The best places to live in the UK in 2024

New research has revealed the 10 most attractive places to live in the UK. Did your town or city make the list?

Scottish seaside town North Berwick is the best place to live in the UK, according to a new report from The Sunday Times.

As the first Scottish winner in the report’s 12-year history, the town in East Lothian, which has just 15,000 residents, topped a list of 72 desirable spots.

The judges of The Best Places to Live 2024 report praised North Berwick’s beach-centric culture and family-friendly lifestyle, as well as its vibrant entertainment scene.

Despite house prices standing at a pretty hefty £516,000, the judges found that new property developments are making the area increasingly affordable for young families.

Likewise, they were impressed by its convenient transport links to Edinburgh, which is 28 miles away.

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Other top contenders

Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, Wales came second in the ranking, with the report describing the town as “down-to earth but upwardly mobile” and with “a fine foodie flavour”.

Meanwhile, Clerkenwell in London took third place thanks to its strong Dickensian architecture and improving transport links.

The top 10 best places

Interestingly, four locations in the top 10 – Abergavenny, Buxton, Cardigan and Conwy – have house prices below the national average of £348,000, according to Land Registry data.

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The regional winners 

As well as naming the top places to live across the entire UK, the judges also crowned 10 regional winners.

Folkestone in Kent took the top spot in the South East of England, with the report citing its “funky” shops, affordable studios for artists and vibrant atmosphere.

Stockport in Greater Manchester was ranked the most desirable location in the North West.

The judges described the area as “fashion-forward, funky and family-friendly”, as well as pointing out that is the only place in Britain with a dedicated hat museum.

Portstewart in County Londonderry was named the winner in Northern Ireland, with the judges praising its strong community spirit, two-mile sandy beaches and frequent music festivals.

The best places to live by region

What makes somewhere a great place to live?

When evaluating each potential winner, the judges visited the area and looked at features such as outside spaces and the state of the high street.

Other factors included school league tables, house prices, broadband speeds and cultural life.

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Goodbye York and Bristol

While the list included “old favourites” such as Saffron Walden in Essex, previous winners York and Bristol failed to qualify.

The judges reasoned that they were looking for improving areas, instead of locations in which house prices had been driven up by high demand.

However, the ranking also featured several new entries such as Milton Keynes, with judges pointing out that it is an affordable city, where residents can receive their groceries by robot.

Other previous winners of The Sunday Times’ crown have included Wadhurst in East Sussex, Ilkley in West Yorkshire and Newnham in Cambridgeshire.