Eight places in the Midlands have been chosen by the Sunday Times for its annual Best Places to Live guide. Among those picked from the Midlands, two Birmingham districts that are no strangers to such accolades in more recent times.
This year’s guide includes more new entries than ever before. They were picked out by the Sunday Times’ expert judges, who visited all the locations and made their judgements based on factors like schools, transport, broadband speed, culture, and access to green spaces and the health of the high street.
Helen Davies, the editor of Best Places to Live 2023, said: “When times are tough, where we live matters more than ever. Attractive surroundings, good neighbours and a comfortable home are the best defences when the stresses of modern life seem overwhelming.
“This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2023 from Orkney to Felixstowe, the Chew Valley to Manchester city centre. Whether you’re downsizing, trading up or getting onto the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you.”
Nationally, Wadhurst in East Sussex was named the overall winner of Best Places to Live. It was praised by judges for its “good schools, convenient transport connections, an amazingly well-stocked high street and stunning scenery”.
Published by The Sunday Times, the guide includes 72 locations across the UK and in the Midlands, the winner is a town in Warwickshire with less than 95,000 population.
Here are the eight places in the Midlands named the Best Places to Live in 2023, by the Sunday Times:
5. Great Malvern, Worcestershire
What the Sunday Times said: “The dramatic views from the Malvern Hills would be reason enough to live here, but this former spa town impresses in many different ways. The well kept town centre is full of good independent shops and cafes, there’s culture from its theatre and festivals and there’s a good choice of attractive houses.” | Asmita Sarkar
6. Market Harborough, Leicestershire
What the Sunday Times said: “With so many beautiful old buildings, it’s hard to avoid history in Market Harborough, but it’s a town with plenty of modern, practical attractions, too. Rail connections to London and elsewhere are impeccable, schools are good and the town centre is a good mix of useful chains and interesting independents – none more inspiring than the Eco Village, a lively hub of mini-businesses that offers an environmentally friendly alternative to supermarket shopping.” (Photo - Immanuel Giel/ Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication) | Immanuel Giel/ Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
7. Melbourne, Derbyshire
What the Sunday Times said: “This attractive old town combines beautiful Georgian houses, great access to the countryside and a location that’s handy for all the great cities of the Midlands. Its festival and gallery are signs of an impressive arty streak.” (Photo - Histman/CC attribution 2.0 generic) | histman uploaded to wiki by Victuallers/ Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
8. Rutland
What the Sunday Times said: “Britain’s smallest county does a good job of living up to its multum in parva motto, packing a lot of goodness into its very little area. For seekers of sophisticated country living, it has everything. There are good schools and a practical location but also the pastoral landscape and Rutland Water. Rutland is full of unspoilt villages with dreamy country pubs, and the twin towns of Oakham and Uppingham are old-fashioned in the best possible way, with butchers, bakers, antique shops and markets, as well as Scandi cafes and smart boutiques.” (Photo - NotFromUtrecht/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported) | NotFromUtrecht/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported