A MAP has revealed the best places to live in the UK, including a surprise crime-ridden hotspot.
Areas were judged for a number of factors including transport, schools, broadband speed, culture, and high street health.
AlamySaffron Walden in Essex topped the list as the best place to live in the UK[/caption]
AlamyNorth Berwick in Scotland was rated the best area in Scotland[/caption]
AlamyWalthamstow in London was ranked the top place to live in the capital[/caption]
Experts from The Sunday Times compiled the list of the 72 best areas in the country, with one taking the prize as “overall winner”.
Ten other locations were each crowned “regional winners” for being the best performers in their area.
Topping the list was none other than the quiet town of Saffron Walden in Essex.
Home to just over 16,000 people, the town has been described by residents as “like the south of France with everyone milling around”, and has having a “really great vibe.”
Judges also praised the Saffron Walden’s historic looks, its 21st century-fit high street, and its high-class schooling as they placed it top of the rankings.
The town dates back to the 1130s and while it is 15 miles from the nearest city of Cambridge, it still has plenty to offer.
In its centre is a market that has been running since 1141 and is still going strong today.
The market is also pretty famous and won the title of “Best Small Outdoor Market” in the Great British Market Awards in 2018.
On Tuesdays and Saturdays, stalls set up to selling food from fresh fruit and vegetables, to olives, bread, fish, flowers, antiques and jewellery.
The remainder of the list is filled with a variety of towns and cities, including the Hebridean island of Tiree – home to just 650 people – as well as the major cities of Sheffield, Bristol, and Glasgow.
While many familiar faces are on the list from previous years, many newer entries have also fought their way onto the rankings, including a surprising crime-ridden hotspot.
Wembley Park in north-west London made the list, despite the fact it lies in a borough with a relatively high crime rate.
Located in the centre of Brent, which had a recorded crime rate of 96.44 per 1,000 people, the list recommended Wembley as one of the best places to live in Britain.
Out of the 32 London boroughs, Brent placed 15th worst, seeing a higher crime rate in the year ending September 2024 than areas such as Waltham Forest, Croydon, and Richmond.
Just last year, a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted and robbed in the heart of Wembley in a “horrible ordeal”.
In 2023, a 27-year-old woman was stabbed to death at a home in Wembley after moving to the UK from India.
GettySaffron Walden’s lively market and high street helped elevate it to top of the rankings[/caption]
AlamyWembley made the list of the 72 best areas to live in the UK, despite its relatively high crime rate[/caption]
AlamyThe picturesque Isle of Tiree in Scotland also made the rankings[/caption]
Tejaswini Kontham was killed in the brutal stabbing which also injured another woman.
However, it did not take the crown as the best area in London, as that was awarded to Walthamstow in the east of the city.
Other regional winners were found in Chelmsford, Essex, for the East of England, Chew Valley in Somerset for the South West, and Dundrum in County Down for Northern Ireland.
Gower Peninsula in Swansea won the prize as the best area to live in Wales, while Ilkley in West Yorkshire was crowned victor for the North and north-east of England.
Turning to the Midlands, it was Ilmington in Warwickshire which was crowned the best place to live.
Helen Davies, the guide’s editor, said: “Our guide is unique because we actually visit all the locations on our list to get a sense of what it’s like to live there.
“We talk to locals to find out what they love most about the places they call home.
“That could be anything from high-achieving schools and reliable commuter links to cafés and culture or somewhere wonderful to walk the dog.”
She said the rankings showed the towns, villages, and cities, where the strongest and hardest-working communities were.
Topping off the list, the remaining regional winners were Woolton in Liverpool for the North West, North Berwick in East Lothian for Scotland, and Petersfield in Hampshire for the South East.
GettyA row of period houses in Saffron Walden[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
