Stroud

High property costs define the barrier to entry in Stroud, where a median house is 8.2 times annual earnings. Residents must commit 31% of gross pay to rent, a reflection of prices that sit above the South West median. The trade-off for this financial pressure is a significantly safer and more affluent environment, as the area records the lowest deprivation score in the region and crime rates higher than only 12% of England authorities. Education remains a consistent strength, with 95.5% of pupils attending schools rated Good or Outstanding. This location suits those who prioritise low crime and high academic standards, provided they can manage the significant burden of local housing costs.

Written from the indicators on this page, 2026-10 data.

Colour shows quintile position against 361 UK Local Authorities. Green is the best position for someone moving here; red is the worst. Direction is set per indicator — higher pay, lower rent, less crime, less deprivation are all green.