Rankings of the best place in the country to live were once dominated by leafy towns and cities in the south – but those days appear to be over.
A new list of the most desirable places to live in England and Wales has awarded the top spot to Marple in Greater Manchester, with three out of the top ten places in the city region, and five in the north of England.
Rawdon in West Yorkshire took the second spot, with St Albans in Hertfordshire coming in third, Bramhall in Stockport fourth, and Long Ashton in Somerset rounding out the top five.
The data is compiled by Garrington property services, and ranks the best cities, towns and villages with more than 5,000 residents according to five key criteria – natural beauty, wellbeing, heritage, schools and jobs, plus value for money. You can use Garrington’s interactive tool to see how your area performs here.
Winning town Marple was lauded for its close connections to Manchester city centre, “strong community spirit”, and proximity to the natural landscapes of the Peak District. While the cost of the typical family home in the area sits well above the English national average at £517,119, those compiling the list said the costs were “competitive” for a popular area of Greater Manchester.
Second-placed Rawdon in West Yorkshire placed highly for its “blend of great landscapes, panoramic views and easy access” to Leeds. Property experts also noted the price of the average family home there had dipped by 0.3 per cent over the past year to reach £451,094, making it a “good value” area.
Consistently high-ranking St Albans is the best-performing place in the south of England according to the table, described as a popular, wealthy commuter town with “schools and property prices to match”. At £895,411, the price of a typical family home in the city is the highest in the top 20 for 2026.
Just missing out on the top 10 were Reddish, also in Stockport, Greater Manchester, Epsom in Surrey, and Tring in Hertfordshire.
Jonathan Hopper, CEO of the buying agents Garrington Property Finders, said that while big falls in property value in London have made headlines this year, the rankings show “many other highly desirable areas across England and Wales” where homes have become more affordable over the past year.
“The price of a typical family home rose in 16 of the top 20 locations in our 2026 ranking, but all offer a strong combination of excellent amenities, a high quality of life and good value for money compared to their regional market,” he said.
He pointed out that while some places rank higher than others, all of the 1,447 places included rank well in at least one category.
“With the Bank of England base rate back below 4 per cent, mortgages have become more affordable, and this gives would-be buyers greater freedom to pick a property that’s perfect for them,” he continued.
“If this is you, our 2026 Best Places to Live guide can help you identify locations with the ideal blend of natural beauty, good schools and good living.”
