One of the biggest decisions a family can make is picking somewhere to raise a family in and around London. There are so many options, but what is the best location for a family?

Estate agency Yopa conducted research, which asked parents across the UK about their main motivators and priorities when looking for a new home.

The findings for London put Walton-upon-Thames, Esher and Richmond-upon-Thames in the top 10. Walton was found to be the best place to raise families, based on the research. With Esher coming fourth and Richmond in seventh.

Three in five parents with school-aged children have considered moving to one of the top 10 areas to improve their family’s prospects.

Crime rate tops the list of motivations to move, with over a quarter worrying about this. Road safety and pollution levels closely follow.

If money was no object, two in five parents would choose an urban lifestyle, with a quarter of London parents choosing to move to the commuter belt.

According to Eurostat, the London metropolitan area is the largest in the EU. It encompasses the home counties, including Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Kent and Essex,

The top 10 list can be found below, with Walton, Esher, and Richmond all featuring.

1. Walton-on-Thames, Surrey

2. Tunbridge Wells, Kent

3. St Albans, Hertfordshire

4. Esher, Surrey

5. Brentwood, Essex

6. Guildford, Surrey

7. Richmond upon Thames, Greater London

8. Chelmsford, Essex

9. Maidenhead, Berkshire

10. Harrow, Greater London

David Jacobs, Yopa’s Co-Founder commented on the findings: “The family home is usually the most expensive thing we invest in and this means we need to get the very best property for our money.

“The research shows some very interesting regional differences across Britain. We found people living in certain areas are far more likely to move further to find that ideal happy spot. Our new tool will help families to consider home locations that they might."