The 7 best places to live in the North West named by Sunday Times, including Liverpool and Manchester suburbs

• The Sunday Times has named its 72 best places to live in the UK
• They include seven towns, villages and suburbs in the north west of England
• One of the areas is where Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time
• The neighbourhoods featured boast excellent schools, popular independent shops, restaurants and cafes and great community spirit

The best places to live in the north west of England have been named.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide for 2025, published online today, features 72 locations around the UK, including seven in the north west.

Judges assessed each area based on numerous criteria, from the food and drink scene to the quality of local schools, broadband speeds, community spirit and access to green spaces.

The best place in the UK overall, according to this year’s list, is the ‘genteel’ market town of Saffron Walden in Essex, which judges praised for its ‘knockout’ historic looks and ‘exploding’ foodie scene, among other things.

What judges loved about ‘best place to live’ Woolton

Woolton, Liverpool, is the best place to live in the north west of England, according to the Sunday Times.

Judges praised the way everything is within walking distance in the popular suburb, where they said the Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time.

They also loved the ‘cool’ coffee shops and cocktail bars in the ‘independent-minded’ village centre, and the Elephant Pub and Bakehouse, which they called a ‘belting neighbourhood boozer.

“It’s a gloriously family-friendly place to put down roots, with excellent schools, parks and even a patch of woodland,” they added.

The other best places to live in the north west, according to the guide, in no particular order, are listed below.

The Heatons, Greater Manchester

The four Heatons are described in the guide as together making one ‘super suburb’ between Manchester and Stockport.

Judges loved the ‘family-friendly but funky’ vibe, with plenty of trendy indie stores, quirky cafés and cool coffee shops to enjoy.

They added: “This is a relatively affordable place to bring up a family in a substantial Victorian or Edwardian red-brick villa on a tree-lined street.”

Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria

Judges called this ‘handsome’ market town the ‘sweet spot’ where Lancashire, Cumbria and North Yorkshire meet, saying it’s ‘all heart’.

They described how since a fire devastated many of the shops on Main Street in December, the community had pulled together with its ‘trademark good-heartedness and gumption’.

They said Kirkby Lonsdale was ‘crammed’ with independent stores, cafés, pubs and volunteer-run activities, while the schools were ‘justly popular’.

The average house price in Kirkby Lonsdale is £384,527, according to Rightmove.

Knutsford, Cheshire

Knutsford is already ‘one of the classiest towns in Cheshire’, according to the Sunday Times, and it ‘just keeps getting better and better’.

New openings including a Curzon cinema have added to the appeal but the judges said it was the town’s ‘big heart that steals the show’.

The average house price in Knutsford is £508,807, according to Rightmove.

Malpas, Cheshire

This ‘tiny’ town remains a prestigious address, according to the Sunday Times, despite not being quite as wealthy as it was in the heyday of the wool trade.

It’s surrounded by ‘lush’ countryside, making it a ‘dog walker’s delight’, but Malpas’ real appeal lies in the amenities, from the ‘standout’ local bakery and village shop to the ‘excellent’ pub and ‘fine’ café.

The average house price in Malpas is £394,326, according to Rightmove.

Mossley, Greater Manchester

This former mill town boasts ‘awesome’ scenery, ‘good’ schools and fast direct trains to Manchester Piccadilly, says the Sunday Times, with a ‘dash of non-conformist creativity thrown into the mix’.

Judges say Top Mossley has the views, while Bottom Mossley is blessed with excellent shops, cafés, restaurants and an ‘incredible number’ of pubs.

There’s also The Vale, a former textile mill converted into a popular arts venue, where professional carnival atists hone their skills, and audiences enjoy a variety of music, theatre, dance, and cinema.

Parbold, Lancashire

Parbold is a village which, the Sunday Times says, ‘delivers history, convenience, and culture in the space of less than one square mile’ and has a ‘hefty dose of community spirit.

The guide adds: “From dance classes for parents, grandparents and babies at the Women’s Institute to bridge classes in the hall and poetry mornings at the library, there’s no shortage of things to get involved with.”

The average house price in Parbold is £348,203, according to Rightmove.

Where do you think is the best place to live in the UK? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.