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A Snapshot into.. Hertfordshire

• February 01, 2021

Beautiful Hertfordshire is located in South East England and is surrounded by Essex, Buckinghamshire, Greater London and Bedfordshire. It contains one city, St. Albans and other large towns including Watford, Hitchen, Hemel Hempstead and Stevenage.

The county has various landmarks from Leavesden Film Studios, where the Harry Potter tour lies, Paradise Wildlife Park and English Country Stately Homes.

St. Albans, which is found in South Hertfordshire has been voted one of the best places to live in the entire UK and this city has the third highest earnings in the country.

Families choose to relocate to Hertfordshire because it is easily commutable distance to London, just an 18-minute train ride away.

The NHS in Hertfordshire

The West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust provides acute healthcare services to a core catchment population of approximately half a million people living in west Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas. Services are run over three sites: Watford General Hospital, St Albans City Hospital and Hemel Hempstead Hospital. As an employer of almost 5,000 people the trust is one of the biggest employers in the area and sees nearly a million patients each year.

Additionally, the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, provide a range of general and specialist services with another 5,000 or so dedicated staff members. 

Reasons to relocate to Hertfordshire

• Excellent transportation links to London
• An array of green spaces and easy access to the countryside
• Picture-perfect villages
• Outstanding state schools, in addition to top-performing independent schools
• Rich in history, the county is full of many historic and cultural sites and events

Cost of Living

Accommodation

One bedroom in City Centre	£908.33
One bedroom Outside of Centre	£875.00
Three bedrooms in City Centre	£2,000.00
Three bedroom Outside of Centre	£1,500.00

Transportation

1L of Petrol	£1.29
One-way ticket	£2.90
Monthly pass	£75.00
Taxi trip, 5 miles	£20

Entertainment

Basic dinner out for two in a neighbourhood pub	£35
Two tickets to the cinema	£20
Two tickets to the theatre	£95
Cappuccino	£3.01
One month of gym membership	£40

Areas to live in Hertfordshire

If you prefer quiet village life, you have various options available to you. From Ashwell, Barley, Harpenden and Aldbury – which all made it to County Life’s Best Places to Live for Commuters Survey.

Residing in one of the listed villages will provide you with access to art galleries, luxury properties, country fairs and music festivals.

Alternatively, if you prefer the buzz of a busy town, you could opt to live in Hertford, St. Albans or Watford – these towns offer plenty of green space, excellent quality schools and a healthy economy. Similar to country living, you will have a full range of properties, from flats, terraces, town houses and new builds.

Getting to other cities from Hertfordshire via Train

London – 18 minutes

Birmingham - 2 hours 11 minutes

Manchester – 2 hours 52 minutes

Bristol - 2 hours 41 minutes

Cardiff – 2 hours 41 minutes

Leeds – 2 hours 49 minutes

Edinburgh – 4 hours 53 minutes

Education in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a fantastic place to bring up children because statistics have revealed that 9 out of 10 schools in the area come under the good or outstanding ratings. Overall, the schools in Hertfordshire have a higher score than the Ofsted national average, which currently sits at just below 90%.

With regards to further education, those living in Hertfordshire can easily access top universities such as University College London, Imperial College London, King’s College London, London School of Economic and Political Science, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Holloway University of London and so forth.

Top things to do in Hertfordshire

• Warner Bros. Studio Tour, The Making of Harry Potter – This is one of the biggest days out in Hertfordshire and the tour sees millions of visitors from all over the world each year. On your visit you can explore sets used in the films, alongside props, costumes and art.
• St. Albans Cathedral – The city is named after Britain’s first saint and the grand cathedral is a beautiful church to explore.
• Cassiobury Park, Watford – This is the largest public open space in Watford and is over 190 acres. The park consists of a playground, paddling pools, a miniature railway, a zip wire and a local nature reserve.
• The River Lee, Broxbourne – Explore the River Lee by boat at the Lee Valley Boat Centre. You can explore the river via electric boats, rowing boats, pedalos and canoes! You can also book a public or a private cruise on a larger boat where you can also enjoy a meal on-board.

Relocation to Hertfordshire

If you are an international doctor planning to relocate to the UK and join the NHS, email your CV to [email protected] and we will be in touch regarding current opportunities.

Join our Facebook Group IMG Advisor

When you join, you will have access to frequent relocation blog posts, the opportunity to ask questions and receive professional guidance and the chance to meet other IMGs.

References

, cost of living comparisons. (2019). Cost of Living in United Kingdom.. ] Available at: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/country/united-kingdom 

Zoopla.co.uk. (2019). Moving to Hertfordshire - Zoopla. ] Available at: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/discover/buying-area-guides/living-in-hertfordshire/#gzfllAxTSbUihtvp.97 

Storing.com. (2019). Moving To Hertfordshire: An Easy Guide - Storing.com. ] Available at: https://storing.com/moving-hertfordshire-easy-guide/