As a place to live, Eden offers a number of attractions:
- Nearly half the district is classified as AONB or as a national park, a quarter of Eden being within the Lake District and also including parts of the Yorkshire Dales, whilst the North Pennines is an AONB.
- The standard mortality ratio is low, indicating that the population is relatively healthy
- The number of criminal offences is also well below the rates experienced elsewhere in the County, region and GB.
- Schools and colleges in the LEA are performing well at Key Stage 2, GCSE and A-levels.
Average house prices in the district (except for flats & maisonettes) are high compared to the rest of Cumbria and the region as a whole, with the average house price being a fifth higher than the County and regional averages, though below national levels.
As a result, housing is much less affordable to local residents than average for the County or region, costing over 5.5 times average incomes. However, the District remains more affordable than the national average. High prices, especially compared to average incomes, are likely to be driven by in-migration to the District by the relatively wealthy due to its lifestyle and environmental attractions. This could be limiting the supply off affordable housing for first-time buyers and existing residents.
Average house prices in the district (except for flats & maisonettes) are high compared to the rest of Cumbria and the region as a whole, with the average house price being a fifth higher than the County and regional averages, though below national levels.
As a result, housing is much less affordable to local residents than average for the County or region, costing over 5.5 times average incomes. However, the District remains more affordable than the national average. High prices, especially compared to average incomes, are likely to be driven by in-migration to the District by the relatively wealthy due to its lifestyle and environmental attractions. This could be limiting the supply off affordable housing for first-time buyers and existing residents.
*DTZ Pieda Consulting created the accessibility index in 1999 using drive times and distances to motorway junctions, railway stations, airports, ports, cities and major urban centres
The DTZ accessibility index indicates that Eden is somewhat more accessible within a UK context than the County as a whole, though still significantly behind regional and national levels. This is a result of good road and rail links through the District due to the M6 motorway and West Coast railway, with a main line station at Penrith.
In terms of accessibility within the district, it appears that car ownership is above average, with relatively more households in rural areas having two or more cars and more households than average in urban areas having a car.
