Norwich has been crowned the UK’s premier place to live, according to the annual Sunday Times guide. The historic city leads a list of 72 locations in the "Best Places To Live" guide, which is set for online release this Friday, with an abridged version appearing in a magazine supplement on Sunday, 22 March.
The Norfolk city earned its top spot for its distinctive blend of historic charm, vibrant urban atmosphere, and overall "liveability". Notably, Norwich holds the unique distinction of being the only location to have featured in all 14 editions of the prestigious guide.
Judges lauded Norwich as a creative and cosmopolitan hub that retains a small-town feel, praising its "green conscience and a warm heart". They highlighted the city's ability to offer residents the best of both urban conveniences and rural living. At its core, Norwich boasts a bustling market alongside a wealth of cultural attractions, including theatres, music venues, a historic castle, and a thriving scene of independent shops, cafes, and bars.
The guide's compilers rigorously assessed various factors, ranging from local schools and transport links to broadband speeds, mobile signal, amenities, access to high-quality green spaces, and the vitality of the high street.
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places To Live editor, said: “This guide is a great opportunity to highlight the best places in Britain.
“It is full of places that show that our village, town and city centres can still be full of life, as well as places bursting with natural beauty, culture, connectivity and most importantly a sense of community.
“Our expert team of judges have travelled the length and breadth of the UK, from the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coast, selecting the top towns and villages, suburbs and cities for the 2026 guide.
“One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”
The guide was sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group.
Kate Townson, Lloyds relationship and customer development director said navigating the housing market “can feel overwhelming” for many people, adding that the bank’s partnership with the guide “aims to give trusted insight into communities across the UK, helping home buyers to make confident, informed decisions about their future home”.
The Sunday Times Best Places To Live guide 2026 named one overall national winner, with 10 winners from the UK’s nations or regions.
Among them is the Yorkshire market town of Skipton, which in December was named by Rightmove as the happiest place to live in 2025.
Here is the list, with The Sunday Times’s descriptions of the winners:
– 1 (National winner) Norwich, Norfolk (East of England)
– 2 Malmesbury, Wiltshire (South-west England)
“The ever-improving high street is the star of the show in a historic town that’s a safe place for families to put down roots. There’s plenty going on: sports clubs, a theatre group and hardworking community groups.
“The state schools are excellent, there are jobs at the Dyson Creative Campus and although there’s no station, Bristol, Bath and London are easily reached.”
– 3 Skipton, North Yorkshire (North and north-east England)
“Skipton is properly grounded and strongly connected to the spectacular surrounding landscape. It’s a place where traditional businesses thrive and a haven for families drawn by the excellent schools.
“The volunteering culture is strong such as Share Skipton, which operates a Library of Things that allows members to borrow anything from a disco ball to a leaf blower and also holds monthly repair cafes.”
– 4 Lindfield, West Sussex (South-east England)
“Lindfield has enough reliable schools, smart shops, amenities and connections to satisfy the most hard-headed househunter. But it’s just as perfect for more romantic souls, ready to be bewitched by the duck pond, the enviable period homes, the warm and welcoming community and the Sussex countryside.”
5 The Malverns, Worcestershire (Midlands)
“The Malverns offer a majestic setting, elegant towns and villages, and a rousing cultural scene that goes far beyond the inevitable Elgar connections.
“There’s something here for everyone: jobs, appealing shops, cafes and restaurants and useful rail links. There are spectacular walks on the bracken-clad hills, mighty views across to Wales.”
– 6 Usk, Monmouthshire (Wales)
“Volunteers are involved in everything in the ‘town of flowers’ from planting the 2,500 plants to secure its latest Britain in Bloom gold award to running the annual Usk Show. It’s a place where nesting boxes are provided for swifts, where wild swimmers campaigned for a £10 million wastewater upgrade to combat river pollution.”
– 7 Linlithgow, West Lothian (Scotland)
“The historic town was picked as a family-friendly hotspot between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“Residents of this central belter can enjoy the medieval high street, outstanding schools and the great outdoors. It’s the kind of town where the lollipop people know everyone’s names and have treats for the dogs.”
– 8 Ballycastle, Co Antrim (Northern Ireland)
“Ballycastle is a town with a beautiful setting and a big, beating heart, always on display in the meet-ups at the library, the Solas charity that provides mental health support, the thriving independent high street and the lively pub scene.
“The long sandy beach is the meeting point for dog walkers, birdwatchers and swimmers.”
“The lucky folk of TW11 are spoilt for ways to enjoy a break in this leafy serene corner of the capital.
“No wonder Richmond is regularly voted the happiest borough in London. The choices include strolling beside the river or the magnificent 2,500-acre Royal Park.
“Richmond, with its picturesque green, feels like a small town in a big city. The high street is on the up after a spell in the doldrums and the restaurant scene has a new spring in its step.”
– 10 Altrincham, Greater Manchester (North-west England)
“Classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable, Alty is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands. Now it’s flying even higher.
“Co-working has arrived on the high street in the old Rackhams department store. The leisure centre reopened in August 2025 after a £20 million revamp, the market food hall draws diners from all over the region, and the schools are among the most successful in the country.”
Previous winners of The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in Britain title are: Stamford, Lincolnshire (2013); Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014); Newnham, Cambridge (2015); Winchester, Hampshire (2016); Bristol (2017), York (2018), Salisbury, Wiltshire (2019), Altrincham, Cheshire (2020) Stroud, Gloucestershire (2021), Ilkley, West Yorkshire (2022) Wadhurst, East Sussex (2023), North Berwick, East Lothian (2024) and Saffron Walden, Essex (2025).
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