Curious to know where some of the best places to live are in the UK? Several areas across the North East and North Yorkshire have been revealed by The Sunday Times.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2024 guide sponsored by Halifax crowned Leeds as the winner in the North and North East of England.

But the likes of Heaton in Newcastle and Whitley Bay in Tyne & Wear were also featured.

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

The chosen locations come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Scottish island of Kerrera and the remote Welsh village of Presteigne to big, lively cities such as Belfast, Liverpool and London.

There are more new entries than ever before in this year’s guide and “no place for previous winners such as York and Bristol” - the judges looked for “improving locations with a strong sense of community rather than famous names with high house prices”.

The Sunday Times reveals best places to live in the North and North East England

As well as Leeds, seven other locations across Yorkshire and the North East have been featured in the comprehensive guide - you can see the full list here.

@rebbeebee18 Heaton foodies #newcastleupontyne #geordie #newcastletiktok #toontok #newcastlecheck #uktiktok #newcastle #uk #foodie #heaton #tyneandwear ♬ Dynamite - BTS

The full list of locations are as follows:

  • Leeds (winner)
  • Boston Spa, North Yorkshire 
  • Heaton, Newcastle 
  • Nether Edge, Sheffield 
  • Saltaire, West Yorkshire 
  • Skipton, North Yorkshire 
  • Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear 
  • Yorkshire Wolds  

What did The Sunday Times say about Heaton and Whitley Bay?

Describing Heaton, The Sunday Times explained: “NE6 is a lively neighbourhood with just the right amount of grit and glamour, characterised by pretty red-brick houses and a strong sense of bohemian café culture.

“Three high streets are packed full of independent foodie jewels, including a vegan sushi restaurant, top-notch coffee shops and cocktail bars on Heaton Road.

“Heaton was once the preserve of students; that population endures but graduates here hang around to bring up their children in the terraced former worker’s homes that link the high streets.”

The publisher also said Whitley Bay, which was last year’s best place to live in the North and North East, is a Victorian seaside resort that has “become a desirable enclave for water-loving families who want brilliant schools, great transport links and a chilled pace of life on the golden shoreline.”

@rebbeebee18 What’s your favourite thing about Whitley Bay? #whitleybay #northeastengland #uktiktok #geordie #uk #newcastle #newcastleupontyne #northtyneside ♬ Love You So - The King Khan & BBQ Show

“Whitley Bay High School is getting an upgrade, Newcastle is easily reached by Metro and Park View remains one of the most likeable shopping streets in the land.”

Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, commented: “This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2024, from Dunkeld to Knutsford, Falmouth to Leeds. Wherever you are on the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you. 

“These are all places where you can feel grounded as well as upwardly mobile: they have a mature sense of community, lively, supportive high streets and an eye to the future, whether that is eco-friendly measures, transport and regeneration, or imaginative inclusion of new housing.”

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.

Simple Ways to Create a Wildlife-friendly Garden  

Recommended reading:

“That means we can see what people really love about the places they live. That might be fast commutes and high-achieving schools but also clean water to swim in, lively town centres with useful shops, the possibility of earning a living and being part of a friendly community. 

“We do consider affordability, though high house prices are no barrier to inclusion - as long as they provide value for money. Different people may be looking for different things, but what all our best places have in common is that people love living in them and are proud to call them home.”

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2024 guide is online now and will be available as a magazine supplement on Sunday (March 17).