Lockdown made 28% of residents want to move, especially city-dwellers, says OCU

Those living in a big city – 56% of the total - said they would now prefer to be in a small town, village or urbanisation (36%) or out in the countryside (26%).

Of those living in a suburb or wider metropolitan area, most of those asked who said they would like to be somewhere else said they would prefer to be in a small town or village (41%), although one in five would like to be in a completely rural environment (19%).

But those interviewed who already live in a rural or semi-rural environment – defined as an out-of-town urbanisation, a very small town or a village – had gone completely the other way: Lockdown made them realise just how much they did, in fact, enjoy living where they are currently based.

To this end, people not in a suburb or city largely said they would not want to move from their town or, if they did, would want to go somewhere even more rural.

The survey, conducted by leading consumer organisation OCU and interviewing a stratified sample of 1,024 residents aged 25 to 74 inclusive, concluded that 56% lived in a big city (urban), 20% lived in a suburb or the outer part of a major metropolitan area (semi-urban), 18% lived in a small town, village or out-of-town urbanisation (semi-rural) and 6% lived in the countryside, mountains, or some distance from their nearest built-up area (rural).

With over three-quarters living in urban or semi-urban environments, their reasons for wanting to move ranged from healthier air – particularly as lockdown meant pollution all but disappeared, making many city-dwellers realise just how contaminated their air had been before it – healthier surroundings in general, more space, a better view, a more peaceful location, and fewer neighbours, as well as less general activity such as noise, hustle and bustle and cars.

A total of 28% overall said they would like to live somewhere other than their current location, although whether or not they were actively planning to do so depended upon various factors.

This included, of course, being able to afford property, or a similar type of property, outside their cities and suburbs, but also crucial factors like their company allowing them to work from home, so the greater distance from the office would not mean their de-stressed new location caused them, in fact, extra stress with a much longer commute and cost in fuel.

Services – such as being comfortably near schools, hospitals, health centres, and having at least one decent supermarket, pharmacy and other essential shops and facilities nearby – were also crucial.

Photographs by the OCU, one of Spain's leading consumer organisations