29th January 2026

Hi Simon
 
It's that time of year - the publication of the most thorough league table of the best places to live in Britain!
 
Garrington's Best Places to Live report is an annual ranking of the BEST cities, towns and villages to live in England, Wales and Scotland. This year's analysis includes a total of 1447 locations in England and Wales, and 161 in Scotland.
 
Unlike other rankings, Garrington's is all about data - and lots of it. Every location is scored against up to 18 separate criteria, including natural beauty, wellbeing, heritage, schools and jobs plus value for money.
 
It's not a league table of the ‘best and worst places to live’, it's just the best. There are thousands of places that didn't make the cut, so even coming in 1447th place is still a win!
 
Strictly speaking there are two reports, one for England and Wales, and one for Scotland. You can view them here:
 
https://www.garrington.co.uk/best-places-to-live-2026/

https://garringtonscotland.co.uk/best-places-to-live-in-scotland-2026/

 
Both include a nifty online tool that readers can use to see how their own hometown has scored in each category. People seem to really enjoy playing with this, so do feel free to point readers towards it.
 
A press release about the England and Wales report is below. Do let me know if you have any queries, or if you would like to receive the Scotland press release. A picture of Garrington CEO Jonathan Hopper is available on request.
 
Best wishes,
 
Jack

DON’T MISS MARPLE: NORTHERN HOTSPOT TOPS ANNUAL RANKING OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN ENGLAND AND WALES

Narrowing North-South divide lifts a new crop of hotspots to the top of Garrington’s 2026 Best Places to Live index, which identifies places with the perfect blend of value for money, natural beauty, good schools and a high quality of life

Top of the annual ranking of more than 1400 cities, towns and villages is Marple in Greater Manchester, the oasis of charm and calm that once inspired Agatha Christie and where family homes rose 7.6% in value last year

With average property prices rising by 1.4% in England and 1.5% in Wales in the year to October1, the Garrington league table includes an interactive tool to help anyone planning a move in 2026 find the areas offering the best living, and the best value

Marple, a picture-postcard town on the edge of the Peak District just nine miles from central Manchester, has been crowned as 2026’s best place to live in a comprehensive ranking2 of more than 1400 communities across England and Wales.

The annual league table, compiled by Britain’s largest independent buying agents Garrington Property Finders, ranks the best cities, towns and villages in England and Wales with more than 5000 residents according to five key criteria – natural beauty, wellbeing, heritage, schools and jobs plus value for money.2

This year’s overall winner, Marple in Greater Manchester, is a perennial high-achiever - having come fourth in the 2025 ranking. Just 25 minutes from the heart of the city, Marple has an understated charm and calm much like the frequently underestimated Miss Marple, Agatha Christie’s much-loved sleuth who was named after the town.

With a strong community spirit and two brass bands, a neighbourhood cinema and lots of independent shops, Marple sits at the foot of the Peak District and has miles of canal towpaths and wooded valleys that powered it to 18th place in the natural beauty category of the ranking.

At £517,119, a typical family home4 in the town costs well above the English national average. Even though family home prices there rose by 7.6% over the previous year - much faster than those in southern England - they remain competitive for a prime area of Greater Manchester, and Marple scooped 27th place in the value for money category. 

Second-placed Rawdon in West Yorkshire also offers a blend of great landscapes, panoramic views and easy access to the city. Just six miles from the centre of Leeds, the village came 95th in the natural beauty category and represents good value after the price of an average family home dipped by 0.3% over the year to reach £451,094.

Table: The 20 best places to live in England and Wales in 2026

Official Land Registry data1 shows that average property prices in England rose by 1.4%, and by 1.5% in Wales, during the 12 months to October 2025. But these national averages mask huge regional variations and a narrowing of the gap between north and south.

Over the same 12-month period, the average London property fell in value by 2.4%. At the other end of the scale, average prices surged 5% in North East England and rose 3.1% in both the North West and in Yorkshire and the Humber.

However, Garrington’s analysts identified several prime locations that bucked their regional trends to become better value. These include sixth-placed Bowdon, the prestigious village in Greater Manchester that came 37th in the schools, jobs and connectivity category of the ranking.

Home to Premier League footballers and celebrities, and located in the prime ‘Golden Triangle’ between Manchester and Liverpool, Bowdon has become a touch more affordable after the price of a typical family home rose by a modest 1.3% to reach £639,321.

The highest ranked place in southern England is St Albans in Hertfordshire, a city founded in Roman times and with a winning streak in Garrington’s annual ranking that stretches back almost as far. It came fifth in the 2025 league table and climbed to third in the 2026 ranking.

Just over 20 minutes by train from central London, St Albans is popular with wealthy commuters and has 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.

The highest ranked place in Wales is Penarth, an elegant seaside town just three miles from the centre of Cardiff. Famed for its Art Deco pavilion and pebble beach, the town looks out across the waters of the Severn Estuary and clinched 34th place in the heritage and culture category of the ranking.

With a typical family home in the town costing £436,219 after average prices softened by 4.4% over the past year, Penarth has become significantly better value and ranks 113th overall for 2026.

Garrington’s interactive league table is available by clicking here. It’s free to use and an invaluable tool, both for those planning a move in 2026 and anyone who’s just curious.

Jonathan Hopper, CEO of the buying agents Garrington Property Finders, comments: “The property maps of England and Wales were redrawn in 2025 as prices headed in opposite directions in different parts of the country. The north-south divide narrowed slightly as prices rose steadily in more affordable northern areas, and fell in the most expensive parts of London and the south.

“The big falls in prime central London values made headlines, but our analysis has revealed 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.

“Many buyers paused their moving plans in the latter part of 2025, but our team of experts across England and Wales is now seeing a surge in interest from people ready to make a move in 2026.

“With the Bank of England base rate back below 4%, mortgages have become more affordable and this gives would-be buyers greater freedom to pick a property that’s perfect for them. 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.

“All of the 1447 cities, towns and villages selected for our 2026 ranking score well in at least one category, and you can use our interactive search tool to pinpoint places that offer more of the things that matter most to you.”

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