Walthamstow named the best place to live in London by The Sunday Times

Walthamstow, E17, has been named as the Best Place to Live in London in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

The Sunday Times judges described Walthamstow as diverse, vibrant and cool without being frosty, living up to its name which is believed to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon for “the welcome place”.

They said it encapsulates so much of what’s great about the capital: hip hangouts, independent shops and restaurants, handsome Victorian housing stock, calming green space, excellent public transport and, imminently, West End-quality culture, courtesy of the new Soho Theatre, adding to a cultural scene that includes a wallet-friendly local cinema, the Instagrammable neon art at God’s Own Junkyard, and the William Morris Gallery.

The street market is part of an impressive retail offering that runs from upmarket lifestyle stores, pubs and delis in chichi Walthamstow Village to no-frills fabric shops on the High Street.

Six other locations in London are featured in the comprehensive guide. Published by The Sunday Times, the guide includes 72 locations across the UK and is released online on Friday, March 21. An abridged version will be published as a magazine supplement on Sunday.

The full list of London locations is as follows:

• Walthamstow, E17 (regional winner)
• Bloomsbury, WC1
• East Dulwich, SE22
• Stoke Newington, N16
• Telegraph Hill, SE14
• Twickenham, TW1
• Wembley Park, HA9

Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, says: “It is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything going on in the world, but there really is so much to celebrate closer to home, from small gestures that lift the everyday from verges blooming with daffodils to volunteer-run dementia cafés, to new initiatives from repair cafés to new railway stations.”

The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds and mobile signal to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.

The chosen locations come in all shapes and sizes, from the Scottish Island of Tiree and the remote Welsh village of Maenclochog to vibrant market towns, and suburbs of big, lively cities such as Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and London.

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There are more new entries than ever before in this year’s guide and no place for many previous winners including York, Winchester, in Hampshire, and Altrincham in Cheshire. As always, the judges looked for thriving locations with a strong sense of community rather than famous names with high house prices.

“What makes our guide unique is that we actually visit all the places we choose and talk to locals to find out what life is really like there,” Davies says. “That means we can see what people really love about the places they live. That could be anything from exceptional schools and fast trains to beautiful houses and countryside. The health of the high street is important, but more than anything else, what we are looking for are towns, villages and cities with strong communities who work hard to make the best of where they live, and play hard too.

“We also consider affordability. High house prices are no barrier to inclusion - as long as they provide value for money. Different people will be looking for different qualities when they are choosing a place to live. One thing all our chosen locations have in common is that the people who live in them are proud to call them home.”

The guide is sponsored by the mortgage lender Halifax, which has provided an average house price for each location.

“We know it can be daunting buying your first home, looking to move to your next home or even getting a new mortgage for your current home. There is so much to think about even once you’ve found the right house in the right area. The best thing to do is

speak to a mortgage adviser as early as you can in the process. They will be able to help you understand the mortgages available to you and how to get the best deal for your circumstances to help you focus on the exciting things that come with buying a home too,” says Amanda Bryden - Head of Halifax Mortgages.

Broadband speeds were provided by Thinkbroadband.com, the UK’s leading independent guide to broadband. For the first time we’ve included mobile signal coverage, which is likely to be even more important with the shutting down of the 3G network, using network data from signalchecker.co.uk.

Previous winners of the Best Places to Live in Britain title are: Stamford, Lincolnshire (2013); Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014); Newnham, Cambridge (2015); Winchester, Hampshire (2016); Bristol (2017), York (2018), Salisbury, Wiltshire (2019), Altrincham, Cheshire (2020) Stroud, Gloucestershire (2021), Ilkley, West Yorkshire (2022) Wadhurst, East Sussex (2023), and North Berwick, East Lothian (2024).

What the judges said

Winner: Walthamstow, E17

Walthamstow is diverse, vibrant and cool without being frosty. The Sunday Times judges said it encapsulates much of what’s great about the capital: hip hangouts, independent shops and restaurants, handsome Victorian housing stock, calming green space, excellent public transport and, imminently, West End-quality culture, courtesy of the new Soho Theatre. The street market is part of an impressive retail offering that runs from upmarket lifestyle stores, pubs and delis in chichi Walthamstow Village to no-frills fabric shops on the High Street.

Bloomsbury, WC1

This genteel patch of central London might be the brainiest place to live in the capital, thanks to UCL, the British Museum and its association with Virginia Woolf and her book-writing, brush-wielding, bed-hopping set. Much of Bloomsbury’s charm lies in its relaxed and (relatively) under-the-radar vibe. This is a prime slice of London, but not Prime Central London — gold-plated supercars and ritzy branded residences are thinner on the ground than in Mayfair or Knightsbridge, and you’ll find British boho chic, not blingy global brands, in the designer boutiques on Lamb’s Conduit Street, the neighbourhood’s shopping and dining epicentre.

East Dulwich, SE22

East Dulwich’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces are less grand than the Georgian piles of Dulwich Village next door — frequently described as one of the poshest areas in the capital. But they’re also a good deal less expensive and within walking distance of the village’s prized assets: powerhouse private schools (excellent state schools are also available); the genteel Dulwich Picture Gallery; and the glorious 76 acres of Dulwich Park. Community spirit comes deeply rooted, and proximity to Peckham is a serious plus when a dose of urban energy is required.

Stoke Newington, N16

Happening yet homely, creative yet cosy, funky yet family-friendly: this neighbourhood on the border between north and east London offers Hackney hipness without the hustle and hassle. Its handsome Victorian houses are an easy stroll from glorious green spaces, and Stoke Newington Church Street is a haven for lovers of single-estate coffee and scented candles. There’s a tasty food scene and plenty for active types, including climbing at the Castle and cold-water swimming and watersports in the West Reservoir.

Telegraph Hill, SE14

Welcome to the urban hamlet. This tranquil conservation area in southeast London has a pair of highly regarded state schools, a community centre next to the local church, a café and events space, top-notch pizza, grand Victorian houses and, blissfully, not an awful lot else, apart from the two beautiful parks that are its crowning glory. One dog-free, one dog-friendly, with spectacular views of central London.

Twickenham, TW1

This tree-lined Thames-side suburb ticks all the boxes for the aspirational family: houses at substantially lower prices per square foot than Richmond, Kew, Barnes or neighbouring St Margarets; almost as many well-maintained playgrounds as there are excellent state schools (catchment areas are so tight some parents move a few streets for a place at their top choice); and zippy 25-minute train rides to London Waterloo.

The town centre has a clutch of independent shops, cafés and restaurants on pretty, pedestrianised Church Street, a bustling Saturday farmers’ market, and a veritable toolkit of hardware stores. And after years of wrangling, the unsightly stretch of riverside south of the high street is set for a spruce-up.

Wembley Park, HA9

Long famed only for football and a gargantuan Ikea, this once nondescript corner of Brent is now one of northwest London’s buzziest, most brunch-tastic neighbourhoods. This transformation is all thanks to a two-decade, £2.8 billion development of the area around the stadium. The buzz is not confined to concert days and sporting events - baking buffs flock here from across the city for sourdough starter classes at the flagship Bread Ahead cookery school, while the Saturday market’s artisan produce and handmade crafts supplement the stores at the London Designer Outlet, and street food and crazy golf at Wembley Boxpark.