The country dream is not always borne out by reality (Scroll down to see the results of the survey)

But the reality of what you get on arrival is not always so different from what is left behind, judging by a survey of lifestyle priorities.

Adults in urban and rural areas of England were asked by Mori what factors made somewhere a good place to live.

And while some priorities clearly reflected the pros and cons of their respective environments, others suggested that life sometimes is not so different, whether you live in a concrete jungle or a country cottage.

Under-served

Although freedom from crime was a clear winner among all groups, health services and affordable housing were also universally important.

The importance of the countryside was most appreciated by those already living there, despite the apparent desire among city folk to succumb to the call of the wild (or at least the rural).

But the significance of public transport among the smallest, most remote communities sends a strong message to planners and government of where they feel most under-served.

Mori interviewed 1,665 people aged 16 and over face-to-face, in February 2004.

What makes England a good place to live
How the priorities of different-sized communities vary (all %)
Factors	Under 3,000	3,000-10,000	All rural	Over 250,000	All urban	Total England
Low crime level	68	74	71	69	70	70
Health services	61	61	61	56	59	59
Affordable housing	61	65	63	53	58	58
Education	66	49	55	52	53	53
Public transport	58	49	52	52	52	52
Shopping facilities	53	53	53	50	50	51
Job prospects	55	46	49	49	50	50
Access to countryside	55	54	54	42	48	49
Pollution	42	50	47	46	48	48
Good neighbours	42	52	49	47	46	47
Open spaces	44	47	46	40	42	42
Traffic congestion	36	39	38	39	41	40
Children's facilities	38	39	39	41	40	39
Teenagers' activities	42	33	36	37	38	38
Sport/leisure facilities	41	40	40	33	35	36
Community activities	30	26	27	29	30	29
Source: Mori 2004