According to a new report, the people of the South West live longer, enjoy the lowest rates of reported crime and unemployment, and give more of their time to social, civic or volunteer activities than the rest of England.
The region also has the fastest growing population in the country – driven entirely by people moving into the region, with more than half of those newcomers leaving London and the South East.
It is not all good news however: the sunny climate means there are 27% more deaths from malignant melanoma and people in the South West spend proportionally more on motoring and services provided by local authorities are financed by a higher proportion of council tax than the national average.
The State of the South West 2007 report provides a comprehensive picture of region’s people, economy, environment and social make up. The report was co-ordinated and produced by the South West Observatory Core Unit and can be read on www.swo.org.uk.
