Craigavon is the most desirable place to live

The Royal Mail study highlighted the postcodes across the UK with the best ‘work-life balance’.

Factors considered included schools, access to green spaces, employment prospects, working hours, affordable housing and average commuting times.

Coming out top in NI was BT65 covering Craigavon, Enniskeen, Drumgor and Tullygally.

Another Craigavon postcode, BT64, also won the accolade in 2015.

The research was carried out for the Royal Mail by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (Cebr).

It analysed statistical data to reach its conclusions - researchers did not visit any of the areas and residents were not asked for their views.

The new town of Craigavon was created in the 1960s, with its design owing much to modernist architecture and town planning.

Grants were offered to encourage people to relocate to Craigavon from Belfast.

However, the town would later be criticised for being a “soulless” urban space notorious for its many roundabouts.

The two postcodes adjacent to BT65 finished in the top five of the Royal Mail study - with BT64 (Craigavon-Lurgan) finishing third and BT66 (Lurgan) coming in at fourth.

Rounding out the top five in Northern Ireland were BT16, Dundonald, in second place and BT10, Finaghy in south Belfast, in fifth.