One of Britain's “least popular” counties is in England – and to make matters worse, it's also home to one of the worst-rated cities. Bedfordshire is a county in the east of England, bordered by Hertfordshire to the southeast, Cambridgeshire to the northeast, Northamptonshire to the north and Buckinghamshire to the west.
Luton, in Bedfordshire, previously topped the list of the worst places to live. With a population of 225,262 at the 2021 census, the city was previously criticized for its 'ugly' appearance, but locals have defended their home and pointed out its many positives.
Data analytics company YouGov asked people to rank the 47 provinces based on 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 mansions 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 more than 60 Ofsted-rated excellent schools under its belt.
Despite the negative titles that both the town and the city of Luton have received, Bedfordshire is blessed with areas of natural beauty. This includes the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the southwestern part of the county.
The River Great Ouse flows through Bedfordshire and offers opportunities for boating, fishing and recreational activities. And the location in England is not to be sneezed 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 the Thameslink and East Midlands Trains services. It is also home to Luton Airport, often referred to as London Luton by tour operators.
The airport serves both long and short haul flights, which is excellent news for anyone living in Luton or nearby; After all, a lift to the airport can save money on parking at the airport.
The list of most popular counties is tipped, perhaps unsurprisingly, by staycation hotspots Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.
Dorset
Devon
Cornwall
North Yorkshire
Somerset
Cumbria
Isle of Wight
Norfolk
Northumberland
Derbyshire
Hampshire
West Yorkshire
Shropshire
Oxfordshire
Wiltshire
Cheshire
Gloucestershire
East Yorkshire
Warwickshire
Suffolk
West Sussex
County Durham
Lancashire
Knows
Herefordshire
Worcestershire
South Yorkshire
Cambridgeshire
East Sussex
Tyne and wear
Lincolnshire
Bristol
Staffordshire
Surrey
Rutland
Nottinghamshire
Hertfordshire
Greater London
Buckinghamshire
Berkshire
Merseyside
Greater Manchester
Essex
West Midlands
Leicestershire
Northamptonshire
Bedfordshire