BUOYANT Bury is one of the best places to live in the country, according to a nationwide survey released yesterday.

It is the only town in Greater Manchester to feature in the top 20 of the best places for families to live throughout England and Wales

Education standards, crime figures, childcare provision, house prices and average salary were among many aspects considered which helped propel the town to 17th spot in the Family Hotspots Report.

The historic market town of Wokingham in Berkshire was listed as number one.

The survey is a unique analysis of nearly 2,400 postcodes in England and Wales, outlining the most affordable and desirable places to raise a family.

More than 70 different sets of data were fed into the analysis, which references key criteria important to parents when deciding where to settle and bring up their children.

According to the educational statistics for the town, Bury's average Key Stage Two score is 31.9 while the percentage of youngsters achieving Key Stage Four A*-C is 67 per cent. The report also disclosed that the level of early years care ranked "outstanding" by Ofsted is 25 per cent while Bury's crime per capita is 0.13.

The average price of a two-bedroom property is £115,044 while the median annual salary of residents is put at £21,684. And 19.5 per cent of average salary is spent on childcare. Bury's overall score of 21.47, out of a maximum of 30, earned it 17th place - one behind Colyton in Devon, and one in front of Shotley Gate, Suffolk.

Bury's top 20 status has been hailed by Bury Council leader, Mike Connolly.

He said: "We’ve always said that Bury is a great place in which to live, study, work and to visit — and we’re delighted that more and more people agree.

“Bury boasts excellent schools and highly rated childcare which, along with relatively low house prices and crime levels, makes the borough a very attractive choice for families. "When you add in the success of our town centres, our Green Flag parks, and our major tourist attractions such as Bury Market and the East Lancs Railway, you can see why people want to come here. Long may it continue."

He added: “These things don’t happen by accident, and the council has worked long and hard, along with its partners, to create the right conditions for Bury to flourish.”

Mr Bryn Weale, co-owner of estate agents Weale and Hitchen which has an office in Bury, said: "Any positive news like this is always good for Bury. As far as house buying and selling in the town is concerned, Bury remains consistent, regardless of the downturn. We have a degree of an influx of people moving into Bury as it's recognised as an affordable option."

The report was carried out by OneFamily, a modern mutual and specialist in family finances.

Karl Elliott, a spokesman for OneFamily, said: “We have created an easy way to help families find the best place to live.

"It helps answer the key questions when you’re trying to find the right home, including, are we near the right school for our children? Is it safe? Do we have everything we want nearby?”

* The Family Hotspots Report was first launched in 2010, with a year-on-year trend emerging of the same towns appearing in the top 20.

However, this year was the first time there had been a marked change in the rankings with only seven towns retaining their top 20 status.

These included Clitheroe and Longridge in Lancashire, and St Bees in Cumbria, which was top in 2014 but has now slipped to eighth position.

What do you love about Bury — let us know in the comments section below.