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England's most 'normal' town? It's Didcot
It is known for its power station and its railway station – and most people probably couldn’t locate it on a map.
But this is has not stopped Didcot being named the most “normal” town in England.
That’s the conclusion of statisticians who found that ten of its streets matched the national average in terms of lifestyle, views and experiences.
While some might suggest this makes it a rather unremarkable place, Mayor Steve Connel called the findings “tremendous”.
After the numbers were crunched, Didcot was found to be closest to the UK-wide statistical median when taking into account age, ethnicity, marital status, property ownership, employment, Euroscepticism, the 2015 Election vote share, income, and house prices, the BBC reports.
The study was inspired by the 1947 James Stewart movie Magic Town, in which a pollster searching for the perfect mathematical “miracle” formula to perform the perfect survey finds a place he believes perfectly represents national opinion.
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Didcot’s best-known landmark is the coal-fired Didcot A Power Station, which was turned off in 2013 after 43 years in service.
However, film buffs may be familiar with the Didcot Railway Centre museum, which has featured in a number of films, including Anna Karenina, The Elephant Man and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
Mr Connel told the BBC: “We have a very diverse group within Didcot. We have a large retired population, working professionals who commute, a scientific community, and a large grass roots working community.
“You can look at every aspect of British life and it’s there somewhere within Didcot, and that’s probably why we’ve been named the most normal town – statistically anyway.”
He described residents as “people who work hard, get on with their lives, and do everything they can to advance their community, and if the spirit represented in Didcot is considered normal across Britain, then I think we’re in tremendous shape”.
The top five ‘normal’ English towns also include: Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire; Bath Road area, Worcester; Southwick, West Sussex; and East Leake, Nottinghamshire
Jeanette Howse, who works at Tourism South East, said of Didcot: “It’s also a very vibrant town with lots going on.
“A shopping centre which is about to be expanded and is thriving, a railway centre celebrating 50 years this year, lots of clubs, groups and activities… now everyone will want to live here.”
Marc Warner, of ASI Data Science which analysed data from from the Office for National Statistics and the 2011 Census records, said: “Most people live in a bubble whereby their experiences in life are heavily influenced by the area they live in and the people they interact with.
“Our study allows researchers and decision makers to better understand a ‘normal’ life experience.”
Top 5 most normal places in England
Didcot, Oxfordshire
Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire
Bath Road area, Worcester
Southwick, West Sussex
East Leake, Nottinghamshire
