How greatly are our lives impacted by where we live? Whilst some would like to think they’re not, evidence has begun to indicate that in fact – your postcode can have a huge influence over not only your life, but your children’s.
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From general wellbeing to levels of happiness, it appears your surroundings may have a more significant impact on your mentality and fortune than you might think. But are the stats reliable? It’s time to investigate further …
Your Fitness Levels
In recent studies, it has been shown that where you live determines how much exercise you do; or at least, how often you go to the gym. Detailed by The Telegraph, the study showed that Southerners were fitter than those from the North, with 15.8% of those in South East London being registered as attending the gym as opposed to 0.65% in Newcastle.
But does this make the North unfit? Whilst this study does look at gym attendance, it doesn’t monitor how many citizens engage in exercise at home, going for regular runs and so forth.
The Guardian reported that the South-East of England is twice as likely to have wealth in excess of £1m so naturally, they would have more money to pay the gym fees.
However, the study reported in the Telegraph has been supported by research from Public Health England which documented that people in the North have a higher risk of an early death. Jamie Ward, co-founder of payasUgym found that 153,000 people die prematurely every year with around 100,000 of these cases being preventable.
How Lucky You Are
According to stats, your post code not only dictates your health – but your fortune. For Ilford in London have regained their title as the luckiest part of the UK with more lottery wins being recorded there than anywhere else. A slight anti-climax for those who thought this luck would encompass luck in all areas of life! However, a healthy win on the scratch card never goes amiss.
Your Levels of Happiness
In 2012, a poll was conducted to assess the levels of happiness amongst citizens in different parts of the UK. And, the results produced some rather intriguing patterns. Firstly, it was said the 10 happiest towns and cities were in the North whilst those in the Eastern parts of London were least happy. These results acquired after asking individuals’ opinions on the decorative condition of their surroundings, the levels of security and neighbourliness.
But under closer inspection, these results aren’t quite as reliable as they may first appear. For whilst the happiest towns and cities were congregated in one specific region in the UK, the Happy at Home Index showed that the difference between reportedly happy and miserable towns were minute.
For instance, when comparing the results of the North and the South the data was 101 vs 99 respectfully. What’s more not everyone in the North was seen to be flying on cloud nine – Oldham in Greater Manchester scored 94 on the index. Close in score to the miserable parts of London who on average scored 90.
How Great Your Kid’s Upbringing Will Be
To many, this statement may seem a little deterministic. Surely a child’s upbringing is down to the parents? But according to research – where you live can have an influence over your child’s upbringing; impacting on their schooling, risk of falling victim to crime and their health (research found that the life expectancy of a newborn there was 80).
In this case, it has transpired that Wokingham in Berkshire has claimed the title for the best place to raise children; boasting green spaces and good schools with a low rate and affordable property. This town followed in second place by another town in Berkshire, Woodley.
It is evident from these findings that your postcode clearly does have something to say about you. However, these findings are generalised and often, are based on figures that are only divided by a fraction of percentage.
Thus, although there are clearly certain areas that are safer to live, offering a healthier lifestyle, there’s no need to start panicking about your hometown just yet. But in case you are a little curious, this post code finder will take you one step closer to uncovering your home town’s stats.
If you have any comments on any of the findings from these studies, share your thoughts below.
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Louise Blake is a mother who loves to blog in her spare time. She loves to write about everything and anything and can often be found nestled on her sofa working on her latest post.
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