A new kind of city
Designed from day one as a human-friendly, modern city with easy transport and an open, green setting, Milton Keynes has always been forward-looking. It began life in the 1960s as a New Town, part of the future-focused post-war regeneration boom.
Its designers grasped the opportunity to build a new and better kind of city, one with smart local infrastructure and a thoughtfully designed civic centre that is both welcoming and inspiring. They set it strategically in a prime location, equidistant from London, Birmingham, Oxford, and Cambridge.
All these qualities remain key to Milton Keynes’ appeal today. The city offers a lifestyle that is as peaceful or energised as you choose, with time and space to explore in nature, alongside the opportunity to delve deep into the potential of new technologies and business growth. Little wonder Milton Keynes secured the no.2 spot in LSH’s 2025 ranking of the best UK cities and towns.
A place to call home
For professionals and their families considering a move to Milton Keynes from other regional tech hubs, a stand-out attraction is the city’s comparative affordability. Its house prices compare very favourably to cities like Oxford, with a £127,000 saving on the average house price as of April 2025, and £38,000 below the South East as a whole. Housing is more affordable too, at 8.3x the average salary compared to 9.7x for the South East overall.
A sweeter commute
Looking beyond life in the city, Milton Keynes’ enviable location within the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor means opportunities are open for commuting and travel to other major centres of industry and research. It is a central hub on the forthcoming East West Rail line between Oxford and Cambridge, which will transform journeys to both these cities, making them quicker and easier to reach. From 2026, Oxford will be accessible in just 45 minutes. Overall Milton Keynes is superbly connected, with fast road connections via the M1, proximity to Luton and Heathrow for air travel, and national rail links via the West Coast Main Line.
Travel in and around the city is low-stress and life-enhancing by design, with a road and rail network that was purpose-built to reduce congestion and empower active transport. E-bike and scooter hire is available city-wide.
A smarter city
Home to Bletchley Park, the birthplace of modern computing, Milton Keynes has technology in its veins. It is recognised as a Smart City, acting as a testbed for new technologies like driverless vehicles and drones. Residents are accustomed to sharing the pathways with a fleet of electric delivery robots that trundle around the city dropping off groceries.
Learning and innovating comes naturally at every stage of life in Milton Keynes, from its complement of Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ schools to Milton Keynes College, the fastest-growing institution of its type in the UK. At tertiary level, there’s the pioneering distance learning and research achievements of the Open University, the University of Bedford’s UCMK campus and Cranfield University.
A growing and diverse population
Relocating to Milton Keynes means taking part in a success story of growth and integration. Its population is richly diverse, with 37.8% of residents identifying as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic, well above the UK average of 26.5%.
The city’s unique advantage is that it was built to grow, and offers ample space and resources for its community to expand. In its Strategy for 2050, the city’s leadership outlines its ambition to grow the population to 410,000, creating more than 50,000 new jobs.
A lifestyle to envy
With a lower cost of living than in other regional tech hubs, residents can take full advantage of the cultural and recreational highlights Milton Keynes offers. Settlements are connected by a network of salubrious linear parks, with lakes and open spaces that are gloriously accessible via the Redway network of walking and cycle paths. For children or less confident cyclists, it’s the ideal place to transition to healthier pedal-powered transport, with over 200 miles of safe cycleways well away from major roads.
In the city centre, culture and commerce is thriving. There’s The Hub, a destination for dining and nightlife, and Centre:MK where over 200 boutiques, restaurants and stores vie for your attention. There is also a year-long calendar of cultural events and activities that reflect the local community. Every two years, multi-arts are celebrated at the IF: Milton Keynes International Festival, drawing appreciative crowds, and a wealth of learning and enjoyment are on offer at the Milton Keynes Museum, Milton Keynes Theatre and the MK Gallery.
For sport lovers, Xscape is not to be missed, offering indoor winter sports with real snow, plus climbing walls, trampolines and adventure golf. The 30,503-seater Stadium MK, located next to the MK1 Leisure Park, is home to the MK Dons Football Club and also hosts a regular programme of show-stopping musical events.
When you add it all up, it’s hard not to conclude that Milton Keynes is the smart city choice, both for career growth and a rewarding quality of life.