10 best places to retire in the UK

Deciding where to retire in the UK is a big decision. It will affect your day to day life, who you’ll be able to visit, what you can do (or be involved with) and where you can travel to.

Generally speaking, older people enjoy living away from large urban centres and prefer to buy a house near the countryside or the coast.

The number of people living in specialist retirement housing or care homes is relatively low; most older people live in their own homes.” – Mha.org

Due to the fact that an increasing number of people are nearing retirement age, we’ve done some research into the top 10 places to retire in the UK. We started with areas that currently have the highest amount of over 65 year olds living there (indicating favourability). Then we considered other important factors, such as transport connections, air quality and crime levels, and we also looked at the average house prices in these areas.

Our sources:

We used the UK House Price Index for our research, which told us that the average house price in the UK is £296,422 (as of October 2022).

Crime

We used crime data from the UK police website. When we state that there are “no crimes reported” it simply means that there wasn’t any data available for those districts. However, we concluded that the areas that have a high percentage of over 65 year olds living there are predominantly safe.

If you’re thinking about selling your property and retiring elsewhere, here are our top 10 best places to retire in the UK for you to consider.

1. Scarborough

Scarborough is a district in North Yorkshire and the town of Scarborough sits on the coastline. Scarborough has two sweeping bays that each have their own personality; South Bay has entertainment and amusement arcades, whereas North Bay provides a much more tranquil seaside setting. The 12th century Scarborough Castle sits above the town and overlooks the North Sea. There’s plenty to visit nearby too, as Scarborough is close to the wilds of the North York Moors, the beautiful Vale of Pickering and the gently undulating downs of the Wolds.

Scarborough train station provides easy access to nearby cities, with York being reached in just 45 minutes and Leeds in 81 minutes. This connects the town to UK-wide services making it easy to travel for leisure, or to visit family and friends.

· Crime – there was no data for crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022

· Average house price (semi-detached) – £263,704.82

· Air quality – 5 AQI (low air pollution)

2. Craven

Craven is a beautifully scenic district in North Yorkshire. There are several towns and villages within Craven, including Skipton and Settle. These towns provides local residents with access to train services, which can take them across North Yorkshire or into larger cities, such as Leeds and York. The Settle – Carlisle Railway is considered by many to be one of the most scenic railway journeys you’ll ever go on.

If you live in one of the many surrounding villages it would be a short drive to one of the town’s train stations. The road links are good within the district, with the M65, M6, A1(M), A59 and A65 making it easy for drivers to navigate the area and get further afield.

Craven is a largely rural area that’s full of spectacular beauty spots including the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Malham Cove and Bolton Abbey. Skipton is home to one of the country’s oldest markets, as Skipton market dates all the way back to mediaeval times.

· Crime – there was no data of crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022

· Average house price (semi-detached) – £263,704.82

· Air quality – 5 AQI (low air pollution)

3. Wychavon

Wychavon is located in Worcestershire. It’s a rural district that has three main historic towns within it; Droitwich Spa, Evesham, and Pershore. There’s also the large and popular Cotswold village of Broadway. Together, they all account for nearly half of the entire district’s population with the rest of the residents being scattered amongst the many smaller villages and hamlets dotted throughout Wychavon.

There’s much to explore and enjoy in Wychavon. Droitwich has some of the oldest and purest salt springs and baths in the world, and they’re said to be 10 times saltier than sea water. Evesham has its Round House (an impressive Tudor building) and its town hall was built in 1586, and then remodelled in 1885. Pershore has a bridge that crosses the Avon, which dates back to the 17th century, as well as a 1000 year old Norman abbey. Broadway has Tudor and Jacobean houses built in Cotswold stone and it has notable, historic buildings such as the 14th century abbot’s grange.

Research from 2017 showed that the Wychavon district had a population of around 121,500 and it was estimated that this would reach 128,420 by 2026. (23.9% of the population was aged 65 or over at the time and this was also set to rise, proving Wychavon to be one of the UK retirement hotspots.)

However, the 2021 census showed that Wychavon’s population has already exceeded those future estimates as it currently stands at 132,500 and its growing faster than the overall population increase shown in the UK. The number of people living in Wychavon who are aged 65 years and over has increased by a massive 31.5% in the last 10 years. Clearly, many people believe that Wychavon is one of the best places to live in the UK for over 60s,

Wychavon has good transport networks. The M5 runs through the district and there are useful rail links from the towns to connect the area with major cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol.

