Lancaster named among best places to live in England
Lancaster has been named among the best places to live in the north west of England.
Judges from The Sunday Times praised the city’s thriving live music scene, food culture and access to the great outdoors.
Lancaster has been included in The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2026 guide, with the publication highlighting the city's university life, independent shops and its position as a gateway to both the Lake District and Morecambe Bay.
The paper described Lancaster as a city where "at first glance the unsung city is all ring roads and forbidding stone walls," but one that rewards those who look closer, with excellent schools, reasonable house prices and a strong community scene.
Central to the city's cultural offer is the Gregson, a community and arts centre home to more than 70 groups, ranging from the Breath of Fresh Air choir, for people with asthma and breathing conditions, to the LGBTQ+ arts collective Queer By Gum.
The centre also houses a cinema, rehearsal rooms and a concert hall.
The live music scene is singled out for particular praise.
Lancaster Live, a weekend festival covering more than 50 venues, drew large crowds last October, and the city also hosts a literature festival, a jazz festival and the Light Up Lancaster illuminations each year.
Regular performances at the Dukes and Grand theatres add to a cultural calendar that punches well above the city's weight.
Kate Aspinwall, who moved to Lancaster five years ago with her partner and teenage children, told the Sunday Times the city had exceeded all expectations.
"The live music scene is like nowhere I've ever lived," she said. "Just up the road is the Lake District, where you can be hiking, climbing or paddleboarding within 30 minutes of leaving your house.
"We stayed here while we were looking for a house in the Lakes.
"We didn't find anything that worked there but realised we really liked Lancaster.
"We bought a renovation property without having seen it and now I don't think we'll ever move."
Archie Verhoest, an actor and community marketing officer, who chose to stay in Lancaster after studying at the university, says he loves how much the city has to offer.
“You can walk from one side of the city to the other in 30 minutes and I can leave my house and get to the canal, the aqueduct and so many other nice places without getting in the car,” he said. “There’s a nice atmosphere here. It’s really friendly and an easy place to live.”
The city's average house price stands at £262,900, according to Lloyds Banking Group, with the Haverbreaks area commanding a premium, with detached houses with gardens going for around £800,000.
The Sunday Times noted that Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Lancaster Girls' Grammar School both feature in its Parent Power guide, alongside two highly-ranked primary schools, Dolphinholme CE and St Bernadette’s RC.
For food and drink, the guide recommends Tipple for cocktails, the Runner Duck for wine and the Water Witch for a pint by the canal.
For coffee, the city's own Atkinsons roastery remains a firm favourite. Diners are pointed towards the Quarterhouse for small plates and its wine bar/deli offshoot Stonewell Spring, colourful street food at Seven Sins, Whale Tail for vegetarian food and Buccelli's for traditional Italian.
The guide also highlights the city’s “solid choice of supermarkets and lively markets on Wednesday and Saturday” as well as independent shops such as Arteria for gifts, Ethel & Em for craft supplies, Single Step Wholefoods and the arty stalls in the Assembly Rooms Emporium.
The Sunday Times also noted Lancaster's proximity to the Trough of Bowland, describing it as "one of the most charming and least explored of England's landscapes."