York among UK's best places to live for 2026 and this is why

The historical city dubbed a “beautiful, beguiling place” has featured in The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Live 2026 guide, and it’s not the only North Yorkshire spot highlighted either.

Also appearing on the publisher’s annual regional list are Skipton, the Howardian Hills and Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

What did The Sunday Times say about York?

The Sunday Times’ judges praised York for its “jaw-dropping” buildings and described it as a “liveable city that hits the sweet spot for work-life balance”.

They continued: “York is liveable and walkable. 

“It’s also well connected and friendly, with jaw-dropping architecture, excellent schools and two universities that keep it young and buzzing.

“There are digital start-ups and big employers, including Nestlé - up to four million KitKats are still made here every day. 

“Yet this beautiful, beguiling place, synonymous with so much of Britain’s history, is always looking to the future. 

“It’s the UK’s first gigabit city and the country’s only Unesco City of Media Arts.”

Currently, house prices in York have an overall average price of £324,777 over the last year, according to Rightmove.

The property experts said: “The majority of properties sold in York during the last year were terraced properties, selling for an average price of £327,884.

"Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £330,062, with flats fetching £206,101.

“Overall, the historical sold prices in York over the last year were 2% down on the previous year and 5% down on the 2023 peak of £341,170.”

Meanwhile, last year, York was also crowned among the happiest places to live in Britain by The Guardian.

It was mentioned for often being “overlooked” in favour of its bigger and edgier northern neighbours.

The publisher explained at the time: “But with its cobbled streets, eccentric independent shops and snuggly pubs it contains all the charm of Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield put together.”

'This beautiful, beguiling place, synonymous with so much of Britain’s history, is always looking to the future' (Image: Chris Yaxley/Getty)

York was hailed for its “modesty and unreserved warmth” as well as “exceptional” pubs London could only dream of having (and these were only a few of the high-ranking factors) – you can read more about that in our previous article.

Best places to live in the North and North East of England for 2026

Here are all the best places to live in the North and North East of England for 2026, as revealed by The Sunday Times:

• Skipton, North Yorkshire 
• Howardian Hills, North Yorkshire
• Leeds city centre
• Morpeth, Northumberland
• Newcastle: Gosforth
• Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire 
• Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire
• York

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.

You can see the full Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2026 guide online now.

The Sunday Times’s expert judges visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds and mobile signal to amenities, as well as access to high-quality green spaces and the health of the high street.

There are more new entries than ever before in this year’s guide.

As always, the judges looked for thriving locations with a strong sense of community rather than famous names with high house prices. 

Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, commented: “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 travelled 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 (March 20), with an abridged version appearing as a magazine supplement on Sunday (March 22).

What’s your favourite thing about York? Let us know in the comments below.