We’ve looked everything from happiness, quality of life, safety and job opportunities to bring the top places to live in the UK in 2019:
10. Coventry
Coventry recently fought off competition from Paisley, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland and Swansea to be named the City of Culture for 2021, taking the title from Hull. The city itself is going from strength to strength thanks to large-scale regeneration, and Coventry University and the nearby Warwick University constantly rank high in the yearly university league tables.
Coventry makes it onto Unbroken Britain’s Safest Places to Live in the UK, and ranked 16th in Glassdoor’s Best Towns and Cities to Work In, 2018.
9. Newcastle Upon Tyne
Like London, this city has everything you need; award winning dining, great shopping, a vivid nightlife and an inspiring heritage, but on a much smaller scale, and with one in every six people being a student, Newcastle has a youthful energy to it. Newcastle is one of the UK’s largest cities, and is a true regional capital.
Newcastle can be found ranking highly on Unbroken Britain’s Safest Places to Live and The Telegraph’s Best Cities According to You 2018.
8. Liverpool
Liverpool ranked on Glassdoor’s Best Town and Cities to Work 2018, Unbroken Britain’s Safest Places to Live, Royal Mail’s Most Attractive UK Cities, and came 7th on The Telegraph’s 20 Best Cities According to You survey 2018.
Liverpool is a highly dynamic city that boasts a recently rejuvenated dockland area with numerous restaurants, bars and entertainment facilities. The people are friendly and helpful, and homes in Liverpool are much more affordable than other parts of the UK. The lower cost of living compared to other cities marks another one of its attractive qualities.
7. Manchester
Over the last few years Manchester has quickly risen to the top of many surveys and reports on the best places to live in the UK. This energetic city in the heart of Lancashire is first choice for many young 20-somethings; it’s taken the digital age by storm and there are many professional opportunities available. House prices are significantly more affordable than in the south but are rising quickly.
There’s been a lot of money spent on regeneration of the city centre over the last 15 years, and as such there’s a plethora of pubs, bars and clubs available. Not only that, but Manchester is home to some of the best restaurants in the region.
Manchester made Unbroken Britain’s list of Safest Places to Live in the UK, and ranked highly on Royal Mail’s Most Attractive City and Glassdoor’s 2018 list of the Best Towns and Cities to Work in the UK.
6. Bristol
Back in 2017, Bristol was named the UK’s best place to live in The Sunday Times’ ‘Best Places to Live Guide’, and it’s not difficult to see why. Perfectly placed for delightful scenery or a trip to the seaside, whilst maintaining an attractive city centre and connected to the rest of the UK by major motorways and a London mainline train station. There are plenty of professional jobs available, and the average salary is above that of many other similar cities.
Bristol ranked highly on Royal Mail’s Most Attractive Cities to Live and Work in 2018, the BBC’s Best Places to Live for Under 26s, Glassdoor’s Best Towns and Cities to Work In and Unbroken Britain’s Safest Places to Live.
5. Salisbury
Salisbury topped The Sunday Times’ Best Place to Live in the UK 2019 thanks to its community spirit in light of recent news reports. Salisbury is home to many well-known landmarks, including its cathedral and the nearby Stonehenge, and has a number of high-ranking schools in the area, both public and private.
Salisbury also made it onto The Telegraph’s 20 Best Cities According to You list.
4. Winchester
The Royal Mail voted Winchester the Happiest Place to Live in 2019, citing low levels of depravation, reported high sense of well-being, and high earnings for the local authority.
This exclusive and unique city has good road and rail connections, an active nightlife, and boasts an exclusive cosmopolitan charm. The cost of living is slightly higher than the norm, but employment rates and earnings are too. Winchester is England’s former capital city, and is packed with museums, monuments and historic buildings to explore.
Winchester also made it onto the list for the Halifax Quality of Life Survey 2019 and The Telegraph’s 20 Best Cities According to You survey.
3. Oxford
The ancient University of Oxford ensures that this city is well-known throughout the world, and its history and culture attracts thousands of visitors each year. You can reach central London in under an hour on the train, so it’s a particular favourite with people moving away from the stresses of the capital.
Whilst there are many students living in the area, there are also a large number of families moving to Oxford thanks to the excellent schools, high salaries and the enjoyable lifestyle that the city has to offer. It’s the perfect location for those with a taste for the finer things in life, as there are a whole host of independently run businesses and exclusive restaurants.
Each district of Oxford ranked highly in the Halifax Quality of Life Survey, with South Oxfordshire coming 6th. Oxford also saw success in Glassdoor’s Best Towns and Cities to Work in 2018, The Telegraphs 20 Best Cities According to You Survey, and Unbroken Britain’s Safest Places to Live in the UK.
2. Cambridge
Cambridge has been experiencing incredible economic success in recent years, largely due to the huge bio-tech boom in the area. It’s a world-famous university city with a relatively small population, that’s close enough to London to commute but also has picturesque rural areas close-by. Property prices are on the up and you won’t pay much less than you would in the capital, but with good reason.
The city centre is compact but still has a fantastic array of shops, restaurants and pubs to be explored. There’s plenty of green space to be enjoyed, and locals relish in a spot of punting every now and again!
Cambridge came 3rd in Glassdoor’s Best Towns and Cities to Work In, 2018, 5th in The Telegraph’s 20 Best Cities According to You survey, and 9th in Unbroken Britain’s Safest Places to Live in the UK report.
1. Edinburgh
Edinburgh placed first in The Telegraph’s 20 Best Cities According to You 2018 survey, Royal Mail’s Most Attractive UK City 2018, and uSwitch’s Best Places to Live, and it’s not hard to see why!
Edinburgh is a fantastic city to work and live in, with high employment levels, great earnings potential, strong education and plenty of access to green space throughout the city. Edinburgh is also seen as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with a great cultural offering, excellent restaurants and cafes, and interesting history. It’s also easy to navigate and has a youthful population thanks to the university.
