Introduction
The recent years have seen a multitude of problems afflicting the world, including the Covid-19 pandemic, wars, and changes in the social and economic structures that continue to shape the cultural, social and economic landscape globally.
However, the situation could potentially worsen. What if a new epidemic arises that turns people into zombies, or a war breaks out between the living and the dead? To determine the safest city in the UK in case of a hypothetical zombie apocalypse, we analyzed various factors across six categories: Vulnerability, Hideouts, Supplies, Safety, Mobility and Hazards. Based on our findings, we have identified the safest city in the UK.
Therefore, if you do not reside in the safest city, it may be wise to consider relocation in the event of a global zombie outbreak.
6 groups of data
We have analyzed six categories of data (Vulnerability, Hideouts, Supplies, Hazards, Safety, Mobility) and have determined the safest city in the UK based on the scores in each category.
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Vulnerability
Indicators: Population Density, Healthy People, Difficulties in daily life, Disability, Frailty, Mental health, Mental health conditions, Internal migrationIn certain areas, conditions are conducive to the rapid spread of epidemics. Reflecting on recent years, we considered factors such as high population density, the volume of tourists, the prevalence of chronic diseases among the population, and even the disaster risk index, to determine which city is most vulnerable to a hypothetical outbreak of zombies.
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Hideouts
Indicators: Average size of private outdoor space (m2), percentage of addresses with private outdoor space, vacant housing rateAn apocalypse is not just about astronauts embarking on a heroic mission to destroy an asteroid headed towards Earth; it often involves a game of hide and seek. Hence, it is crucial to locate the safest and most secure hideaway to preserve one's life and cultivate potatoes. This index showcases the number of potential hiding places in a given city.
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Supplies
Indicators: Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, accommodation and food service activities, median energy efficiency, distance to pharmaciesYes, you will need a lot of things: food, water, fuel, tools, weapons, clothing, medicine, electricity and much more. So make sure to have access to as many stores and food/water supplies nearby as possible.
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Hazards
Indicators: Air pollutionIn a scenario where you must be attentive of a potential hazardous virus, it would be wise to avoid areas that may further deteriorate your living conditions and hinder your ability to becoming self-sufficient.
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Safety
Indicators: Crime indexYou better make sure to stay as safe as possible. When supplies are limited people will quickly become desperate to save themselves. It will be key to avoid looters and people that will do whatever it takes to survive!
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Mobility
Indicators: Road safety, transportation;In the event of a zombie apocalypse, it's possible that you will need to travel extensively in search of survivors, provisions, or a better outcome. In such a scenario, it is crucial that transportation be readily available and mobility be a key asset!
Data/
Metho
dology
All data has been collected and processed from the Office for National Statistics. The latest data available has been used for each datasource. Min-max normalization has been used to index the data sources in question. This method of indexing allows us to convert any kind of data to a value between 1-10, where 1 represents the lowest / worst value and 10 the highest / best value within the categories in question. This means that the higher a score an area achieves, the better it is relative to others. To ensure a precise and representative result as possible, all departments missing more than two data sources have been removed from the Quality index.
Data Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)
