Lancashire district named in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide
Drum roll please.... a Lancashire district has been named one of the best places to live in the north west in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
The Sunday Times has today revealed the best places in the UK to Live - a comprehensive guide featuring 72 locations across the country, one of which is Lancaster.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.
In the Lancaster entry, The Sunday Times states: “The unsung city has excellent schools and a leading university, along with forgiving house prices.
“The big attraction is a location that’s perfect for a quick escape to England’s greatest landscapes: the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland.”
It added: “There’s a lively coffee and cultural scene, too. The Gregson, a community and arts centre, is at the heart of much of the good stuff here.
“It’s home to more than 70 groups, including the brilliantly named Breath of Fresh Air choir, for people with asthma and breathing conditions, and the LGBTQ+ arts collective Queer By Gum.”
The full list of north west locations is:
- Altrincham, Greater Manchester.
- Eden Valley, Cumbria.
- Lancaster, Lancashire.
- Liverpool: Aigburth.
- Macclesfield, Cheshire.
- Manchester: Didsbury.
In total, 72 places across the UK were selected by The Sunday Times to showcase the best of Britain, with Norwich, Norfolk named the overall national winner.
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 visit every location on the list and talk to the locals to find out what they love about the place they live. These judges have traveled 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 is published online today with an abridged version appearing as a magazine supplement on Sunday.