'Most intelligent' place to live is named with very surprising result

It’s famous as the home of and as the most ethnically-diverse area in the country but it has also been named as the "smartest" or "most intelligent" place to live.

The borough of Brent is the cleverest place in England based on academic results - with more than five out of six going on to study for a degree at university. A total of 7,272 students who went to local authority-maintained schools in the area between the 2015/16 and 2020/21 academic years went on to study a degree. That works out as 84% who completed their 16 to 18 study at a school in Brent.

It’s the highest ratio of any council area in England, giving Brent a claim to be the country’s brightest town. Perhaps surprisingly, Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire rank lower than Brent, despite being home to the two oldest, wealthiest and most prestigious universities in the UK. You can see how your area compares by using our interactive map.

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Brent has been identified as the most ethnically diverse area in the country by place of birth - only 43.9 per cent of people in the area were born in the UK, which is lower than any other local authority.

The borough has the highest proportion of Irish residents in the country and also large Indian, Brazilian and Afro-Caribbean communities. Famous former pupils of schools in Brent include George Michael, David Baddiel and Twiggy.

The London boroughs of Redbridge and Ealing aren’t far behind Brent though, with 83% of pupils having gone on to study a degree over the same time period.

Harrow and Kensington and Chelsea are next at 82% each, followed by Barnet at 80% then Merton, Sutton and Southwark at 80% each.

Rutland has the highest ratio outside of London (78%) followed by Buckinghamshire (77%), Reading (74%) and Buckinghamshire (74%).

Meanwhile, elsewhere in England, Trafford (73%) and (72%) have the highest ratios in the North.

Knowsley has the lowest ratio of students making it to study a degree. Only 40% of pupils to complete their 16 to 18 study at local authority maintained schools in the area went on to study a degree. Swindon fared slightly better at 42%, followed by Hartlepool (44%), Portsmouth (46%) and Barnsley (also 46%).