One of the “least popular” counties in the UK is located in England and, to make matters worse, it is also home to one of the worst-rated cities. Bedfordshire is a county in the east of England, bordering Hertfordshire to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north and Buckinghamshire to the west.
Luton, in Bedfordshire, previously topped lists of worst places to live. With a population of 225,262 according to the 2021 census, the town has previously been criticized for its “ugly” appearance, but locals have defended their home, pointing out its many positive aspects.
Data analytics company YouGov asked people to rank the 47 counties by whether they liked them. And in that ranking, Bedfordshire is the “least popular”.
The county has a diverse cultural heritage and is also known for its historic market towns, picturesque countryside and charming villages.
It has a mix of architectural styles, including medieval churches, Georgian houses and Victorian buildings.
The county is home to the University of Bedfordshire, which has campuses in Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes and offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. It also has over 60 Ofsted-rated outstanding schools to its credit.
Despite the negative titles that have been given to it and the town of Luton, Bedfordshire has been blessed with areas of natural beauty. This includes the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the south-west part of the county.
The River Great Ouse runs through Bedfordshire and offers opportunities for boating, fishing and leisure activities. And its location in England is nothing to sneeze at.
Bedfordshire benefits from its proximity to London and excellent transport links. The M1 motorway runs through the county providing easy access to London and the north.
Bedfordshire is also served by rail links, including Thameslink and East Midlands Trains services. It is also home to Luton Airport, which is often referred to as London Luton by tour operators.
The airport operates long and short haul flights, which is great news for anyone living in or around Luton, as a simple transfer to the airport could save money on airport parking.
The list of most popular counties is topped, perhaps unsurprisingly, by holiday spots in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.
Dorset
devon
Cornwall
North Yorkshire
Somersault
cumbria
Isle of Wight
norfolk
Northumberland
Derbyshire
hampshire
West Yorkshire
Shropshire
Oxfordshire
Wiltshire
Cheshire
Gloucestershire
East Riding of Yorkshire
Warwickshire
Suffolk
West Sussex
County Durham
lancashire
kent
Herefordshire
Worcestershire
South Yorkshire
Cambridgeshire
east sussex
Tyne and wear
Lincolnshire
Bristol board
Staffordshire
Surrey
Rutland
Nottinghamshire
Hertfordshire
Greater london
Buckinghamshire
Berkshire
Merseyside
Greater Manchester
Essex
West Midlands
Leicestershire
Northamptonshire
Bedfordshire