West Yorkshire is a beautiful county with a lot to offer to both professionals and families alike. Although often overshadowed by the history and heritage of North Yorkshire, and the seaside towns of East Yorkshire, West Yorkshire is a great place to live, whether you’re looking for a City Centre apartment or a more rural home, West Yorkshire has some of the best places to live in the North.
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The 10 Best Places to Live in West Yorkshire
From the hustle and bustle of Leeds City Centre, to quaint rural villages, West Yorkshire has a lot to offer. If you’re thinking about moving to West Yorkshire, check out some of our favourite places to live in West Yorkshire below:
Leeds City Centre
Leeds City Centre is considered one of the best places to live in West Yorkshire for the convenience of city centre living, without the expense of bigger cities like London.
If you work in the city, need to commute elsewhere, or just love the big city life, Leeds City Centre is for you. With a bustling nightlife, top quality restaurants, theatres, Elland Road, Headingley Stadium, a shop-till-you-drop high street, and the O2 Arena, Leeds has it all.
But, on a more serious note, Leeds is considered to be a part of the Northern Powerhouse, with great job opportunities across a number of sectors, particularly in digital marketing, law, and finance.
Wakefield City Centre
On a smaller scale, Wakefield City Centre is another great place to live in West Yorkshire if you like to have everything on your doorstep, but also have excellent public transport links to the rest of West Yorkshire, and across the whole of the UK.
Like Leeds, Wakefield has a number of excellent bars, restaurants, sports and culture venues across the city, but is far smaller than Leeds and may feel homier for those that like a quieter lifestyle.
Sandal
If you like life even quieter, Sandal lies just a few miles outside of Wakefield. An ancient settlement mentioned in the Doomsday Book, Sandal is a small village with great local amenities, and excellent transport links into the city.
You can also enjoy a number of green spots, parks and lakes nearby with Pugneys Country Park, and NewmillerDamCountry Park just a short drive away.
Fun Fact: The children’s nursery rhyme The Grand Old Duke of York was written about a battle during the War of the Roses that took place at Sandal Castle!
Ackworth
Another quiet village in the Wakefield district with an ancient history, Ackworth lies just a few miles outside of Pontefract and boasts a number of old properties with great character.
It also houses one of only 7 Quaker Schools in England, Ackworth School, and is just a short drive away from Nostell Priory, a National Trust Georgian mansion with huge landscaped gardens, parklands, and stables.
Ackworth is a great place for families, with a number of good schools and parks nearby, and easy access to nearby towns and cities.
Otley
Otley is a historic market town nestled between Leeds and the picturesque Yorkshire Dales. Just 30 minutes from Leeds, Otley is the ideal place to live in West Yorkshire for those that need to be close to the city, but want a relaxed lifestyle surrounded by history, walking trails, boating, great food, and even better community spirit.
Pudsey
Ideally situated between Leeds and Bradford, Pudsey is a Victorian market town full of heritage and a strong sense of community. For a small town, there’s a lot to do in the area; Pudsey is home to a number of old school pubs, top quality restaurants, nature reserves, parks, and traditional markets. There are also useful local amenities such as superstores and convenient transport links.
Ilkley
Located in the beautiful Wharf Valley, Ilkley is a spa town at the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales, close to both Leeds and Bradford. The town has recently been named the best place to live in the North and Northeast of England by the Sunday Times.
If you live an active lifestyle, enjoy walks in the Yorkshire Dales, swimming in the local lido, tennis clubs, or join the largest cycling club in the country. Or, if you prefer things a bit more relaxed, check out the town’s annual festivals. Ilkley hosts an annual literature festival, summer festivals, and food and drink festivals.
With excellent schools, convenient transport links, picturesque scenery, top quality pubs and dining, as well as a small town community spirit, Ilkley is one of the best rural places to live in West Yorkshire.
Holmfirth
Holmfirth is one of the best places to live in West Yorkshire if you want to be close to the countryside. It is an attractive village near Huddersfield, on the edge of the Peak District, with good local amenities and easy access to nearby Leeds, Sheffield, and Manchester (if you’re willing to travel over the Pennines!).
Holmfirth and the surrounding areas boast a number of Ofsted Good and Outstanding schools, and have a great selection of bars, pubs, restaurants, and cafes to spend your evenings. If you like things a bit more active, though, Holmfirth has a number of recreation centres including a swimming pool, football pitches, an all-weather sports area, and even a skate park.
Fun fact: Last of the Summer Wine, set and filmed in Holmfirth, is thought to be the World’s longest running TV comedy, with 31 series!
Shipley and Saltaire
Often considered to be the best place to live in Bradford, Shipley is a historic market town on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Nearby Saltaire is a World Heritage Site containing Roberts Park and Salts Mill.
If you’d prefer to live somewhere a little more rural, there are some lovely areas to the north and west of Shipley, namely Baildon, with plenty of woodlands, walking trails, and moorlands.
Don’t worry if you work in the City, though, Leeds and Bradford are only a short drive or train ride away from Shipley. There are also a number of good schools in the area, and a good range of local amenities, including a large supermarket, a market square, and market hall.
Wetherby
Close to the border of North Yorkshire, Wetherby is a market town close to Leeds and Harrogate, just off the A1, making it a perfect place to live for commuters.
Wetherby boasts a great community, with activities to suit everyone, including art groups, a bridge club, a musical theatre group, and plenty of family-friendly pubs and restaurants. Living in Wetherby, you’ll also be close to the infamous Wetherby Whaler, arguably some of the best fish and chips in England.
What do you make of our list of the best places to live in West Yorkshire? Let us know some of your favourite places in West Yorkshire by getting in touch!
This article was brought to you by Valor Properties. Valor Properties, formerly known as Priestley’s, is an estate agents and block management company, operating in Leeds and across West Yorkshire. They provide an unparalleled service in both the student housing and professional property sectors.
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Millie is a perfectionist with a passion for property and writing articles. You’ll find her researching the latest housing trends and the newest up and coming areas worth investing in. Read more about Millie here.
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