York has been named the best place to live in the UK. The accolade comes from a study by house buying specialists Housebuyers4u, which used data from the Home Office and Tripadvisor to rank locations out of 100 based on factors such as culture, green spaces, housing, and crime rates.

York topped the list with a culture score of 78, boosted by family-friendly activities like mini golf and the renowned York Racecourse. It also scored a perfect 100 for its 43 nature and park landscapes, including Rowntree Park and Museum Gardens.

The city’s final score was 71, nearly 40 percent higher than the national average. On Tripadvisor, a visitor described the city as a “unique” place. 

They said: “Unique historic streets. Very busy all the time. Lots of shops and restaurants. Very wonderful photos. A must-see”

Nottingham came in second place with a score of 69, 37 percent above the national average.

The East Midlands city scored highly for utilities, with electricity prices three percent lower than the national average. Its housing score was 64, with an average house price per square meter of £2,553.53, 23.4 percent below the national average of £3,337.37.

Blackpool took third place, with its 27 concerts and show attractions earning it a culture score of 77, reports the Mirror.

Violent crime is also decreasing in the local authority at a rate of 0.04, compared to a 0.06 increase in Swansea, for example. These factors contributed to a final index score of 69, which is 35 percent above the national average.

Edinburgh secured fourth place with a score of 68, which is 33.4 percent above the national average. The city’s average gas price per kWh is slightly below the national average at 6.18p per kWh, giving it a utility score of 69.

Additionally, the Scottish capital boasts 50 nature and park attractions, including Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill, an impressive 85 percent above the national average of 27.

Newcastle upon Tyne took fifth place as the best place to live in 2024, scoring 66, which is 29.8 percent above the national average.

The city received a housing score of 79, with the average cost of housing per square meter being 29.3 percent above the national average.