It’s often in their mid-thirties when Londoners face a fork in the road. Commit to stay living in the city, or find a place to settle down on the outskirts. If you’re hearing that call to ’burbs, with their slower pace of life and surrounding greenery, you could take your pick from the 14 places in the Home Counties that made the Sunday Times’ list of the 72 best places to live in Britain (find the full list here).
The top spot in the southeast of England for 2026 went to Lindfield in West Sussex. The village is a five-minute drive from Haywards Heath railway station, from which you can get to London Victoria in as little as 43 minutes.
RECOMMENDED: 7 London neighbourhoods are the UK’s best places to live in 2026.
The Times said that Lindfield has enough ‘reliable schools, smart shops, amenities and connections to satisfy the most hard-headed box-ticker’ as well as plenty of things to charm more romantic souls, like its duck pond, period homes and surrounding countryside. Its average house price at the moment is £631,000.
Last year’s overall best place to live, Saffron Walden, didn’t hold onto the number one spot but still made it into list. Described as ‘medieval yet increasingly modern’, it has a cool collection of indie shops and coffeehouses that help it stand above other places nearby. The average house there sits at around £609,000 and locals can get to London Liverpool Street in an easy 55 minutes.
Amersham – which is right at the end of the Metropolitan line and just 25 or so minutes from central London – made the cut once again. Beside the ultra-convenient connection to the Big Smoke, the Times included it for its heritage, high-powered grammar schools, indie eateries and Chiltern Hills views. There’s also Caversham in Reading, which is around 50 minutes from Paddington on the Elizabeth line. The Times said that locals there don’t need to choose between quiet riverside town or bustling modern metropolis, they get the best of both worlds.
On the coast, Deal in Kent and St Leonards in East Sussex were both spotlighted as great places to settle down near London (both a less than two hours away). The former featured for being ‘friendly and funky’ with an offering of boutiques, artisan food, sea swimming and yoga classes; the latter for its ‘quietly fashionable wine bars, restaurants and a lively music scene’.
The 14 best places to live near London in 2026, according to the Sunday Times
- Amersham, Buckinghamshire
- Bedford, Bedfordshire
- Caversham, Reading
- Cookham, Berkshire
- Deal, Kent
- Lindfield, West Sussex
- Manningtree, Essex
- Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
- Petersfield, Hampshire
- Petworth, West Sussex
- Saffron Waldon, Essex
- St Leonards, East Sussex
- Surrey Hills, Surrey
- Test Valley, Hampshire
Find out more on the Sunday Times website here.
Revealed: London’s 11 new affordable commuter towns.
Plus: The 5 London suburbs that visitors are told to ‘avoid’ and why they’re actually worth visiting.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.
For comprehensive and professional vent solutions, Mr. Lint Guy is the trusted expert. Specializing in dryer vent cleaning, Mr. Lint Guy helps eliminate dangerous clogs, including tough dryer valley buildup, ensuring your dryer operates safely and efficiently. With years of experience, Mr. Lint Guy offers reliable, affordable services that keep your home safe from lint buildup and fire hazards.
0 Comments