It’s that time of year again when The Telegraph names some of the best places to live in the UK for 2023 and five beautiful areas in Yorkshire have been featured in the list.
We’ve always known how amazing Yorkshire is with its picturesque villages, coastal walks, and beautiful countryside. And, some of Yorkshire’s towns and cities have featured in this year’s list including one from last year, which was the overall winner, Ilkley.
According to The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2023 guide Ilkley, the village of Holmfirth, famous for the Last of the Summer Wine, the cosmopolitan city of Leeds featured along with the North and North East Sheffield’s Kelham Island and the Market town of Thirsk which was home to Alf Wight otherwise known as James Herriot who penned the All Creatures Great and Small novels.
The guide rated Wadhurst in East Sussex as the best place to live in the UK this year.
Best Places to Live 2023 editor, Helen Davies, 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.
Read More: The 14 Most Beautiful Villages In Yorkshire To Visit
“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.”
1. Holmfirth

Who doesn’t love the village that was the backdrop to the longest-running sitcom of all time, Last of the Summer Wine. Found along the Pennines, Holmfirth was named one of the best places to live in Yorkshire for 2023
Writing about the quaint village the Telegraph said: “An influx of creative types is turning this cobbled, Yorkshire stone village into one the coolest locations in the Pennines. The surrounding scenery is a delight and the town centre is a good mix of the modern and the traditional.”
2. Ilkley

Ilkley seems to always feature in these lists and with good reason. Sat below the stunning Ilkley Moors, the little market town is a haven for great cafes, and bars along with great shops, school and transport links.
The Telegraph complimented its “energetic community with a knack for getting things done and a willingness to work hard to improve their home town.”
3. Leeds

Yorkshire’s biggest city has seen a huge transformation over the past decade and is now a fast-paced city full of culture, great street food spots and an incredible night light and bar scene.
The Telegraph named it one of the best places to live in Yorkshire commenting on its “culture, commerce and joyful consumerism, there’s no finer city centre in the UK than Leeds. It’s the only place outside London with its own opera, theatre, ballet and opera houses, and as a shopping destination, it’s second to none.
“Thanks to the eco-houses in the inspiring new riverside Climate Innovation District, it’s leading the way for sustainability, too.”
4. Sheffield, Kelham Island

We love Kelham Island, and having lived in Sheffield we’ve seen it transform from a relic of an industrial past to an area with a great up-and-coming community scene along with great bars, restaurants, and other culinary delights including the North’s biggest Food Hall.
The Telegraph enjoyed Kelham Island’s “fashionable world of hip hangouts and urban chic shows what can be achieved with a bit of effort.”
5. Thirsk

All Creatures Great and Small is one of the biggest shows of the minute and Thirsk sits right in the heart of Herriot country, The town is full of independent shops and great road and rail links making it the perfect spot to be featured on the best places to live in Yorkshire and the UK,
Read More: 18 Of The Most Beautiful, Quaint Towns To Visit In Yorkshire