It’s that time of year again when the Sunday Times‘ ‘Best Places to Live’ in the UK are named and 2025’s list features six beautiful areas in Yorkshire have been featured in the list. Ilkley, West Yorkshire was named the best place to live in the north and northeast in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide for 2025.
Experts from The Sunday Times visit places across the UK to assess the locations looking at factors such as transport, broadband speeds and mobile signal to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.
The list has a range of locations from vibrant market towns to cosmopolitan cities. We know how amazing Yorkshire is with its picturesque villages, and beautiful countryside and this year’s choices highlight that. And, some of Yorkshire’s towns and cities have featured in this year’s list with the overall winner being Ilkley, West Yorkshire named the best place to live in the North.
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor says: “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.”
Check out the full list of the six best places to live in Yorkshire, according to The Times:
Ilkley, West Yorkshire (regional winner)
Ilkley was highlighted for its ‘fresh air, fantastic scenery, excellent schools’ and ‘direct trains to Leeds’. The ‘get up and go’ community’ has caught the paper’s attention this year. Ilkley was also named the best place to live in 2022.
Easingwold, North Yorkshire
Described as the ‘Georgian jewel on the edge of the Howardian Hills, the ‘chocolate-box pretty’ town was praised for its pretty market square, independent shops, good schools, a thriving community.
Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
The ‘artsy and free-spirited’ market town has a fantastic independent shop, music, literary and all-around creative scenes. Sat on the banks of the River Calder and Rochdale Canal with direct links to Leeds and Manchester – it has a lot to offer.
Horsforth, Leeds
A great commuter spot for Leeds, Horsforth has a thriving restaurant and bar scene and is a sought-after spot for those looking for community vibes and more – so it’s no surprise its featured in the list for The Sunday Times.
Ripon, North Yorkshire
A small city, that has more of a market town, has stunning ‘cobbled streets lined with ancient and elegant houses’. The Sunday Times writes that ‘The town centre punches above its weight as a place to buy and enjoy local produce and the houses are more affordable than in more famous rivals such as Harrogate or York.’
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
The Steel City has ‘more trees per head of population than any other city in Europe.’ Not only does it have that but it has a ‘burgeoning creative industries and judicious regeneration are relighting Sheffield’s fire, bringing a wave of cinnamon buns, sourdough and single-origin coffee. If that wasn’t enough you can add ‘best state schools in Yorkshire, world-class sports facilities, two universities, 80 public parks, and the Peak District on the doorstep’.
Check out the full list here.
Read More: 14 Prettiest Yorkshire Villages To Visit
Feature Image Credit: Pexels
