SWINDON is in the top thirty places to live, despite dropping eight places in uSwitch's latest Quality of Life Index.

The town was placed 27th out of 138 towns surveyed by the comparison site, which ranked regions according to 26 different factors including salaries, disposable household income, and the cost of essential goods including food bills, fuel costs and energy bills.

The study also factored in lifestyle issues like hours of sunshine, working hours and life expectancy.

While Swindon placed better than Bristol (47), Gloucestershire (55), and even Devon (132), the town dropped eight places from its ranking in the same index in 2013, and now falls behind Hampshire (18), Bath & North East Somerset; North Somerset & South Gloucestershire (17), Berkshire (6) and Wirral (14)

It did, however, place more than twice as high as the Wiltshire region, which was ranked 78th in the list.

Robert Buckland, MP for South Swindon, said: "The survey sounds encouraging - I think that with all that we have to offer in Swindon it is a great place to live, work and raise a family."

Edinburgh came out top in the index, while Bradford and Hull were ranked the worst place to live in the UK, let down by low disposable income, low employment, high rent and crowded schools.

Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, said: "What this report reveals is the vast differences in the quality of life that many people across the UK are experiencing. Despite a buoyant UK economy, millions of people in this country aren’t feeling the benefits.

"We shouldn’t kid ourselves that it’s getting better for everyone out there. The reality is that millions of British households are still facing huge financial pressures, with wages barely covering higher living costs.

"And with talk of interest rates rising, any hope that those financial pressures might ease seems a forlorn one.

“Edinburgh has long been a city that’s inspired; a vibrant city with striking architecture and a world famous festival, all surrounded by stunning scenery. Now it’s official - Edinburgh is the best place to live in the UK. With low crime rates, high wages and affordable living costs, it’s not just the history and cultural attractions that are drawing people to Scotland’s capital.

“And while Edinburgh sits proudly at the top of the spire, Scotland as a whole is the star performer, with its regions easily making the biggest climbs in the ranks this year."