Dudley beats West Midlands cities and ranks in the UK property top 10 hotspots with almost 14,000 people moving to the town - here's why
More than 14,000 have moved to Dudley in 12 months, with a new study showing the town is among one of the UK's most popular for house movers
The new report showed that the Capital of the Black Country was the UK’s fifth most popular location for house moves, with showing an eight per cent increase in net migration compared to the previous year.
This comes just 12 months after Dudley was voted Britain's fourth grumpiest town in the UK.
It was the only West Midland town to feature in the top 10, coming in behind Birkenhead in first place, Wigan, Northampton and Mansfield.
The 'moving trends' report, commissioned by storage provider Stora, showed that nearly 14,000 Brits made Dudley their home, with an average house price of £223,488.
Net migration was up by 1,013, or eight per cent, year-on-year.
The report said that many people in Britain were looking for more affordable places to live. Dudley, where the average house costs £223,488, comes in 15 per cent cheaper than the national average of £270,000.
Birkenhead was the top performer, with a 27 per cent increase in net migration and over 11,000 people settling down in the town, which is just across the river from Liverpool.
At the other end of the spectrum, Birmingham had the largest number of people leaving the city, at 79,000. Net migration out of the city stood at 27,000, an increase of 21 per cent compared to the previous year.
Overall, Luton was the least popular location for movers, with 6.932 more people choosing to move out of Luton than move in, an increase of 39 per cent on the previous year. Property prices were £8,000 above the national average in the Bedfordshire town, which might have explained why people were looking to leave.
Stora chief executive Gavin Shields said: “Our research reveals Brits are moving far and wide, with popular locations in the south and north of England.
Researchers took the top 50 most populated locations and analysed where residents are choosing to move. Using the Office for National Statistics, it analysed inflows and outflows for each location to reveal the percentage increase in net migration.
The report also analysed Government data to determine the average property cost in each location and the average monthly cost to see how much residents could be expected to pay if relocating.
10 things that make Dudley bostin:
1. The Black Country Living Museum
4. Priory Park and ruins
5. 400 million years of history at Wren's Nest National Nature Reserve
6. Affordability - house prices in Dudley are 15 per cent below the national average
7. Himley Hall, ancestral home of the Earl of Dudley and where King Edward VIII wrote his abdication speech
8. Some of the best pubs and breweries in the country, including the Beacon Hotel and Ma Pardoe's
9. It is where Dud Dudley first smelted iron with coke, and the birthplace of his great-grandnephew Abraham Darby who made the process commercially viable - making Dudley the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution
10. Some of the friendliest and funniest people you will ever meet - even if they do come across as a little grumpy
Methodology for the Stora Study:
Stora took the top 50 most populated locations and analysed where residents are choosing to move. Using the Office for National Statistics, the storage company analysed inflows and outflows for each location to reveal the percentage increase in net migration.
In addition, its researchers analysed GOV UK data to determine the average property cost in each location and the average monthly cost to see how much residents could be expected to pay if relocating.
