This gorgeous town has come out on top (Image: Getty Images)
A charming Kent town has been crowned the finest place to reside in the county for 2025, following a recent survey. Lifestyle publication Muddy Stilettos invited its readership to cast their votes for the premier local village, town or city to settle in this year through its Top 300 Places to Live guide.
Claiming the number one position is Sevenoaks, praised for its “stunning countryside, strong commuting links, social scene and ideal location”. The town emerged victorious from a shortlist of 10 contenders across Kent, reports Kent Live. Tunbridge Wells secured second position, with Folkestone claiming third, Faversham taking fourth, and Tankerton rounding out the top five. Hero Brown, founder and editor-in-chief of Muddy Stilettos, commented: “When people move home, they’re searching for more than just a house, they want to find a new lifestyle that works for them.
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From the Sevenoaks Summer Festival to the Sevenoaks Literary Festival there’s a buzz about town and a strong community spirit.
“There are good schools galore, with a wide choice of excellent independent options nearby, along with outstanding state primary and secondary/grammar schools, making Sevenoaks a great location for families. The average house price is costly at £848,635 (over the past year), but for those living in the area the results of the Best Places to Live vote shows that locals think it’s worth it!”
Spanning everything from bustling towns to quaint villages, rural hamlets to popular commuter hubs, each of the original 300 destinations underwent thorough independent research and selection by Muddy’s expert editorial team, before attracting more than 30,500 reader votes. The findings highlighted residents’ appreciation for community spirit, access to quality schools, dining establishments, retail options and cultural offerings, alongside their satisfaction with their local environment.
“Our exclusive Reader Vote gives them a fresh perspective that can make their search easier. It’s hard to be confident on whether a location is the right place for you, but we’ve built our reputation on having first-hand knowledge on the in-the-know places to live and places to go.
Sevenoaks is a stunning town (Image: Getty)
“This Reader Vote gives a truly independent view on the towns and villages with the most popular postcodes, schools, restaurants and amenities.”
Events such as the Sevenoaks Summer Festival and the Sevenoaks Literary Festival contribute to the town’s vibrant atmosphere and robust sense of community. The area boasts handsome Georgian and Victorian architecture, abundant retail outlets and dining establishments, and what many consider a more refined atmosphere compared to neighbouring localities across the county.
The walkways are consistently bustling with pedestrians in this centuries-old market town, due in part to its educational institutions, but also because it differs from similar towns by housing major supermarkets within its central district.
Indeed, a Waitrose graces the High Street itself, sparking considerable jealousy amongst residents of neighbouring Tunbridge Wells, who must settle for a branch located at a filling station. There’s also a Marks and Spencer with a full food hall.
A vibrant selection of businesses can be found in the High Street in Sevenoaks (Image: Getty Images/Moonstone Images/iStock)
It ranks among Kent’s wealthiest and most sophisticated towns, earning its reputation as decidedly upscale thanks to its substantial properties, leafy surroundings inhabited by prosperous families, and its abundance of fee-paying educational establishments. Furthermore, the typical value of properties changing hands last year stood at £848,635, as reported by Rightmove.
The bulk of transactions involved detached dwellings, commanding an average sum of – prepare yourself – £1,441,995. And that represents the mean figure, not the peak price.
Apartments changed hands for an average of £381,210, whilst semi-detached homes attracted £692,320.
As Visit Sevenoaks District observes, “with its extraordinary landscapes, bucolic towns and villages old as time” alongside opportunities to savour the Garden of England’s finest food and drink, “you’d never guess it’s just outside Greater London”.
Muddy Stilettos had this to say about Sevenoaks: “In Kent, the small, but perfectly formed town of Sevenoaks, won top spot for its stunning countryside, strong commuting links, social scene and ideal location, location, location.”
Top 10 most sought-after towns and villages in Kent:
- Sevenoaks
- Tunbridge Wells
- Folkestone
- Faversham
- Tankerton
- Cranbrook
- Ramsgate
- West Malling
- Penshurst
- Benenden
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
