According to the Sunday Times 'Best Places to Live' guide, Bristol was named the best place to live in the UK in 2017.

Praised for it's big city feel but small size, it was also named as the fourth best city in the world to visit by Rough Guides.

“Bristol stands as a shining example of one of the UK’s most forward-thinking, innovative and dynamic small cities.” Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees said.

“Pinpointing what makes Bristol special isn't easy. It's a combination of many things from the people to the place itself, but at the heart of it is our cultural diversity and independent spirit.”

As well as being a good place to call home, Bristol also shows signs of positive working environments. The unemployment rate for residents of Bristol has fallen to 4.7%, the same as the national average.

Slightly fewer than one third of workers in Bristol ply their trade in health and social care (15%) or retail and motor repair (14%) and the average annual salary is £28,220 - more than the UK national average of £27,600.

But why else should you consider Bristol? We explore three reasons why south west England could be the right move for you.

Bristol economy.

The local economy grew by 2.4% in 2016, with a further increase of 15.7% expected by 2026. With the continued investment in Bristol it shows confidence remains in the area.

Bristol Temple Quarter development will create nearly 20,000 jobs and add a further £100m a year to the city’s already booming economy.

Jobs in Bristol.

Bristol ranked in the top three in the average UK Salary by City, behind London and Manchester. According to the judges, Bristol has “plenty of glamorous, creative, hi-tech and professional jobs, a brilliant food and drink scene and tons of culture”.

Art and culture.

Bristol is the home of Banksy so you can see some of his earlier work around the city. You can also see new works popping up all the time from other artists such as ‘Breakdancing Jesus’ in Stokes Croft, created by the artist Cosmo Sarson.

Upfest, Europe's largest Street Art & Graffiti festival, was hosted in Bristol this summer.

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