· Crime – there was no data for crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022

· Average house price (semi-detached) – £274,453.69

· Air quality – 5 AQI (low air pollution)

4. Wyre Forest

Wyre Forest is also located in the county of Worcestershire, in England. It’s found to the west of Birmingham and has several towns including Kidderminster, Stourport-on-Severn and Bewdley. The district also has Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve, which is said to be one of the top 10 most Instagrammable forests in the country.

There are several train stations in the Wyre Forest district, and these are located in places like Kidderminster, Blakedown and Hagley. This provides people with connections through to Birmingham and London, making travel throughout the UK accessible from here.

· Crime – there was no data for crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022

·  Average house price (semi-detached) – £274,453.69

· Air quality – 6 AQI (low air pollution)

5. Cotswold

The Cotswold district is an area in Gloucestershire in England, and it’s named after the wider Cotswolds region. The largest town is Cirencester, which is an historic market town that has a Roman amphitheatre, and there are several other towns within the district, including Tetbury and Chipping Campden. There are countless beautiful villages and hamlets throughout the area too, like Bourton-on-the-Water and Kemble, which could be why Cotswold is one of the UK retirement hotspots.

It goes without saying that there are plenty of beautiful spots to visit as the Cotswolds is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty due to the stunning quality landscapes. There’s plenty to explore here, with rolling hills and historic villages that have gorgeous houses built using the trademark yellow Cotswold stone.

The Cotswold district is well connected by both road and rail. When travelling by train, Kemble station provides regular services towards Swindon, London Paddington, Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa. Cirencester doesn’t have a train station any more so residents there need to travel to Kemble for the train, which is just over a 10 minute drive away.

The district sits between the M5 and the M40, and above the M4, so all these main roads are accessible from here when travelling further afield. The area has stunning countryside to explore on foot, by bike or by car. The air quality is 6 AQI, which is good quality with low levels of pollution.

·  Crime – there were 129 crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022, which is 53% less than the average for all districts within the dataset

·  Average house price (semi-detached) – £322,744.18

·  Air quality – 6 AQI (low air pollution)

6. Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-upon-Avon is in the county of Warwickshire, in England.

Stratford-upon-Avon is a beautiful, bustling mediaeval market town with picturesque timber-framed Tudor houses. There’s an enviable selection of high street and independent shops, as well as fantastic restaurants, cafes, cosy pubs and tea rooms. Being the birthplace of William Shakespeare, there are three Royal Shakespeare Company theatres in the town and you can visit Shakespeare’s birthplace as well as other pinnacle buildings from his life and the lives of his family.

There’s plenty to get involved with in Stratford, with weekly markets, a leisure centre and sports club, volunteering opportunities and plenty of social and community events throughout the year.

Stratford-upon-Avon has its own train station and there are several other stations nearby too (such as Wilmcote station). London can be accessed from Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway station via trains to Marylebone taking just over two hours, and Birmingham is only a 50 minute train journey from here.

· Crime – there was no data for crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022.

· Average house price – £355,337

· Air quality – 6 AQI (low air pollution)

7. Hambleton

Hambleton is in the county of North Yorkshire and it sits in the constituency of Selby and Ainsty. The district includes towns such as Northallerton, Bedale and Thirsk, and villages like Great Ayton.

Most of the area is beautifully scenic greenspace so there’s plenty of opportunity to enjoy discovering the outdoors. The name of the district comes from Hambleton Hills, which are on the eastern side of the district and part of the North York Moors National Park.

The picturesque towns offer charming cobbled streets, marketplace centres and plenty of boutiques, restaurants and cafes to enjoy. Northallerton is a large, historic market town that sits between the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the North York Moors National Park. It’s wide High Street has much to offer with independent shops, pubs and cafes, and the town hosts a market twice a week.

Hambleton has several nearby stations, including one in Thirsk and one in Northallerton, which sit on the East Coast Main Line. This opens up travel options to nearby cities like York (taking under half an hour), as well as the capital (taking just two and a half hours). Trains from Thirsk also head north to Middlesborough and  Sunderland, so there are great travel opportunities from here.

