Online property finder Garrington’s annual Best Places to Live 2026 list has ranked around 1450 cities, towns and villages based on quality of life and affordability.
They have been graded on five criteria: natural environment, wellbeing, heritage and culture, schools and jobs, and value for money, with each area scoring high in at least one of the categories.
Rawdon, in West Leeds, was crowned the second-best area in England and Wales overall. Looking at Leeds alone, 14 more areas made the cut.
Below are all Leeds areas included in the list, as well as their national ranking and scores:
1. (2) Rawdon
🌳 Natural environment: 95 🍎 Wellbeing: 186 🏰 Heritage/Culture: 99 🏫 Schools, employment and connectivity: 543 🏡 House Price Quality and Value: 166 🏠 Average Family Home Price: £451,094 (-0.33%) | Yorkshire Evening Post Photo: Simon Hulme
2. (52) Pudsey
🌳 Natural environment: 110 🍎 Wellbeing: 1158 🏰 Heritage/Culture: 81 🏫 Schools, employment and connectivity: 283 🏡 House Price Quality and Value: 360 🏠 Average Family Home Price: £373,959 (+0.82%) | Yorkshire Evening Post Photo: Tony Johnson
3. (59) Guiseley
🌳 Natural environment: 232 🍎 Wellbeing: 716 🏰 Heritage/Culture: 300 🏫 Schools, employment and connectivity: 351 🏡 House Price Quality and Value: 447 🏠 Average Family Home Price: £432,504 (+0.47%) | National World Photo: Tony Johnson
4. (105) Morley
🌳 Natural environment: 171 🍎 Wellbeing: 1326 🏰 Heritage/Culture: 94 🏫 Schools, employment and connectivity: 331 🏡 House Price Quality and Value: 412 🏠 Average Family Home Price: £357,755 (+5.28%) | National World
5. (110) Leeds
🌳 Natural environment: 159 🍎 Wellbeing: 1444 🏰 Heritage/Culture: 77 🏫 Schools, employment and connectivity: 295 🏡 House Price Quality and Value: 385 🏠 Average Family Home Price: £353,490 (+1.05%) | MarkLG1973 - stock.adobe.com
6. (135) Otley
🌳 Natural environment: 893 🍎 Wellbeing: 343 🏰 Heritage/Culture: 329 🏫 Schools, employment and connectivity: 796 🏡 House Price Quality and Value: 110 🏠 Average Family Home Price: £437,329 (+2.46%) | Yorkshire Post Photo: Tony Johnson