If you’re planning to relocate, there are many things to consider about a potential destination. While culture, transport links, architecture, and surroundings are all important, there’s one factor that’s often overlooked: the people.
Living somewhere where the locals are warm, welcoming, and hospitable can make a huge difference to how happy and settled you feel – but which places in the UK are the friendliest?
While there’s no single method to determine this (and, of course, it’ll always be subjective!), there are many ways to get an idea. By looking at surveys, reports, and reviews, we’ve found 10 of the friendliest places to live. And, in no particular order, here they are.
1. Oxford, England
Oxford is a university city that’s often celebrated for its friendliness. In 2021, the Friendship Index poll asked respondents questions about kindness, encouragement, and looking after others, and ranked Oxford as the number-one friendliest city in the UK.
This beautiful and historic city scored highly across all categories in that poll – but it was also awarded first place in the Babybel kindest UK city poll in 2022. Respondents were asked about the city’s friendliness, good deeds, and community spirit, and Oxford scooped the top spot.
It scored especially highly when it came to giving advice, helping one another get jobs, and having opportunities to get involved with the community. Over two-thirds of locals felt the city excelled socially, while more than half considered it a charitable and supportive place to live. So, not only is Oxford one of the most beautiful cities in the country, but it also seems to be one of the kindest.
2. York, England
With its fascinating history, winding medieval streets, and Gothic cathedrals, York has long been a popular destination with travellers. But, it’s just as popular with residents and has regularly been voted one of the friendliest cities in the UK, and even the world.
Surveys say locals go out of their way to be friendly and greet strangers with warmth and smiles, whether in shops or on the street. The fact that York also has a low crime rate and is consistently ranked as a great place to raise a family means there’s a sense of safety here, too, which is no doubt why locals are so welcoming to out-of-towners.
People who live in York say one of the reasons they love it so much is its excellent arts scene – with multiple theatres, museums, and galleries – and good connections to Edinburgh and London. But the city also boasts over 350 pubs, so if you’re looking to make new friends, just head to one of these lively destinations.
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3. Glasgow, Scotland
Scotland’s largest city is often overlooked in favour of Edinburgh. And while you could argue that the capital may be grander and more historic, it was Glasgow that scooped the top spot for the friendliest city in the UK, in Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards last year
Considering that the city’s slogan is ‘People make Glasgow’, perhaps this shouldn’t come as a surprise, and to many locals, it isn’t. Travel writer and Glasgow native Steve King wrote that the city is a place where “complete strangers will talk to you as if you’d been at school together” – and, while they’re generally friendly to everyone, they have a particular affinity with the French.
Aside from its friendly residents, Glasgow also boasts world-class attractions, a fabulous culinary scene, vibrant neighbourhoods, and an exceptional variety of museums, galleries, and theatres. You’ll also have plenty of gorgeous green spaces and botanical gardens to explore – in fact, in Gaelic, Glasgow translates to ‘Dear Green Place’.
If you’ve always wanted to visit (or move) here, perhaps now is the time to experience the famous Glaswegian welcome.
4. Liverpool, England
Liverpool is another city regularly voted one of the UK’s friendliest, which will probably come as no surprise to locals and those who’ve visited.
Liverpudlians are known for being welcoming and friendly, and in 2024, the maritime city took ninth place in the Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards.
Plus, according to new research by Tim Hortons’ UK, Liverpool was deemed the nicest city in the UK, with 79% of Scousers being more likely to hold doors open for others in the fast-food chain stores. Yet another survey found that Liverpool was the UK’s kindest city, as it was the place where locals were most likely to perform random acts of kindness.
Of course, Liverpool is also known for being an arts, culture, and music hub, so if you’re into any of these, you’ll find plenty of like-minded people here. Whether it’s visiting The Beatles Story on the Albert Dock, seeing gigs at the iconic Cavern Club, or admiring art at Tate Liverpool, this city is as artistic as it is friendly.
5. Belfast, Northern Ireland
Belfast is another capital that’s become known for the warmth and kindness of its locals – as well as its many spirited wine bars, cocktail clubs, jazz bars, and, of course, Irish pubs. And, it came seventh in last year’s Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards for the friendliest UK city.
Though Belfast may still be known for being the birthplace of the Titanic and for its turbulent history, its remarkable transformation in recent years has recognised it for something else: its kindness. According to a study by OnePoll for Babybel, Belfast was the second kindest city in the UK in 2022, where friendliness, small acts of kindness, and community spirit are common.
In 2021, the Friendship Index poll found that people in Belfast were more committed to helping friends in need than anyone else in the UK, willing to travel over 60 miles to help with a flat tire. So, if you’re looking to make lasting friends who will go that extra mile – quite literally – then Belfast could be the ideal home for you.
6. Leeds, England
When it comes to the friendliest UK counties, Yorkshire is definitely a contender, as Leeds is the second city here to regularly be voted one of the country’s friendliest places (Bradford, another Yorkshire town, often appears on these lists, too). It’s also frequently cited as one of the best places to live in the UK in terms of cost of living, happiness, and employment.