·  Crime – there was no data for crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022.

·  Average house price (semi-detached) – £263,704.82

·  Air quality – 5 AQI (low air pollution)

8. Ryedale

Ryedale (Sherburn) is in the Vale of Pickering, in North Yorkshire.

The area has scattered towns and villages including Helmsley, Kirbymoorside, Malton and Pickering.

The scenery in Ryedale is spectacular and diverse. Part of the district sits in the dramatic landscape of the North York Moors National Park, whilst other parts are in the low lying farmland of the Vale of Pickering. The historic market towns provide warm, Yorkshire hospitality with locally sourced food being served in traditional pubs and quality restaurants. There are also great independent shops and award-winning weekly markets.

The A64 runs through the district connecting the area to York, and providing good road links when travelling further afield. The east coast isn’t far from here either, so it doesn’t take long to get to the sea for coastal walks and fresh air. Sitting between cities, countryside and the coast, it’s a great location providing a variety of places to enjoy throughout the year.

Both Malton and Pickering have train stations for local residents. Pickering has trains out to Whitby (on the coast) and Malton sits on the Scarborough to York line providing services to both.

· Crime – there were 129 crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022

· Average house price (semi-detached) – £263,704.82

· Air Quality – 5 AQI (low air pollution)

9. Sedgemoor

Sedgemoor is in the county of Somerset, in England. It’s largest town is the historic Bridgwater, which sits either side of the River Parrett. Other towns in Sedgemoor include Burnham-on-Sea (famous for its lighthouse) and North Petherton (which dates back to the 10th century).

Bridgwater is still connected to Taunton by the canal that opened in 1827. Whilst the canal is no longer used commercially, it’s still used for lovely walks and boating. The town is well-known for its illuminated Guy Fawkes Carnival, which has a parade of more than a hundred floats.

The city of Bristol isn’t far and people in Sedgemoor also appreciate being close to the coast.

The M5 runs through the district connecting people to Bristol and Taunton, and providing access to other routes when travelling further afield. Bridgwater station has trains running to Bristol that take about an hour, and to Taunton, taking about 10 minutes.

· Crime – there was no data for crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022

· Average house price (semi-detached) – £292,205.13

· Air quality – 6 AQI (low air pollution)

10. South Somerset

South Somerset covers an area that borders with Devon, Wiltshire and Dorset, and its administrative centre is in Yeovil. Other towns in the area include Somerton, Castle Cary and Milborne Port.

The market towns and villages in South Somerset provide plentiful character and there are award-winning restaurants, shops and galleries to enjoy in places like Bruton. Others are steeped in history, such as Castle Cary with its main street of golden stone, its 19th century Market House and its 18th century roundhouse.

Somerton is a pretty town that’s full of charm, and it’s a lovely place to relax and enjoy the tearooms, pubs and independent shops.

There are plenty of beautiful, natural and wild areas to enjoy in South Somerton. Many make the most of the River Parrett Trail, which is a stunning 50 mile route that takes you down to the sea. The route takes in orchards, woodlands, mediaeval churches, limestone cottages and much more, and it can be broken down into lots of shorter walks and enjoyed over several days or weeks.

There are several train stations throughout South Somerset, including one at Bruton that gives access to the Reading to Taunton line, and Crewkerne. Crewkerne has trains to Exeter that take just over an hour, and you can pick up trains to London Paddington from here.

· Crime – there was no data for crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022

· Average house price (semi-detached) – £292,205.13

· Air quality – 6 AQI (low air pollution)

If you’re considering where to retire in the UK, then hopefully this guide has given you some insight and ideas. The best place to start is to find out exactly what your property’s worth in today’s market, so book a free (no obligation) property valuation with us now.

over an hour, and you can pick up trains to London Paddington from here.

• Crime – there was no data for crimes reported from April 2021 to March 2022

•  Average house price (semi-detached) – £292,205.13

• Air quality – 6 AQI (low air pollution)

If you’re considering where to retire in the UK, then hopefully this guide has given you some insight and ideas. The best place to start is to find out exactly what your property’s worth in today’s market, so book a free (no obligation) property valuation with us now.

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