Northumberland market town among UK’s best places to live

It’s the second year in a row that Morpeth, situated near the coastal areas of Ashington and Bedlington, was crowned among the UK’s top spots in the publishers’ widely recognised guide, which saw Skipton in North Yorkshire claim the winning title.

The area, known as a “place of pilgrimage” for those coming to pay their respects to suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, has also recently been hailed one of England’s most underrated county towns by The Telegraph.

You can read more about that in our previous article.

Morpeth’s ‘community-spirited residents have plenty to shout about’

But why has Morpeth been named among the best places to live in the region for 2025 and 2026?

Commenting on this year’s findings, The Sunday Times judges shared: “Morpeth’s community-spirited residents have plenty to shout about: a new £21 million leisure centre, easy access to Newcastle and Northumberland’s best beaches and some excellent schools.

“The town’s choir groups and book festival are thriving and there are also crafting groups, dance and basketball clubs, a bouldering centre and a panto society.”

This follows last year’s praise from the publisher, which hailed Morpeth as “Britain’s friendliest market town”.

It said: “Every shopkeeper treats you like a long-lost friend, and the tails of the dogs (there are lots of them) are constantly wagging.

“Tranquil, yes. Backwater-ish, no. Even on a Monday morning in February, there is a purposeful bustle in the air and a lunchtime queue has already built up outside the Italian restaurant Lollo Rosso.”

The Telegraph also revealed that the most popular houses were to the north, on streets such as De Merley Road, Kings Avenue and Dacre Street.

Recent Rightmove data for house prices in Morpeth shows the market town had an overall average of £292,492 over the last year.

The property experts added: “The majority of properties sold in Morpeth during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £258,071.

This North East market town has made The Sunday Times’ annual property guide in 2025 and 2026 (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

“Detached properties sold for an average of £398,376, with terraced properties fetching £223,422.

“Overall, the historical sold prices in Morpeth over the last year were similar to the previous year and similar to the 2023 peak of £289,725.”

Best places to live in the North and North East of England for 2026

Here are all the best places to live in the North and North East of England for 2026, as revealed by The Sunday Times:

• Skipton, North Yorkshire 
• Howardian Hills, North Yorkshire
• Leeds city centre
• Morpeth, Northumberland
• Newcastle: Gosforth
• Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire 
• Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire
• York

In total, 72 places across the UK were selected by The Sunday Times to showcase the best of Britain, with Norwich, Norfolk named the overall national winner.

You can see the full Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2026 guide online now.

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

There are more new entries than ever before in this year’s guide.

As always, the judges looked for thriving locations with a strong sense of community rather than famous names with high house prices. 

Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, commented: “This guide is a great opportunity to highlight the best places in Britain.

“It is full of places that show that our village, town and city centres can still be full of life, as well as places bursting with natural beauty, culture, connectivity and most importantly a sense of community. 

“Our expert team of judges visit every location on the list and talk to the locals to find out what they love about the place they live.

“These judges have traveled the length and breadth of the UK, from the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coast, selecting the top towns and villages, suburbs and cities for the 2026 guide.

“One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”  

The guide is published online today (March 20), with an abridged version appearing as a magazine supplement on Sunday (March 22).

Have you visited Morpeth recently or do you live there now? Let us know in the comments below.