Staffordshire town named on 2025 Sunday Times list of 'best places to live'

While the judges have handed overall crown for the best place to live in the Midlands to the village of Ilmington in Warwickshire - Eccleshall in Staffordshire is included in the shortlist, alongside Shropshire's county town of Shrewsbury.

The overall title of the best place to live in the UK goes to Saffron Waldon in Essex.

For Shrewsbury residents it will be no surprise to see the town making the list, with its mix of independent shops, historic high streets, and River Severn backdrop all contributing to an ambience that draws in thousands of visitors every weekend.

Staffordshire town Eccleshall is another where the historic surroundings prove a favourite with residents and visitors alike - with judges describing a town that's more "a village in look, feel and community spirit".

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

For Eccleshall judges said: "The sweet scent of woodsmoke hangs over the coaching inns and the Grade II listed, quaintly arched high street shopfronts in this Staffordshire town.

"Eccleshall carries on much as it has done for the past 600 years. Officially a town but a village in look, feel and community spirit, it feels safe, looks pretty and has history.

"There’s also a cricket club, a busy and competitive football club, a primary school and a year-round programme of community events that keeps locals busy."

The judges' 'portrait' for Shrewsbury highlights a treasure well-known by locals - the multi-award winning market hall.

It says: "There’s so much atmosphere packed into Shrewsbury’s tight loop in the River Severn that it feels almost indecent to venture out without a corset or a top hat, cape and cane.

"Happily, Shrewsbury is more than a stuck-in-the-past period drama location.

"Its star attraction is its award-winning indoor market, and schooling is a strong point.

"There’s an impressive roster of interesting independent shops — more than in any other English town according to some estimates — enviable options for coffee or cocktails and a generous dash of comedy, concerts and culture courtesy of the Severn Theatre."

Last year's guide included the Shropshire Hills, with the towns of Church Stretton and Bishop's Castle highlighted for special praise.

Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, said they want to highlight all there is to celebrate in the UK.

She said: “It is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything going on in the world, but there really is so much to celebrate as we look closer to home,. From small gestures that lift the everyday - like  verges blooming with daffodils and volunteer-run dementia cafés, to larger initiatives from repair cafés to new railway stations."

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.

“That means we can see what people really love about the places they live. That could be anything from exceptional schools and fast trains to beautiful houses and countryside. The health of the high street is important, but more than anything else, what we are looking for are towns, villages and cities with strong communities who work hard to make the best of where they live, and play hard too.

“We also consider affordability. High house prices are no barrier to inclusion - as long as they provide value for money. Different people will be looking for different qualities when they are choosing a place to live. One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”

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