THE Sunday Times has revealed its annual list of the best places to live in the north and North-East, with North Yorkshire and County Durham towns topping this list.

Barnard Castle, County Durham, Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, York and Easingwold and Masham, both in North Yorkshire, made it in the top ten of Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

Ilkey, West Yorkshire, came in at number one and has been named the best place to live in the North and North East of England.   

It is top of a list of 10 locations in the region chosen by The Sunday Times to represent the best of Britain in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.  

The comprehensive guide is released online today and will be available in the paper on Sunday. 

The Sunday Times’s expert judges behind the guide assess a wide range of factors, from schools, air quality, transport and broadband speeds to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.  

They look for improving towns, villages or city centres, for attractive, well designed homes and locations bursting with community spirit - which the pandemic has shown to be the most vital quality of all.  

A detailed breakdown of house prices has been supplied by data specialists TwentyCi and information on internet speeds has been supplied by Thinkbroadband.com, the UK’s leading independent guide to broadband. 

Apart from the regional winner, the other locations are not ranked.

Here is a full list:

  • Winner: Ilkley, West Yorkshire 
  • Alnmouth, Northumberland 
  • Barnard Castle, Co Durham 
  • Easingwold, North Yorkshire 
  • Leeds 
  • Masham, North Yorkshire 
  • Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire 
  • Todmorden, West Yorkshire 
  • Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear 
  • York 

Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times property editor said: “This guide has never been so important. The pandemic has taught us just how much we rely on our homes, our communities and our surroundings. With working from home now common, it’s no surprise that many of us are reassessing our priorities and thinking hard about where we really want to live.  

“Our focus for this year has been community, countryside and convenience. It hasn’t been a year for big cities or small villages. Instead it is small towns that have shone: big enough to have everything you need within walking distance and small enough for everyone to feel connected.  

“Ilkley has a beating community heart, a business brain, culture and a good sense of humour. 

“It’s also got excellent schools, great shops in its town centre and is within easy reach of both Leeds and the stunning scenery of the Yorkshire Dales, with its own magical moor as the icing on the cake.” 

Speaking about Barnard Castle, the judges said: “Good eyesight is essential in this hearty country town that’s old-fashioned in the nicest possible way and surrounded by some of England’s grandest but least explored scenery."

They also highlighted the  Bowes Museum, an extraordinary collection in an even more extraordinary chateau-style building and the tempting independent shops on the high street, where there’s also a monthly farmers’ market selling everything from artisan sourdough to Wiga Wagaa chilli oils. 

Here, the average sale price of a property is £220,000 while the average rental price is £525 pcm.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in Britain covers the following regions: North and Northeast, Midlands, Northern Ireland, Southeast, Wales, Southwest, East, London, Scotland and the Northwest.  

Stroud, Gloucestershire was named as the Best Place to Live in Britain.