Leeds is known for its large student population, which is one of the biggest in Europe – and while you might not think having 80,000 students enter the city each year is a good thing, locals do. Many believe it adds a unique sense of warmth, energy, diversity, and excitement. Plus, the fact that it benefits the economy has a positive knock-on effect for everyone.
But, with just over 800,000 residents, Leeds is also home to people from all walks of life and is considered a hub for creative, hard-working, and positive people.
Leeds has been named the second-best city to start a business, as well as the UK’s first women-friendly city.
7. Cardiff, Wales
Back in 2011, Cardiff was voted the UK’s most sociable city; the place where you’re not only guaranteed a good time when you go out, but where people just tend to go out more in general.
Fourteen years on, Cardiff remains a highly social place to live. In 2023, it came first in the Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards for the friendliest city in the UK, so the Welsh capital clearly hasn’t lost its touch when it comes to warmth and hospitality. As well as being lively, Cardiff also has much more to offer its residents.
If you’re into history, the medieval Cardiff Castle is one of the best in Europe – and there are many more to discover in the surrounding countryside – Wales has more castles per square mile than anywhere in Europe. Aside from being one of the friendliest cities, Cardiff is considered one of the UK’s greenest, so if you’re looking to get outdoors with a newfound hiking or cycling buddy, you’re in the right place!
8. Derry, Northern Ireland
Belfast isn’t the only Northern Irish town famed for its friendliness. According to the 2021 Irish Times Best Place to Live in Ireland, Derry ranked in the top 20 out of 470 locations. The rating was based on attitude towards tourists, the openness of strangers, neighbourly attitudes, and “general friendliness”.
But Derry isn’t only a friendly city – it’s also unusually generous. Based on donations made to the crowdfunding site GoFundMe, Derry was named the second most generous city in the UK in 2021. The news wasn’t a surprise to locals, who only seemed shocked their city didn’t scoop first place. As former mayor Brian Tierney said, “Being from Derry is about lending a hand, supporting your wider community, and trying to be that little bit more generous.”
Another big perk of Derry is its affordability and quality of life, which could be a reason why locals are so friendly and generous. While ‘the Walled City’ has all the amenities and attractions of a bustling, riverside metropolis, it also has beautiful beaches and countryside nearby, so locals get the best of both worlds. No wonder residents are so proud of their city and keen to show it off.
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Want to experience the lifestyle? Take a few days to try before you buy in our Assisted Living Apartments.
9. Manchester, England
Manchester is another Northern English city regularly ranked as one of the friendliest, taking eighth place in 2024’s Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards for the friendliest UK city. And in Time Out’s 2022 survey, Manchester was voted as the second friendliest city in the world.
Time Out also found it to be the second-best city in the world for resilience and the third-best for progressiveness. Plus, according to 20,000 global respondents, Manchester also ranks as the 13th-best city on the planet, thanks to its community spirit and cultural scene.
According to residents, it isn’t just Manchester’s friendliness that makes it so unique, but its wide landscape of restaurants, bars, and events.
Manchester’s industrial history means it’s a city proud of its heritage but always looking ahead. The fact that it’s also a fairly affordable place to live is another bonus.
10. Aberdeen, Scotland
Aberdeen is Scotland’s third largest city – but thanks to its upbeat atmosphere and low crime rate, it’s also repeatedly voted as the country’s safest city. It wins this recognition year after year and regularly features on lists of the friendliest places to live in the UK.
While safety doesn’t necessarily equate to being friendly, Aberdeen has the goods to back up its reputation. According to 2022 research by Home Views, which polled 28,000 people, Aberdeen was voted the third best place to live in the UK. Its proximity to the sea, grand architecture (it’s not called The Granite City for nothing), and energy were all cited as reasons – but the locals were, too.
Aberdeen’s residents were viewed as welcoming, friendly, polite, and helpful, and their positive attitude towards outsiders makes their hospitality one of the highest in the country.
Not only do locals have access to a mile-long beach, but they also have a historic town to explore, an excellent food and drink scene, and the chance to find serenity and solitude in the surrounding countryside.
Final thoughts…
While this article has featured many different surveys and polls, most with varying results, the reality is that our perception of which places are the friendliest is entirely subjective and based on our own experiences, which can be wildly different.
However, regardless of how many surveys and polls you look at, it’s also true that the same destinations keep cropping up. So, while cities like Manchester, Aberdeen, and Oxford might be very different, we can feel confident that they’re considered friendly, welcoming, and warm by many people.
To get more ideas and inspiration for your next move, check out our articles: 14 of the best places to retire in the UK and 20 happiest places to live in Great Britain. Or, use the button below to browse UK travel deals.
Do you agree with this list of the country’s friendliest places? Or do you have your own suggestions? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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