Choosing where to put down roots might be one of the toughest and most important decisions you’ll ever make and weighing up the benefits of a location can be difficult. Whether you are looking for good schools, amazing restaurants or want to stay near your loved ones, there's a perfect somewhere for everyone.  

The UK is full of amazing cities, bustling market towns and quaint villages that spoil us for choice when it comes to upping sticks. The Sunday Times scoured the nation and found 106 locations that they deemed the best places to live in the UK for 2018. Places were ranked on factors including jobs, schools, local shops and broadband speed. Separated by region, each area has a winning destination, with one overall winner revealed at the end.

Shortlist: Berkhamsted, Chadlington, Deal, Guildford, Hambleden Valley, Lewes, Lymington, Midhurst, Much Hadham, Petersfield, Olney, Ripley, Sevenoaks, Stockbridge, Wendover.
Overall, house prices in the southeast have dropped in the last year. With the rise in popularity of commuting to London, many are willing to pay for a fast train and even a seat. With Crossrail on the way, the shift in the southeast is due to change but for now, residents are happy with a village life and an easy commute. 

A jewel in the commuter crown, Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire has been named as the best place to live in the southeast. Just 30 minutes from London's Euston, it has an increasing number of independent shops on its high street, which adds to its out-of-city feel. The cafe culture and great restaurants along the canal add to the laid-back feel and the residents here also care about sustainability. Known as a 'transition town', the residents meet once a month for 'green drinks'.

For just under the average house price, at £375,000, you could own this two-bedroom terraced house in Berkhamsted. A short walk from the station for commuters, the Grade II-listed cottage also has two reception rooms.

Shortlist: Bedford, Bourn, Bungay, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Hadleigh, Orford, Norwich, Saffron Walden, Wivenhoe, Woodbridge, Wymondham.
It has only been in the last year or so that Londoners have realised the east is within commuting distance of the capital. Many of the shortlisted locations are a big draw for families due to good East Anglian schools. Meanwhile, new entrant Hadleigh was chosen for its period homes and big-sky views. 

Having been granted city status in 2012, Chelmsford has been on the up ever since. Thanks to its excellent schools and connections to London (35 minutes by train to London Liverpool Street), it is filling up with families and commuters. There are some picturesque areas around the city as well, including the flint cathedral, canals and parks.

This family-sized semi-detached home is on the market with Zoopla for £350,000, just above the average house price in Chelmsford.

Shortlist: Birmingham, Buxton, Fiskerton-cum-Morton, Lincoln, Malverns, Market Harborough, Shrewsbury, Shipston-on-Stour, Stamford, Warwick.
The Midlands is a mixture of lively cities, quaint villages and market towns, so there is something for everyone. Property prices tend to be dependent on access to London rather than how close it is to the second city, Birmingham. 

The best place to live in the Midlands for the last two years, this market town has all the charm of the Cotswolds but is located closer to the south and has fewer tourists. A raft of new houses are planned for this year and people want to get in on the action.

This two-bedroom bungalow is just below the average house price at £230,000. Even though the property in Banbury might need some work on the exterior, the interior is modern and clean. Perfect for a small family.

Shortlist: Clapton, Fulham, Furzedown, Herne Hill, King's Cross, Notting Hill, Richmond, Tufnell Park, Wanstead.
The average house price in London has risen by 350% since 1998 and is now 14.5 times the typical salary. First-time buyer hotspots are moving further away from the city centre and in 2019 Waltham Forest will be named as London's first Borough of Culture.  

Bermondsey is in Zone 1, so you can walk to work in the city. It's also the perfect escape with Southwark Park and the south bank of the River Thames. The area will also soon be part of the build-to-rent revolution, with 1,500 rental homes planned on the site of the Peek Freans factory. Perfect for foodies, Maltby Street market keeps residents full with artisanal coffee and homemade pasta dishes.

For £525,000 you can get a luxurious two-bedroom apartment with a private terrace in Bermondsey.

Shortlist: Altrincham, Chester, The Heatons, Heswall, Kirkbylonsdale, Knutsford, Liverpool, Manchester, Ramsbottom, Ribble Valley, Saddleworth.
Manchester is a city in the throes of transformation, with flats, offices and regeneration zones popping up, which means it now has more going for it than just football and music. Young professionals in the city centres are looking to move out to suburbs such as Bury and Levenshulme, which will help move them upmarket. 

Ten years ago Altrincham had the highest proportion of empty shops for a town of its size in the country. Since then it has transformed with a £6 million regeneration that has encouraged a new food hall full of market stalls. Some homes have risen in value 40% in the last five years.

