Stevenage has been named as one of the best London commuter areas in a new countdown.

The town came seventh in Yopa's 2020 London Commuter Guide, which identifies the most affordable and accessible places to live based on a range of economic and quality of life metrics.

Hertfordshire did well across the board, with St Albans securing first place, while Hitchin was tenth.

Jonathan Moss, South East regional director at Yopa, said the guide was designed to help homeowners easily compare different areas outside the M25.

He added: "The 2020 guide takes into account common worries such as transport costs, crime rates, commute times, pollution levels and more. We urge sellers to take a look to see how they can enjoy the best of both worlds - city working and country living."

This isn't the only such list to feature Stevenage: the SG1 postcode came eighth in Zoopla's countdown of the most affordable commuter towns within an hour's travel time of the capital.

Zoopla based its findings on the combined cost of a season ticket and annual average mortgage repayments across a number of local authority areas surrounding London.

Following a 2.7 per cent fare increase for 2020, Stevenage commuters now pay £3,964 for their season tickets.

Combined with average annual mortgage repayments of £12,288 and a typical 36-minute commute, the town offers one of the best value journeys into the capital.

Grays in Essex topped the affordability list, followed by Leagrave in Bedfordshire.