Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire has been named the best place to live in Wales.
The town topped the list of six Welsh locations chosen by The Sunday Times to represent the best of the UK in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
Judges commended Llandeilo, which has an average house price of £251,000, for its large offering in such a small area.
A judge said: “Whether you want a freshly made Welsh cake from Heavenly or a unique piece of local arts and crafts, the independent shops and cafés in Llandeilo's tiny centre are full of the good things in life. Its colourful houses are a delightful backdrop and the surrounding countryside is full of magical places to explore.”
The total list of regions named as the best places to live in Wales included:
Winner: Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire
- Conwy, Gwynedd
- Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
- Ruthin, Denbighshire
- St Dogmaels, Pembrokeshire
- Usk, Monmouthshire
Conwy, Ruthin and St Dogmaels were all new additions to the list.
Conwy, which has seen 20% growth since 2020, was particularly commended for its “excellent road and rail links” keeping it within reach of large towns and cities.
The Sunday Times Best Places to Live is a comprehensive guide which includes 70 locations covering UK regions including, North and Northeast, Midlands, Northern Ireland, Southeast, Wales, Southwest, East, London, Scotland and the Northwest.
The judges assess a wide range of factors, from schools, transport and broadband to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.
The aim is to champion improving towns, villages or city centres, attractive, well-designed homes and locations with a good sense of community - an important quality highlighted by the pandemic.
Average house prices for each location has been supplied by Halifax and up-to-date information on broadband speeds provided by Thinkbroadband.com, the UK’s leading independent guide to broadband.
The guide has named Ilkley in West Yorkshire as the overall Best Place to Live in the UK.
The Times and Sunday Times property editor, Helen Davies said: “The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place. For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling.
“Is the pub dog-friendly, for example? Can you live car-free? What are the schools and houses like? Is it multicultural and multigenerational, and can it offer a good way of life to lots of different sorts of people?”
She added: “Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the WFH revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains. How times have changed.”