This canal-side apartment is on the market for £199,950. Located in Altrincham, the two-bedroom space is part of a brand new development.

Shortlist: Abergavenny, Abersoch, Colwinston, Laugharne, Monmouth, Mumbles, Penarth, Presteigne, Saundersfoot, St Davids
In 2017, property prices in Wales outperformed every other region in the UK, rising by 8%, according to Halifax. A lot of this
is due to an overspill of house hunters from last year's overall winner Bristol, which had a price boom in 2017. The Welsh economy is also flourishing and the number of first- and second-time buyers is on the rise as many get priced out of Cornwall and Devon. 

 

Located to the west of Swansea, the former fishing village of Mumbles has been given a multimillion-pound facelift. With the likes of Bonnie Tyler, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joanna Page making regular visits, it's no wonder that property developers are buying up old fishermen's cottages for £200,000 and selling them on upward of £300,000.

Located close to Mumbles is this £169,950 terraced house. The light and spacious property has two bedrooms and easy access to Swansea city centre, as well as the beautiful Gower coastline.

Shortlist: Aberdour, Aboyne, Black Isle, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Melrose, North Berwick, Orkney, Wigtown. 
More people in Scotland are choosing to live outside of the capital due to house prices and flocking tourists. The East Lothian Coast with its lovely beaches and open space is worth settling down in.

For a town of just 1,700 people, Melrose has a huge selection of restaurants and cafes as well as great schools, including Earlston High, which was named by Tatler as one of the best Scottish state secondaries. The closest thing to a Cotswold village north of the border, Melrose also has a literary festival and a new train line, which can get you to Edinburgh in less than an hour.

For just £180,000 you can get this four-bedroom home in Melrose. The semi-detached property is perfect for a family.

Shortlist: Alnwick, Beverley, Durham, Leeds, Malton, Newcastle, Pateley Bridge, Skipton, Tynemouth, Wetherby, York.
The north and northeast aren't benefitting from a building boom like Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. Many towns made the list due to the efforts of local communities that have found ways to raise their town's reputation, with Malton being a great example. The small town has recently become known as the food capital of Yorkshire thanks to its huge selection of gourmet businesses. 

A 30-minute metro ride to Newcastle city centre, Tynemouth was once a sleepy seaside resort but has been transformed into a thriving oceanside hub. Thanks to its new cafe culture and foodie vibes the promenade is often full of walkers. A £5 million campaign is also underway to restore the local 1920s lido.

With three double bedrooms and two living areas, this generous townhouse is on the market for less than the average price in the north and northeast at £185,000.

Shortlist: Bodmin Moor, Bridport, Bristol, Falmouth, Frome, Marlborough, Stroud, Tavistock, Tisbury, Totnes, Wadebridge.
In a region famed for its seaside towns, they are notably absent in the shortlist, showing just how difficult it is for holiday hotspots to have year-round appeal. 

Frome offers families all the benefits of country life with the entertainment and facilities of a city. The new artisan quarter, a steep cobbled area in the centre, has lead the revival of this town. With Bath just 40 minutes away, people are flocking to Frome to soak up the new restaurants and old theatres.

Located near the centre of Frome, you can snap up this idyllic cottage for £300,000. It's slightly more than the average house price in the area, but we think it's worth it!

Shortlist: Belfast, Holywood, Newcastle, Portrush, Strangford.
There is a lot to celebrate in Northern Ireland, including the city of Belfast, which is as independent as ever and only a short distance from the seaside or countryside scenery. Many of Northern Ireland's wealthiest residents also base themselves in Holywood, along what is known as the gold coast. 

 

Belfast, specifically the east corner known as Ballyhackamore, is a great place to settle down and bring up children: it was recently named as one of the best value UK cities to buy a family home. The new Belfast Rapid Transit system is set to whizz commuters into the city centre on bendy buses from September, which will boost the area even more. 

For just below the average property price of £155,000, this four-bedroom detached property is on the market in Belfast.

Having been denied the top spot in previous years due to its lack of modernisation, the historic city of York has become a mini-metropolis and grabs the top spot for 2018. The UK's first 'Gigabit City', it offers broadband speeds of up to 1Gbps which has attracted talent from software designers to researchers. Foodies can head to Shambles market, which was given a £1.5 million facelift and offers independent shops, Middle Eastern street food and, of course, free wi-fi. The two universities also offer a vibrant mix of people. 

With views of the River Foss, this £300,000 townhouse sits just on the outskirts of the city. Three storeys tall, it has a large garden and garage.