Living in Suffolk
The ancient county of Suffolk boasts a rich cultural heritage, stunning landscape and untouched
beaches. It is home to towns including Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and Haverhill as well as the busy ports of Felixstowe and Lowestoft. It's the perfect holiday destination, full of charming villages
and medieval towns.
The best city
to work in
Welcome to Suffolk: a place you can unwind in. Suffolk is truly a rural centric county. The county has a fascinating history, beautiful countryside and some truly picturesque villages. It’s charming county boasts over 1,450 square miles of space and is home to around 750,000 residents.
Suffolk’s hub, Ipswich boasts one of the UK’s fastest growing economies! In recent years Suffolk has become known as one of the most desirable locations for commuters searching for a change of lifestyle.
Getting a place
to stay
Move to Suffolk and reap the benefits of an unspoilt coastline, open countryside and an easy commute to London. Montly rent on a medium - sized, one-bedroom apartment in city center come in at between £550 and £700 month.
Property for sale in Suffolk ranges from quaint country cottages, grand barn conversions and spacious farmhouses, to studio apartments in bang-up-to-date eco-friendly developments.
Average property values in Suffolk sit at just under £280,000, and are up to £460,000 in sought-after locations such as Newmarket, Woodbridge and Southwold. Use the Zoopla house price tool to check the latest figures.
Lowestoft was ranked the most affordable place in Suffolk to buy a home - with areas such as the High Street having an average price of £95,000, London Road North prices at £110,000, Waveney Road at £120,000, and south of Lowestoft near Kirkley priced at £125,000.
Is Suffolk a nice place to live?
With its rich cultural heritage, natural landscape and its variety of urban centers, thriving market towns and communities, Suffolk is an attractive place for people to live and work. As a result, the health of people in Suffolk is generally better than the UK average. Life expectancy is good (83.6 years for females and 79.9 for males) and higher than the average for the East of England.
Cost of Living
Suffolk has also a very reasonable cost of living, with average rent costs at around £650 for a one Bedrooms Flat, in city center.
Utility bills can be as low as £90 per month in a rented flat, but will increase if you choose to rent or buy a house.
Eating out can cost around £40 for 2 persons depending on where you eat, and a pint of lager costs £4.
You can expect a weekly shop for one person to be around £30 and the price for an internet connection, average speeds being around 8mb/s, is £22 per month. There are plenty of gyms and sporting facilities throughout the city and a monthly gym membership will cost around £30.
Family Life
Of the many attractions in Suffolk, breathtaking castles, medieval towns, stately homes and gardens offer chances for exploration and adventure. There’s also plenty of fun stuff for children in Suffolk, including rare breed farms, animal parks, living museums, forest playgrounds, children’s festivals, and Suffolk’s county sport: crabbing.
There are many schools to choose from, be they private or state, offering the full spectrum of needs.
University Campus Suffolk (UCS) in Ipswich is rapidly becoming a strong higher education centre and now has full university degree accreditation. Meanwhile, the universities of Essex, East Anglia and Cambridge are all within easy reach, while Lowestoft College, Otley College, West Suffolk College and Suffolk New College all provide a range of courses.
Being close to Cambridge and its world class science and technology hubs brings huge advantages, especially in the West of the county.
Things to do
-
Arts and culture (Music, Poetry, Documentary, Comedy or Food, Festivals, Galleries, Museums and Theatres, Jazz Clubs)
-
Fun and Games (Parachuting, Football Stadium, Golf Parks, Adventure Golf, Swimming Pools, Skate Parks, Pools and Gyms, Sport Centres, Escape Rooms, Bike Tours, Mazes, Cinemas, Paintball, Go-Karting, Gaming Lounges, Bars, Studio Scribbles (Pottery Painting), Bingo, Archery, Comedy Clubs, Indoor Water Parks, Amusement Parks, Aqua Parks, Theme Parks, Antique Stores, Cruise Restaurants)
-
Ancient Ruins and Buildings (Old Villages and Houses, Abbeys, Churches, Castles, Towers, Cathedrals)
-
Nature and Outdoor activities (visit Farms, Parks, Gardens, Nature Reserves, Bird Observatory, Picnic Sites, Lakes, Zoos, Street Markets, visit Vineyards, Beaches, Sailing, Coastal Voyage, River Tours, Hot Air Balloons Rides, Canoeing, Fisheries)
5 INCREDIBLE SUFFOLK FACTS THAT WILL LEAVE YOU GASPING IN WONDER
01
Britain’s smallest pub is in Bury St Edmunds
The Nutshell pub, opened its doors in 1867, having previously been a fruit shop. Come for the ickle-ness,
stay for the weird Mummified Cat that they have on display.
02
Go East young man
Lowestoft is home to the most easterly point in the UK - with “Ness Point” the first place to view the
sunrise in the entire country. How romantic is that?
03
Paint it Suffolk
Renowned painters John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough were born within 10 miles of each other
in Suffolk (not during the same time period).
04
Aliens
Famously aliens landed (well, not quite – they apparently hovered) in Suffolk. The “Rendlesham Forest
Incident” is one of the most notorious UFO events in England.
05
Twinkle
Jane Taylor, a young poet, wrote perennial bedtime favourite “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” at her
residence in Shilling Street, in Lavenham in 1806.