{"id":517192,"date":"2025-10-21T14:36:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T14:36:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/517192\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T14:36:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T14:36:20","slug":"peaceful-neighbourhood-named-best-place-to-live-in-england-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/517192\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Peaceful&#8217; neighbourhood named best place to live in England right now"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2163025641-e1760956288756.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24410429\" alt=\"An aerial view of residential streets and houses in Brighton under a blue sky.\" decoding=\"sync\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tA neighbourhood in Brighton has been named the best place to live in England (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>Withdean Woods, a neighbourhood located in <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/brighton-hove-albion-fc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brighton<\/a>, has been named the best place to live in <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/england\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">England<\/a>, according to a recent ranking by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-15132973\/best-worst-places-live-Britain-analysis-wedge.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Daily Mail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The study assessed 6,856 neighbourhoods across the country, using eight critical factors to determine overall desirability.<\/p>\n<p>These included <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/property-prices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">house price<\/a> growth, <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/crime-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crime<\/a> rates, incomes, deprivation levels, internet speed, access to green spaces, air quality and transport links.<\/p>\n<p>Withdean Woods emerged at the top with an overall score of 85.2 out of 100, outperforming nearly 7,000 other areas across England.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tWithdean Woods in numbers\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>The neighbourhood is known for its Edwardian homes, tree-lined streets and secluded woodland trails, enhancing its appeal.<\/p>\n<p>Key statistics contributing to its ranking include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A 56.1% increase in house prices since 2019<\/li>\n<li>An average income of \u00a337,400 after housing costs<\/li>\n<li>A moderate crime rate of 42.7 per 1,000 residents<\/li>\n<li>Low deprivation, measured at 59.1%<\/li>\n<li>Excellent air quality, with particulate matter (PM2.5) at 6.7\u00b5g\/m\u00b3<\/li>\n<li>Nearly negligible slow broadband connections (0.9%)<\/li>\n<li>Access to 88.4 acres of green space<\/li>\n<li>97% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a train station<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>According to Rightmove, house prices in Withdean have an overall average of \u00a3595,648.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past year, detached properties sold for an average price of \u00a3811,319, flats sold for an average of \u00a3246,767, and semi-detached properties fetched \u00a3600,042.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SEI_271061776-0cfc.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24473800\" alt=\"Withdean Woods brighton\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tA number of areas in Brighton ranked well in the analysis (Picture: Metro)<br \/>\nThings to do in Withdean Woods<\/p>\n<p>The core feature of Withdean Woods is its peaceful woodland trails. Year-round, these trails offer residents an opportunity to immerse themselves in nature, whether for a casual stroll, a jog or birdwatching. <\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Withdean Park provides a family-friendly environment with open grassy areas ideal for picnics and relaxing, playgrounds for children and panoramic views of Brighton.<\/p>\n<p>For sports fanatics, the nearby Withdean Stadium holds football matches and athletic events and occasional outdoor markets and social events.<\/p>\n<p>A short journey away is Brighton city centre, where locals can enjoy Brighton Pier and beachfront promenade, the historic Royal Pavilion, Brighton Marina and cultural venues like Brighton Dome. <\/p>\n<p>Withdean Woods\u2019 proximity to Brighton also means locals have easy access to independent boutiques and artisanal shops that the city is known for, as well as stylish eateries.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"393\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SEI_271062562-24d9.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24473853\" alt=\"An empty field with trees along the side under a blue sky.\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tWithdean Woods ranked well for crime rates, air quality and access to green spaces<br \/>\nWhat locals say about Withdean Woods<\/p>\n<p>Locals have praised the area for its connections to Brighton and local vibe.<\/p>\n<p>In the subreddit r\/Brighton, one user wrote: \u2018All round Westdene [Drive] is nice. Pricey but a nice peaceful area.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Another said: \u2018I\u2019ve lived in Westdene [Drive] for 13 years. Love it here. [Bus] 27 into town or walk to the London Road for more frequent and reliable service. I would say the nearest nice pub is the Station Hotel. Withdean sports centre etc is very good\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>And one user helpfully added: \u2018Preston Park station is great for train straight into Brighton or Hove.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Brighton\u2019s rising appeal<\/p>\n<p>Brighton as a whole saw many of its neighbourhoods rank as some of the most desirable areas in England, with Patcham West &amp; Westdene, Fiveways, Preston Park, West Blatchington and Goldsmid East all scoring highly.