The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2022 has just been revealed and includes six locations in Wales, with three places making their debut on to this annual list.
The comprehensive guide, which includes 70 locations, is an annual assessment of the best places to live across the UK.
The Sunday Times' judges include Helen Davies The Sunday Times property editor, key judge and writer Tim Palmer and a panel of contributors and writers with local expertise.
READ MORE: Isolated cottage in Welsh national park that’s completely off grid
To compile the UK list, the judges assess a wide range of factors, from schools, transport and broadband to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street. They are looking to celebrate improving towns, villages or city centres, attractive, well-designed homes and locations bursting with community spirit – which the pandemic has shown to be the most vital quality of all.
An average house price for each location has been supplied by Halifax, the sponsor of the guide, and up-to-date information on broadband speeds has been provided by Thinkbroadband.com.
Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor says: " The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place. For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling. Is the pub dog-friendly, for example? Can you live car-free? What are the schools and houses like? Is it multicultural and multigenerational, and can it offer a good way of life to lots of different sorts of people?
"Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the working from home (WFH) revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains. How times have changed — and how welcome that change is.
“This year we have discovered new best places to live, from resurgent city centres in the north, rejuvenated suburbs across the country, hidden villages in the south west, and a commutable Scottish island."
But it's the six locations in Wales that make the overall list that provide the national interest, with three new locations on the list as well as a new overall winner that topples the 2021 winner Usk from the top of the property pile.
The overall winner of the Welsh locations is Llandeilo, but the remaining five places are not ranked in order but listed in alphabetical order.
1. Winner: Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire
Nestled within the beautiful Carmarthenshire countryside, this pretty market town can now boast the label as the best place to live in Wales, and local website Visit Llandeilo is sure to agree.
The site describes the pretty pastel place as a handsome market town that fuses farming feet with country chic in a gorgeous location overlooking the majestic river Tywi and surrounded by lush green pastures.
The town boasts a great selection of independent traders, quirky antique shops, quality eateries plus an event calendar that includes the Llandeilo Literature Festival that helps to keep the town bustling and a thriving centre for culture.
The judges say: "It's rare to see so many nice things in such a small area. Whether you want a freshly made Welsh cake from Heavenly or a unique piece of local arts and crafts.
"The independent shops and cafés in Llandeilo's tiny centre are full of the good things in life. Its colourful houses are a delightful backdrop and the surrounding countryside is full of magical places to explore."
According to Halifax, the average house price currently is £251,000, which the company says is a growth of 18% since 2020.
2. Conwy, Conwy
This historic town on the banks of the river Conwy can boast one of Wales' best and biggest ancient castles, plus at the other end of the scale, Wales' smallest house, a tiny famous home to be found at the end of a riverside terrace and painted bright red.
As well as quick and easy access to north Wales' beautiful coastline, Snowdonia National Park is on the doorstep as well as the Isle of Anglesey over the Menai Strait. But there's an abundance of reasons to stay put in the town.
Website Visit Wales states that it's rare to find a small town that has so much to do, see and experience and Conwy can certainly offer events, culture, shopping and eating within and around its impressive town walls that attracts visitors from far and near.
The packed calendar includes the Gwledd Conwy Feast that brings thousands of food lovers to the area, plus annual sailing events, medieval Christmas parades and the Pirate Festival.
Judges say about Conwy: "Stepping through Conwy's ancient walls feels like entering a magical kingdom (especially during the annual pirate festival), but excellent road and rail links keep it within easy reach of large towns and cities and the mountains of Snowdonia.
"The ancient centre is full of independent shops and there's golf, sailing and a popular Parkrun."
According to Halifax, the average house price currently is £288,000, which the company says is a growth of 20% since 2020.
3. Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
A very popular place for locals and visitors to stroll along the promenade and cliff path, and skim pebbles into the sea from the beach, Penarth can claim some unique features as well as an average house price considerably higher than its city neighbour of Cardiff.
Website Visit The Vale says Penarth is an elegant seaside town with Victorian pier, Art Deco Pavilion, charming Esplanade populated by independent eateries, and a modern Marina. Splendid parks link the coast to the traditional town centre with its Victorian arcade, independent shops and cafés.
