BOURNEMOUTH has been named among the top five places to retire in the country, according to a recent study. 

Perhaps it's the seven miles of golden sandy beaches or the bustling town and suburban shopping districts that make Bournemouth a great place for retirees to settle down. 

Whatever the reason, Bournemouth has been named as the second best place in the entire country to retire.

A study by Consultus Care used Google search data to determine which towns and cities were the best and worst for retirees to move to. 

The researchers analysed which towns and cities offered the best opportunities for retired citizens in terms of their liveability factors, health and fitness opportunities, choice of entertainment and their general amenities.

Why is Bournemouth one of the best places to retire?

The study showed that Bournemouth has the closest proximity to the sea, making it perfect for walks in the natural scenery and weekends spent at Bournemouth Pier.

The town also scored highly across all the amenities  - parks, public libraries, supermarkets and churches - so has a wide variety of useful facilities. 

As well as being so close to the sea, Bournemouth also has a high number of golf courses and leisure centres so is perfect for those who love their sport and fitness.  

There are a high number of senior residents who reside in this city, so retirees will have plenty of like-minded people to enjoy their time with no matter how they choose to spend their retirement, according to the study.

Top 5 places to retire: 

1. Sunderland - 409 points

2. Bournemouth - 394 points

3. Derby - 392 points

4. Newcastle upon Tyne - 385 points

5. Liverpool - 355 points

Bournemouth Echo:

The best and worst places to retire have been revealed (image - stock)

Worst places to retire: 

1. Brighton - 244 points

2. Leeds - 235 points

3. Coventry - 223 points

4. Birmingham - 138 points

5. London - 80 points

How were the best and worst places determined? 

To determine these statistics, Consultus Care judged each city against a set of ranking factors in the following categories: 

  • Livability factors - climate, crime rate, number of senior residents, average house price and average care home price
  • Health and Fitness - quality of healthcare, number of leisure centres, golf courses, hiking routes and the proximity to the sea of each city 
  • Entertainment - number of cinemas, cafes and pubs, bingo halls, bowls clubs and garden centres
  • Amenities - number of parks, public libraries, supermarkets and churches

Against each of the 19 ranking factors, the city was awarded between 1 and 30 points.

These were then added up to provide a total for a category and an overall total to determine a winner.

For certain ranking factors (eg. number of cinemas and cafes), Consultus Care calculated the results per capita to ensure a fair result based on the size of the city.

Once they collected the overall results they were then able to reveal the Best UK cities to retire in.