite Art Gallery.

Colchester offers the right combination of standard of living, excellent education and a commutable distance to London.

Providing an extraordinary array of state schools and private schools, children here will receive a very high standard of education.

Saffron Walden

Saffron Walden is a picturesque town in the Uttlesford district of Essex.

While the community may be small, everyone is friendly to the point where you feel at home after living there for a day.

Home to a multitude of shops from big businesses to the corner shop; Saffron Walden has it all.

Home to many primary and secondary schools, this town’s educational institutes have all been ranked highly, ranging from good to outstanding by Ofsted.

This is the ideal area to raise a family, being in the middle of the countryside, with regular festivals and a laid-back atmosphere.

Manningtree

The town of Manningtree has recently been rated as the 7th best place to live in the East of England by the Sunday Times’ Best Places to Live 2019.

This town is one of the cheapest areas to purchase a starter home, only setting a new family back bay under £200,000.

The town is full of activity for people of all ages, home to a beautiful beach come summer and a nature reserve, perfect any time of the year, to the east.

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For the Commuters

While many move to Essex for family reasons, a large portion of those who live in Essex are commuters.

Escaping the hustle and bustle of London life and the lack of greenery, exchanging it for peace, quiet and lush countryside.

Purfleet

Living as a commuter in Essex, Purfleet offers an average journey time of 33 minutes, from Purfleet station to Liverpool Street Station.

This is desirable for a commuter town; to be so close to London, yet able to enjoy all the benefits of being away from the noise and pace of the city.

Purfleet is home to the renown Lakeside Shopping centre, as well as a nature reserve and an array of historic buildings, with the name of the town being linked to exclamation of Queen Elizabeth looking on as her fleet departed to engage the Spanish Armada.

Basildon

Basildon is a large commuter town, expanding and engulfing smaller towns such as Pitsea.

With an average commute time of under 35 minutes, Basildon is perfect for commuters.

Housing prices in this area are also very beneficial.

The average house price stands in at under £270,000, with flats averaging in at £162,827, statistics from Zoopla October 2019.

Overall, Basildon is a rather average town in Essex, however, with a good selection of shops and with extensive development undergoing in the area, Basildon offers the best of both worlds.

River Stour at Nayland, Suffolk, England, in the Constable Country

For the Nature & History Lovers

Essex hosts a wonderful variety of wildlife within its countryside.

Over 70% of Essex is classed as rural; there are over 20 vineyards; and the climate is one of the driest in the UK.

It’s no wonder people move here for the countryside and history.

Castle Hedingham

Not only is there a Castle Hedingham, but the town surrounding the castle received the same name.

This village in northeast Essex formed over hundreds of years, around the 900-year-old castle.

History has its roots deeply embedded in this town as well as the countryside.

Castle Hedingham is home to miles of land; offering walks as long as 10 miles.

Not least of all, living here means you’re within an arms reach of the Dedham Vale, an Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB).

Dedham

This quaint town is located to the North of Colchester.

Dedham became well known through the painting by John Constable, depicting Dedham Vale in all its glory, a landscape that has not changed to this date.

It’s the perfect distance from Colchester and London, enough that you’re free from the constraints of a city but close enough not to feel isolated.

The only downside to this area? Housing prices stood at £604,141 on average, according to Zoopla in October 2018.

Although, if this is still feasible to you, then it is most definitely worth the move.

For the Best of Both Worlds

Chelmsford

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2018, named Chelmsford as the best place to live in England.

In 2019, it was in the Top 10 Best Places to live in the East of England.

On top of this, Chelmsford was awarded City status to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations.

It’s home to many green spaces, such as Hylands Park; Bond Street offers some fantastic shopping opportunities; and first-time buyers can quickly get on the market.

A one-bedroom or starter home costs an average of £211,000.

Trains to Chelmsford to Liverpool Street Station are roughly 35 minutes, with the average house price standing at £390,189 according to Zoopla.

Chelmsford has been continually growing and improving since receiving City status, being an attractive city to all who think of moving to Essex.

It is clear why it has been so successful in the Sunday Time Best Places to Live and, with many ongoing developments, the future for Chelmsford is bright indeed.

Ready to move?

Put your feet up and let GoodMove take the stress out of moving to Essex, your new home.

GoodMove provides a fast, convenient and highly efficient house removals service, that works around you and your family.

We have over 35 years’ experience handling removals throughout the UK, operating out of our offices and warehouses in Colchester, Essex.

Our customer-driven approach to removals has earned us critical acclaim and we believe our written testimonials, found on Reference Line, are a testament to the service we deliver.

We also offer flexible self-storage options to our customers either as part of a tailor-made removals package or as a standalone service.

To find our how GoodMove’s removals service can work for you don’t hesitate to contact us on the number listed above, or use the quick quote form.

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