Edinburgh claimed top spot

MUCH-MALIGNED as snowflakes, the Millennials certainly seem to have had their hearts melted by Edinburgh.

The Capital has topped a list of UK cities as the best place to live for the 18 to 35-year-old generation.

New research from price comparison website comparethemarket.com measured average rent, salary, mental wellbeing, 4G coverage, nightlife and youth population.

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Edinburgh City Council leader Adam McVey said: "Edinburgh is a brilliant place to live.

“There’s a huge amount of employment opportunity and a lot of enjoyment opportunity too - being a vibrant city where there’s a lot happening.

“Our high standards of living, being a creative and cultural hub, and our beautiful green spaces have all made Edinburgh a highly desirable place to live and to live well.”

Edinburgh secured top spot with the fourth-highest average annual salary of £25,720 and the joint-third highest number of nightlife venues - 12 per 10,000 young adults.

“Places like Leith and Granton have undergone a huge amount of change in recent years and there’s a real buzz in so many of our local communities,” added Cllr McVey.

“Young families and people working in Edinburgh are drawn to our Capital and it’s easy to see why.

"Our mission now is to manage this success and ensure opportunities are open to everyone.

“This will make sure Edinburgh remains a thriving, exciting and sustainable place to call home.”

Also flying the flag for Scotland in the top ten are Aberdeen in sixth and Glasgow close behind in seventh.

Most of the towns and cities in the top 10 have large student communities, high average salaries and a high number of nightlife venues.

In terms of individual indicators, Manchester notched the youngest population, Newcastle the lowest rents and, unsurprisingly, London the highest wages.

The East of England scored the highest in a survey into mental wellbeing, while Reading was hailed for having the best 4G coverage.

The south coast port city of Plymouth, meanwhile, came out on top for nightlife venues, followed by Liverpool and Brighton and Hove.

In the overall list, Reading, Derby, Manchester and Bristol follow Edinburgh to make up the top five.

And after Aberdeen and Glasgow, Liverpool, Brighton and Hove and Newcastle complete the top ten.

Mark Gordon, director of money and mortgages at comparethemarket.com, said: “When moving out as a young adult, you typically will end up living with housemates, as it’s a great way to bring down rent costs.

“And, while you don’t have to have home contents insurance, it’s a good idea to have some financial protection in place, just in case.