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Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Branwen Jones

The top 10 places to live in Wales right now ranked by the experts

The top places to live in Wales in 2022 have been revealed. Property finder company, Garrington’s, recently published their marketing report for this year's best places to live in Wales, Scotland and England. The property market has changed a lot over the last two years, not only has it become more fast paced but more and more people are searching for a home that offers everything, including a place to work and nearby green spaces.

According to Garrington's research report, the historical city of Bath in Somerset retained its number one position in 2022. The seaside town of Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire was ranked in fifth position after the Lancashire village of Caton and above the Cornish village of Fowey. The Welsh town, which boasts an amazing Norman castle and a beautiful seafront, was ranked 166 last year. You can read more about it here. But what the other places in Wales that have made the grade?

Read more: The former school house that's been turned into a much-loved family home

The report ranked various towns, cities and villages on 12 measures that covered four categories, which were physical environment, quality of living, architecture or heritage, and going green. Kidwelly ranked the highest in the 'quality of living' category.

Although the Carmarthenshire town was the only Welsh place to make it in the top 10 ranking, the report also showed the best places to live in Wales. Following Kidwelly, the second best place to live in Wales was Tenby in Pembrokeshire, which ranked the highest in the 'going green' category. In third place was the Meirionydd town of Porthmadog in Gwynedd, which like Kidwelly, ranked the highest in the 'quality of living' category.

Tenby Castle beach (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Here is the full list of the top 10 best places to live in Wales right now, including their ranking out of 1,372 places in the UK, as well as their ranking in each category.

Best places to live in Wales:

1. Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire (5th)

Natural beauty rank: 223 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 66 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 165 / 1372

Green rank: 382 / 1372

Average family home cost: less than £350k

2. Tenby, Pembrokeshire (17th)

Natural beauty rank: 81 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 505 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 5 / 1372

Green rank: 591 / 1372

Average family home cost: between £350k-650k

3. Porthmadog, Gwynedd (42nd)

The Meirionydd town of Porthmadog in Gwynedd was the third best place to live in Wales (Hadyn Iball / North Wales Live)

Natural beauty rank: 83 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 207 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 150 / 1372

Green rank: 909 / 1372

Average family home cost: less than £350k

4. Barmouth, Gwynedd (46th)

Natural beauty rank: 60 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 274 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 161 / 1372

Green rank: 878 / 1372

Average family home cost: less than £350k

5. Cardigan, Ceredigion (47th)

A front row seat overlooking the Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve (Unique Homestays)

Natural beauty rank: 615 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 779 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 1081 / 1372

Green rank: 247 / 1372

Average family home cost: less than £350k

6. Llandudno, Conwy (58th)

Natural beauty rank: 73 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 231 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 217 / 1372

Green rank: 881 / 1372

Average family home cost: less than £350k

7. Abergavenny, Monmouthshire (61st)

Town centre, High street, Abergavenny. (WalesOnline/Rob Browne)

Natural beauty rank: 226 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 949 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 57 / 1372

Green rank: 196 / 1372

Average family home cost: between £350k-650k

8. Brecon, Powys (66th)

Natural beauty rank: 615 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 779 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 1081 / 1372

Green rank: 247 / 1372

Average family home cost: less than £350k

9. Blaenavon, Torfaen (69th)

Blaenavon in the borough of Torfaen, South Wales (Rowan Griffiths)

Natural beauty rank: 3 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 718 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 7 / 1372

Green rank: 1010 / 1372

Average family home cost: less than £350k

10. Glanaman, Carmarthenshire (71st)

Natural beauty rank: 2 / 1372

Quality of life rank: 200 / 1372

Architectural beauty rank: 796 / 1372

Green rank: 555 / 1372

Average family home cost: less than £350k

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