Ilkley crowned best place to live in North 2025 as Horsforth joins prestigious list issued by The Sunday Times
A picturesque town on the outskirts of Leeds has been crowned the best place to live in the North and North East in a prestigious guide.
In The Sunday Times’ annual Best Places to Live guide, Ilkley has claimed the top spot in the North and Northeast of England, having previously held the national title in 2022. It has been joined on the 2025 list by the bustling Leeds town of Horsforth.
Last year, the title went to Leeds, along with the village of Boston Spa; however, both locations are absent from the 2025 list.
Praising Ilkley, which is located around 17 miles northeast of Leeds, The Sunday Times judges remarked: “Our national winner in 2022 is back and proof that you can’t keep a good town down.
"It’s not just the fresh air, fantastic scenery, excellent schools and direct trains to Leeds that make Ilkley this year’s pick of the north and northeast.
Seven other locations in the region are featured in the comprehensive guide, including Horsforth in Leeds and the West Yorkshire hotspot of Hebden Bridge. Released today (Friday, March 21), the guide lists 72 locations across the UK, with Saffron Walden in Essex being crowned the best place to live in the country.
The Sunday Times judges visited hundreds of locations, assessing factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, and mobile signal. They also ranked places based on access to green spaces and the vitality of the high street.
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor said: “It is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything going on in the world, but there really is so much to celebrate as we look closer to home.
"From small gestures that lift the everyday like - verges blooming with daffodils and volunteer-run dementia cafés, to larger initiatives from repair cafés to new railway stations.”
She added: “What makes our guide unique is that we actually visit all the places we choose and talk to locals to find out what life is really like there.
“That means we can see what people really love about the places they live. That could be anything from exceptional schools and fast trains to beautiful houses and countryside.
"The health of the high street is important, but more than anything else, what we are looking for are towns, villages and cities with strong communities who work hard to make the best of where they live, and play hard too.
“We also consider affordability. High house prices are no barrier to inclusion - as long as they provide value for money. Different people will be looking for different qualities when they are choosing a place to live. One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”
The full list of north and northeast locations on The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide 2025:
- Ilkley, West Yorkshire (regional winner)
- Easingwold, North Yorkshire
- Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
- Horsforth, Leeds
- Morpeth, Northumberland
- Ripon, North Yorkshire
- Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear