As the county town of Kent, Maidstone is a great location for work, with a strong economy, great shopping centre, and several new developments offering a great range of housing.
Several historic buildings in the town centre such as the Archbishops Palace and Leeds Castle, give a lovely feel to the town, and there's no shortage of things to do, with a range of cinemas, nightclubs and restaurants. A range of mills and rivers also keep the town feeling in touch with the country, and there are lots of riverside walks to be discovered.
It's worth noting that there is a wealth of schools to choose from, including two new 'academy' style schools.
Bargain homes can be found in the Tovil and Parkwood areas, but they have a higher crime rate than the rest of the town. Kings Hill offers a range of newer housing in an up-market estate, so is quite popular with young families. Barming and Mote Park can also offer some great homes, but overall prices in Maidstone are relatively high for the UK, due to the proximity to London.