Tunbridge Wells has been named among the UK’s best places to live for 2027, with a national guide saying the spa town has had “quite the glow-up”.
The Kent town was included in Muddy Stilettos’ list of the UK’s Top 260 Best Places to Live, published at the end of October.
Published annually, the guide picks out the best places to live in each county and looks at what they offer, from schools, commuting and house prices to where to eat, shop and spend a weekend.
Tunbridge Wells is one of eight places in Kent to make the list, alongside Cranbrook, Sevenoaks, Penshurst, Marden, Wye, Oare and Sandgate.
Why Tunbridge Wells made the list
“Forget those letter-writing retired colonels: this handsome spa town has had quite the glow-up,” the guide says.
It describes the town as “pulling in young families, London escapees and empty nesters chasing a best-of-both-worlds commuter lifestyle”.
Among the places to eat, it picks out Essence by Atul Kochhar on The Pantiles, where “the Michelin-starred chef brings his magic to elegant pan-Indian dining”.
Three gastropubs nearby also get a mention: The Leicester Arms in Penshurst, The Kentish Hare in Bidborough and The Beacon in Rusthall.
Royal Victoria Place “has had a bit of a glow-up” of its own, the guide says, with big names including Primark and Fenwick.
Live At The Pantiles is praised for its “bustling live-music nights every Thursday throughout the summer”, and the guide says the town’s grammar schools make it “particularly well served”.
The town’s “best kept secret”, according to the guide, is that Castle Fine Art on the High Street “is one of the galleries representing that Johnny Depp, with his limited-edition artwork”.
How much it costs to live in Tunbridge Wells
The average house price in Tunbridge Wells over the last year was £530,758, according to the guide.
Semi-detached homes averaged £570,650, terraced homes £454,598 and flats £306,187.
Commuters can reach London Bridge “in as little as 44 mins”, the guide says, with an annual season ticket to London costing £6,508.
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