Best places to live in the UK

As property professionals we are frequently asked by clients; where are the best places to live in the UK? On many occasions, the answer is, it depends.
Naming where is the best place is to live is subjective in nature and largely led by lifestyle preferences, property requirements and budgets.
However, as a leading firm of UK buying agents and having worked with a wide array of clients over the last 25 years, Garrington is well placed to share insights and research on some of the common themes we see in the property market.
Best places to live in the UK in 2023
Our annual Best Places to Live research offers a great starting place for a list of suggested locations.
The Garrington research team have carefully analysed over 1,400 locations to create our latest rankings table.
All of the locations benefit from superfast broadband and have been assessed on quality of life scores, the physical environment they are situated within, and new for this year, their credentials for green and sustainable living.
The top 10 locations we have identified in England and Wales can all be seen by clicking here: Best Places to Live in the UK.

Finding the best place to live for you
Our team of expert buying agents are on hand across the UK to assist with your search for the perfect property

Best places to live in Scotland
The data for producing such a league table differs by country and as such for the first time we have also created a separate list for Scotland this year.
Our research excludes locations that do not offer super-fast broadband connectivity, which for many property purchasers is a pre-requisite to considering a location as somewhere suitable to settle, with the obvious exception of some rural locations where getting away from our connected worlds is part of the attraction of a buying a property there.
The top 10 ranked locations this year based on our latest research are as follows:
To see the full results of our research, please click here.
Beyond our national league tables led by our independent research team, Garrington also regularly posts blog articles, sharing insights on some of the most sought-after locations in the UK ranked by common themes and regions.
Best places to live in the UK by county
The UK offers a rich tapestry of cities, towns, and villages within different counties all with different types of housing stock, property prices, employment centres, transport connections, schooling facilities and quality of life.
To help identify where exactly may work best for you as a buyer, Garrington has created a range of helpful articles on specific counties highlighting some of the best locations in which to live.
The best places to live in the Cotswolds
10 of the best places to live in Surrey
The best places to live in Hampshire
Best places to live in Hertfordshire
Best places to live in Cheshire

The right advice when you need it most
Garrington can help you identify suitable places to live which align with your lifestyle and property requirements.

Finding the perfect location to call home
Garrington regularly receives requests from property purchasers who wish to acquire a property but have no specific location in mind. Instead, these buyers have more of a ‘wish list’ of key features they want a location to offer them.
These vary from the size of the local community, access to rural landscapes or the commutability back to London or other major city centres.
The following list of articles is by no means definitive but does provide links to a series of popular articles which we hope you will find helpful.
The 18 best small towns in England to live in
Where is the best place to raise a family in the UK?
Seaside towns – Best places to live
10 Remote places to live in the UK
Georgian towns: Where to find a home in the UK
Houses in the woods: Where to find a home in a forest
Cathedral cities in the UK – What makes them such special places to live
Where is the best place to live in the UK for you?
Finding the perfect property in the perfect location can feel like a daunting task, especially when you don’t know where to start. But don’t worry, we’re here to help.
Our experts have crunched the data and looked at the amenities and qualities that make a place desirable to live in order to come up with a definitive list of the best places to live in the UK.
And it’s not just us who think these places are great – many have also been named the best places to live in the UK by The Sunday Times, The Guardian and The Telegraph, among others. So, whether you’re looking for somewhere with stunning countryside views or want to be within easy reach of London, there’s sure to be a place on this list for you.
Garrington offer an obligation free initial consultation to discuss your moving plans where can help provide ideas founded on our expert knowledge on what may be possible to achieve your property goals. If you would like to learn more about this and our UK property finder service, please do contact us.
