The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2025
Saffron Walden in Essex has been named the overall winner of the Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide for 2025, topping a list of 72 locations across the UK.
The judges praised the market town's historic character, strong state schools, cultural life, growing food scene and commuter links to London and Cambridge. Once regarded as stuffy and expensive, it is described as enjoying a revival, with newcomers opening independent shops and places to eat, and a popular Saturday market. House prices remain high.
Ten regional winners were also named:
• East of England: Chelmsford, Essex • London: Walthamstow • Midlands: Ilmington, Warwickshire • Northern Ireland: Dundrum, Co Down • North and North East: Ilkley, West Yorkshire • North West: Woolton, Liverpool • Scotland: North Berwick, East Lothian • South East: Petersfield, Hampshire • South West: Chew Valley, Somerset • Wales: Gower Peninsula, Swansea
Highlights include Chelmsford's schools and transport, with a new station due to serve the 3,600-home Beaulieu Park development; Walthamstow's independent shops, Victorian housing and new Soho Theatre; Ilmington's volunteer-run community shop; and North Berwick, last year's overall winner, for its beaches, schools and proximity to Edinburgh.
The judges visited every location, assessing schools, transport, broadband, mobile signal, culture, green space and the health of the high street. Editor Helen Davies says the focus is on places with strong communities and value for money rather than well-known names with high prices. This year's guide has more new entries than ever, with previous winners such as York, Winchester and Altrincham dropping out.
Halifax sponsored the guide and supplied average house prices, broadband speeds came from Thinkbroadband.com and, for the first time, mobile coverage data was included.
Originally published on The Landsite (21 March 2025)
