The best places to live in the Midlands revealed in prestigious annual Sunday Times guide - see the areas that have made the cut
The best places to live in the Midlands have been revealed in The Sunday Times' prestigious annual guide.
The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2026 has been released and it has revealed the top areas to live in the Midlands.
In total, 72 places across the UK were selected by The Sunday Times to showcase the best of Britain, with Norwich in Norfolk named the overall national winner.
Seven places in the Midlands made the list.
The Sunday Times’ 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.
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.
Listed below are the best places to live in the Midlands, according to the 2026 The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
The Malverns, Worcestershire
The judges said: "The Malverns offer a majestic setting, elegant towns and villages, and a rousing cultural scene that goes far beyond the inevitable Elgar connections. There’s something here for everyone: jobs, appealing shops, cafés and restaurants, and useful rail links.
"There are spectacular walks on the bracken-clad hills, mighty views across to Wales and the Severn Plain, and immaculately kept parks that are proof of a real sense of local pride.
"The schools are good, but it’s as a cultural powerhouse that Malvern comes to the fore, thanks to its festivals and theatres - and the recent reopening of the world’s smallest theatre: the Theatre of Small Convenience, in a former public lavatory."
Bournville, Birmingham
The judges said: "The Cadbury family’s model garden village feels like an escape from big city life.
"Today’s residents are more lawyers, teachers and IT professionals than factory workers but, like their predecessors, enjoy strolling around Bournville Park, gathering around the village green or walking the dog along the Worcester and Birmingham canal."
They added that "there’s a strong sense of community: an active core gets stuck into organising events and keeping Bournville’s historic character intact, and if it all gets a little too calm, Stirchley is next door, with a high street reckoned to be one of the most happening in Brum."
Hathersage, Derbyshire
The judges said: "Hathersage offers the best of both worlds. You’re close to all Sheffield has to offer, and within an easy hike of some of the Peak District’s finest scenery.
"Hathersage celebrates outdoor living at its most fulfilling, nowhere more than at the 30m outdoor swimming pool. Built in 1936, it’s open all year and heated to 25C in winter."
Market Harborough, Leicestershire
The judges said: "Market Harborough is not a hard sell: it’s well connected, has good schools and shops, is surrounded by picturesque countryside and property prices are far lower than in many similarly well-appointed spots further south.
"But it isn’t only perfect on paper. You only have to stroll the streets of this lively Leicestershire town to see that this is a place powered by a collective spirit.
"Volunteers engineer everything from Parkrun - 800 people ran it on Christmas Day - to the wonderful community theatre and cinema, the Festival of Cycling and the summer carnival."
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
The judges said: "Rumours of the death of the town centre have been greatly exaggerated, at least if Shrewsbury, with its period-drama backdrop of Tudor beams, medieval spires and atmospheric alleyways, is anything to go by.
"The award-winning indoor market is surely one of the most inspiring places to shop in the whole country and the town centre has enough quirky delis, bakeries, bars and cafés to keep you in top-notch flat whites and espresso martinis every day of the week."
The judges give a nod towards the culture in the town including the cinema in the Old Market Hall and the boldly brutalist Theatre Severn.
They add: "Shrewsbury even has its own cool suburbs in Coleham and Belle Vue, where volunteers run an annual arts festival."
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
The judges said: "Behind the Shakespearean stage set, Stratford owes its place on our list to its impeccable family credentials. It’s a relaxed, pretty riverside town with some fabulous houses, huge areas of green space and schools to satisfy the most tigerish parents.
"The buzz - and income - provided by visitors helps to make the stunning town centre an appealing place to pass the time.
"There’s an Everyman cinema, a good selection of shops - both chains and independents - and the sociable Stratford Sports Club has well over 1,500 members playing cricket, tennis, hockey, squash and more."
The Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire
The judges said: "Rural but not remote, this underrated area of the Midlands offers modern country life at its muddy-booted best.
"In the heart of the Vale of Belvoir, life continues much as it has for centuries, except that now the pubs, pretty stone cottages and handsome red-roofed houses are more often occupied by commuters with jobs in Nottingham, Leicester or even London."
They added: "Around the edge, there’s a choice of bigger, busier places to live. Bingham is attracting attention, boosted by the volunteers who organise festivals, a repair café and environmental groups.
"Melton Mowbray is a historic market town that still has actual markets, along with reliable schools, an art deco cinema, sports clubs and a large country park."
