Top ten most affluent villages in the UK

City dwellers in search of a happier way of life have boosted property values in towns all over the country. Settlements which once saw money drain away to the big cities are now immensely desirable, prized for their smallness and prettiness, and offering the three key ingredients - good house, good school and good shops – which makes them powerful magnets for wealth.

Towns in the London commuter belt dominate the top 10, but the affluent nature of the Cheshire area is reflected in the list compiled by London-based wealth consultancy WealthInsight.

Only towns or villages with less than 30,000 people were included in the research.

This year's top ten:

1) Windsor
Nearest city - London
Number of millionaires: 850-900
Population: 27000

2) Weybridge
Nearest city - London

3) Sevenoaks
Nearest city - London

4) Beaconsfield
Nearest city - London

5) Henley on Thames
Nearest city - London

6) Marlow
Nearest city - London

7) Hale
Nearest city - Manchester

8) Alderley Edge
Nearest city - Manchester

9) Bray
Nearest city - London

10) Ascot (including Sunninghill)
Nearest city - London
Number of millionaires: 250 - 300
Population: 11600

Towns that narrowly missed out on top 10 included: Burford, Chipping Campden, Dartmouth, Ilkley, Leatherhead, Lyndhurst, Pangbourne, Ponteland, Virginia Water and Windermere. These towns each have over 200 millionaires.