St Albans has been named amongst the best places to live in the South East of England in an annual list by The Sunday Times.

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2022 guide includes 70 locations and was released online today (April 8) and is in the paper on Sunday.

They look to celebrate improving towns, villages or city centres; attractive, well-designed homes and locations bursting with community spirit.

Herts Advertiser: St Albans has been named in The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.St Albans has been named in The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide. (Image: Alan Hughes)

St Albans is ninth on the list which was topped by Sevenoaks in Kent.

Judges described it as a “gorgeous cathedral mini-city" which “has something for everyone”.

They said: “The high street is improved, the schools are as good as ever and 100-acre Verulamium Park is a glorious green oasis.

Full Best Places to Live 2022: Southeast

  • Winner: Sevenoaks, Kent
  • Brighton: Fiveways & Preston Park
  • Cookham, Berkshire
  • Deal, Kent
  • Englefield Green, Surrey
  • Farnham, Surrey
  • Olney, Buckinghamshire
  • Reading, Berkshire
  • St Albans, Hertfordshire
  • Test Valley, Hampshire

Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor, said: “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.

Herts Advertiser: Beautiful flowers in St Albans.Beautiful flowers in St Albans. (Image: Ian Capper)

“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 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.

Herts Advertiser: Verulamium Park in St Albans.Verulamium Park in St Albans. (Image: Peter Jeffery)

“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 Southwest, and a commutable Scottish island.

“We hope there is something to suit everyone.”

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live covers the following regions: North and Northeast, Midlands, Northern Ireland, Southeast, Wales, Southwest, East, London, Scotland and the Northwest.

Ilkley, West Yorkshire, was named as the overall Best Place to Live in the UK.