Internet access 'more important than schools'

Australians value access to the internet over public transport links and schools in their ideal suburb, new research shows.

Homeowners want to live in a suburb wired with the latest technology and surrounded by good restaurants more than they want access to good buses, trains or education facilities, a study by The Buzz Insurance claims.

A safe suburb is the most valued attribute of all, considered as "extremely" or "very" important by 95 per cent of the online survey of 957 Australians aged 25 to 64.

Access to the latest technology like broadband and pay TV came in as the second most desirable attribute (83 per cent), followed by services like shops, cinemas, cafes & restaurants (77 per cent).

The My Ideal Suburb study undertaken by Newspoll also found people want a good coffee or movie nearby over being close to good quality schools.

Down the list of key attributes came a suburb well serviced by public transport (69 per cent), close to place of work (66 per cent), and good quality schools (56 per cent).

"It's not only Generation Y that is pushing for technology access," a spokeswoman for the study said.

"People in their 50s and 60s are embracing technology with 91 per cent of those surveyed in this age group saying they want it."

When people were asked whether their current suburb met their technology expectations, 61 per cent of city residents were happy in comparison with 47 per cent living in regional Australia.