Add to this impressive list good schools, a variety of outdoor sporting activities including tennis, commutable to Cardiff, and some substantial period properties that are some of the most expensive real estate in Wales. It's a combination that makes Penarth a very popular place to live.
Although the judges are clearly a bit off with the geography of this popular seaside location, as it is a separate town to Cardiff and even in a different county, the comment for Penarth's inclusion on the list says: "Cardiff's best address, and also its healthiest, thanks to a population that’s always out enjoying the sea views, whether jogging, cycling or out on the water sailing or paddleboarding.
"The town centre is a good mix of the smart and the useful and the city centre is just a short train ride away."
According to Halifax, the average house price currently is £366,000, which the company says is a growth of 15% since 2020.
4. Ruthin, Denbighshire
A charming town in the heart of the Denbighshire countryside is a town bursting with character - the yummy filling between Chester in one direction and Snowdonia National Park in the other.
The local website Visit Ruthin is rightfully bursting with pride about its special town, saying it's a surprising place, layered with centuries of history and set in one of the most beautiful landscapes in Britain.
But it's not stuck in the past and looking backwards, the town seems to pride itself on moving forward too, but in the right way. Visit Ruthin says: "You'll find elegant 21st century dining, stylish independent shops and a lively modern arts scene. We've just not let it change what’s always been best about the town."
The judges were enthralled by Ruthin too, saying: "From certain angles, Ruthin may look like the archetypal sleepy-but-beautiful historic Welsh town, but look a little closer and you’ll see an impressively dynamic little community working hard to thrive in the 21st century.
"There are walking and cycling routes everywhere, the old Courthouse has been converted into a business centre, and the historic market hall reopened last year as a very modern showcase for local arts, crafts and food.
"The stunning Ruthin Craft Centre attracts art-lovers from far and wide, and plans for a new velodrome will give its sporting credentials a boost."
According to Halifax, the average house price currently is £277,000, which the company says is a growth of 32% since 2020.
5. St Dogmaels, Pembrokeshire
Hugging the banks of the river as it reaches its final destination gives this pretty village a trio of terrific selling points - coast, country and river to explore. The village is also famous as the location as the start, or finish if you're going in the other direction, of the Pembrokeshire coastal path.
Just down the road is the stunning dune-backed Poppit Sands, a sweeping beach that can boast a Blue Flag as well as one of the best beaches in the county, and maybe even Wales.
For a quaint village, it is maybe surprising that it can boast ancient history too, with the ruins of a Norman abbey dating back to 1120 at the heart of the settlement - the Normans were obviously taken with the amazing location too.
The judges says: "The inspiring local producers' market is the star attraction of this far-flung corner of beautiful Pembrokeshire. Poppit Sands is one of the area's best beaches, there's a village shop and a community that showed its mettle in getting together to save the White Hart Pub from closure."
According to Halifax, the average house price currently is £234,000, which the company says is a growth of 33% since 2020.
6. Usk, Monmouthshire
The winner of The Sunday Times best place to live in Wales 2021 continues to thrive and makes it onto the 2022 six of the best in Wales list.
A vast variety of thriving community groups, sports clubs and a cricket cub and a high street that's home to boutique restaurants, numerous pubs and bars which remain at the heart of life such as The New Court Inn, the Lines Brew Co, White Hare Distillery or the Mad Platter continue to be highlights of the town.
Local produce is to the fore too, thanks to a farmers' market, an excellent butcher, the ice cream at the Parlour and the cakes at Morris’s of Usk garden centre.
The judges continue to be impressed with this Monmouthshire town, saying: "The extraordinary community spirit of last year's best-in-Wales continues undimmed. The Usk in Bloom volunteers have planted thousands of bulbs, there's a new arboretum on the way and the many community groups are thriving. The houses are beautiful, it's paradise for dog-walkers and the sporting opportunities are second to none."
According to Halifax, the average house price currently is £410,000, which the company says is a growth of 14% since 2020.
The full list of The Sunday Times UK's best places to live in 2022, which includes the six Welsh locations, can be found here. Plus, if you don't want to miss dream homes, renovation and property stories, make sure you sign-up to our twice weekly Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter here.
