If you’re thinking about buying a house or moving, you may be thinking about where the best places to live in the UK are.
Factors such as mortgage rates and house prices can influence the decision to move, and spark the search for the best place to live in the UK for your budget.
It’s not just price that determines how desirable a property location is for potential buyers.
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Analysts at property consultants Garrington Property Finders have identified nearly 1,450 cities, towns and villages across England and Wales that all score highly in at least one of five selection criteria – natural beauty, wellbeing, heritage, schools and jobs plus value for money.
So, where are the best places to live in the UK in 2025, and what does it cost to live there?
Best places to live in England
1. Redbourn, Hertfordshire
St Mary's Church (pictured) is situated in Redbourn, Hertfordshire
Top of this year’s ranking is Redbourn, a picture-postcard village in Hertfordshire just 30 miles from central London which combines rural charm with easy access to the capital.
Redbourn scored well on a number of metrics to secure the top spot. This included being 11th place in the ranking’s natural beauty category, and it also performed well in both the heritage and the schools and jobs categories.
At £767,501, a typical family home in the village costs well above the English national average. However average prices there have fallen by 8.2% in the past year, taking Redbourn to 15th place in the value for money category.
2. Epsom, Surrey
Second-placed in Garrington’s 2025 ranking is the Surrey spa town of Epsom. The famous horse racing town has consistently ranked well, finishing third in the 2024 Best Places to Live league table.
Epsom’s ongoing popularity is thanks to the abundance of highly rated schools and high-paying jobs in the area, which together helped it claim seventh place in the schools and jobs category.
While Surrey property prices are among the highest in England, the price of an average home in Epsom fell by 2.5% over the past year, taking it to 81st place in the value for money category.
House prices in Epsom have an overall average of £569,045 over the last year, according to Rightmove.
The majority of properties sold in Epsom during the last year were semi-detached properties, by Rightmove’s analysis, selling for an average price of £602,110. Flats sold for an average of £314,493, with detached properties fetching £917,902.
3. Whitburn, Tyne and Wear
The North East lays claim to the location ranked third overall – the seaside village of Whitburn.
Whitburn – long one of the region’s most desirable areas – has much to recommend it. First of all, there are its pristine sandy beaches. The village is also within easy reach of both Newcastle and Sunderland, making commuting for work a simple affair.
A significant part of the village’s appeal is its proximity to lush nature, with a National Trust coastal park on its doorstep that boasts rare birds, while seals and dolphins can be spotted frolicking out to sea.
The price of a typical family home in Whitburn fell by 1.6% to £328,699 at the end of last year. By contrast, the average price of a property in North East England rose by 6.7% in 2024.
4. Marple, Greater Manchester
Hot on the heels of third-placed Whitburn is Marple in Greater Manchester, another consistent contender. In 2024 it came 15th in Garrington’s Best Places to Live ranking, but in 2025 it has risen to a fourth place overall.
The town is great for local commuters, with central Manchester just 10 miles away, and easy access on hand from two train stations to the city. But its rural location, farmers’ market, canalside paths, independent cinema and theatre offer a gentler, village feel to life.
House prices in Marple have an overall average of £405,791 over the last year, according to Rightmove.
The majority of properties sold in Marple during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £392,932. Detached properties sold for an average of £583,378, with terraced properties fetching £294,680.
Overall, the historical sold prices in Marple over the last year were 13% up on the previous year and 13% up on the 2022 peak of £359,610.
5. St Albans
Fifth-placed St Albans is the most expensive location in the top 20. The Hertfordshire city is another regular in Garrington’s Best Places To Live rankings, and only narrowly missed out on the top spot in 2024’s list.
St Alban’s location just 20 miles from London makes it popular with commuters. The city also lays claims to 2,000 years of history as well as many good schools, which may explain why the price of the average-sized family home rose by 0.2% to reach £974,657.
Best place to live in Wales
Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan is close to Cardiff city centre
Coming out top as the best place to live in Wales is Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan. Located by the sea, Penarth is just three miles from the centre of Cardiff.
The town boasts a pebble beach and an Art Deco pavilion, and enjoys views across the Severn Estuary. Overall, it came 31st in Garrington’s ranking for England and Wales.
But it’s in the value stakes that Penarth really excels, and it claimed the number two spot in the value for money category.
A typical family home there costs £502,497 after average prices softened by 5.1% in a year, making this prime location good value compared to other highly sought after areas.
Best place to live in Scotland
Bridge of Allan, Stirling
Bridge of Allan, Stirling sits just by the foot of the Ochil Hills (pictured)
The best place to live in Scotland in 2025, according to Garrington’s analysis, is Bridge of Allan, Stirling. Home of the University of Stirling, Bridge of Allan sits just by the foot of the Ochil Hills.
Just three miles from the centre of Stirling, the town is handy for commuters, but it first gained prominence as a spa town in the 19th century, when famous authors, among others, would come to ‘take the waters’.
Today residents are more likely to enjoy its golf club and other sporting facilities, which have helped to send Bridge of Allan up to 11th place in the wellbeing category.
At £245,544, a typical home in the area costs more than the Scottish national average, but prices there rose by just 4.8% over the past year – well below the national trend – propelling the town to sixth place in the value for money category.
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