<\/p>\n<p>Already an affluent city, its strong transport connections to <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/london\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">London<\/a> enhance Brighton\u2019s desirability.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SEI_271062529-2c29.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24473854\" alt=\"Drone photograph of the Brighton i360 observation tower.\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tBrighton draws tourists from across the UK and the world (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills, explained the growing appeal of Brighton over the past 25 years.<\/p>\n<p>According to Cook, the city\u2019s popularity has been boosted by improved connectivity and cultural shifts that make it increasingly fashionable.<\/p>\n<p>He said: \u2018You tend to find these things become self-fulfilling: affluent people are attracted to an area because of the fundamentals, so it gets a reputation as an aspirational area. It becomes a bit of a virtuous circle leading to high-value hotspots.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Beyond quantitative factors, Brighton is widely recognised for its vibrant and inclusive community. It hosts prominent <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/pride\/\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pride<\/a> events and offers a variety of independent shops, highly rated schools, and universities.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SEI_271062455-748d.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24473847\" alt=\"Brighton Palace Pier and shingle beach at Brighton in East Sussex, England. With people enjoying the sunshine.\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tBrighton\u2019s beach and its pier are two of the area\u2019s main attractions (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tWould you like to live in Brighton?<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tSign up to Metro\u2019s The Key newsletter for must-read property stories, DIY hacks and tips for buying a home.<\/p>\n<p>But despite its accolades, public opinion on Brighton\u2019s suitability as a place to live remains mixed. <\/p>\n<p>Online forums such as <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/reddit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reddit<\/a>\u2019s r\/AskUK highlighted contrasting views, with some users praising the city\u2019s thriving cultural atmosphere, while others point out challenges like narrow streets and accessibility issues for <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/disability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">disabled<\/a> residents.<\/p>\n<p>Discussions suggest that Brighton may be better suited for younger adults or those in their early twenties, but potentially less ideal as residents\u2019 life priorities evolve.<\/p>\n<p>One user wrote: \u2018I used to live in Brighton. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s an easy place to live. If you\u2019re early 20s and don\u2019t mind living a bit like a student, it\u2019s perfect. But as priorities change it\u2019s such a headache.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Difficult parking, expensive and poor condition housing, large <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/supermarkets\/\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">supermarkets<\/a> difficult to get to, lots of homeless and drugs.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, Withdean Woods illustrates a balance of economic stability, high quality of life, accessibility, and green space.<\/p>\n<p>Positioned within one of the South East\u2019s most dynamic cities, the neighbourhood represents a balanced urban lifestyle that many other areas in England aspire to achieve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Get in touch by emailing <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/10\/21\/peaceful-neighbourhood-named-best-place-live-england-right-now-24484299\/mailto:MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/10\/21\/peaceful-neighbourhood-named-best-place-live-england-right-now-24484299\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Woodland neighbourhood named best place to live in England right now<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/10\/13\/uks-happiest-city-named-hour-away-london-24410296\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The UK\u2019s happiest city has been named \u2014 and it\u2019s an hour away from London<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/10\/10\/new-uk-train-routes-2026-beyond-caledonian-sleeper-scotlands-eurostar-24360094\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New UK train routes in 2026 and beyond \u2013 from Caledonian Sleeper to \u2018Scotland\u2019s Eurostar\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-comments\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tComment now<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tComments<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" class=\"metro-button share-bar-preferred-source\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tAdd as preferred source<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tThe Key<\/p>\n<p>Sign up for must-read property stories, DIY hacks and tips for buying a home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A neighbourhood in Brighton has been named the best place to live in England (Picture: Getty Images) Withdean&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":517193,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5008],"tags":[1169,748,393,4884,388,2516,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-517192","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-england","8":"tag-brighton","9":"tag-britain","10":"tag-england","11":"tag-great-britain","12":"tag-lifestyle","13":"tag-property","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115412664205648759","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=517192"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517192\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/517193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=517192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=517192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=517192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}