Quality of life

The Sunday Times included Reading in its Top 10 places to live in the South East in 2022 , saying "nowhere else in the South East can match Reading’s booming business, impeccable connections and relatively affordable house prices. Its schools are good and the parks and riverside walks add a breath of fresh air." 

With two rivers flowing through Reading and easy access to green spaces within and close to the centre, Reading offers a high quality of outdoor life for an urban centre. Reading’s scale is often cited as one if its key attractions – offering many of the benefits of big city living without many of the drawbacks.

The central hub is easily walkable and Reading’s award-winning public transport system makes getting around fairly painless. Reading schools rank among the UK’s best performing, house prices are relatively affordable and there is a bountiful supply of new homes coming on stream, both in the centre and surrounding areas. 

Reading’s heritage plays an important part in UK history as the burial place of King Henry I, the gaol of Oscar Wilde, the school room of Jane Austen and the historic home of Huntley & Palmers biscuits, among others. 

Reading also has a thriving arts and cultural scene with four National Portfolio Organisations, professional theatre companies, museums of national importance and a year-round festival programme headed by the Reading Festival itself.