There's no single "friendliest" town, as it varies by survey, but Glasgow, York, Newcastle, Blackpool, and Brighton frequently top lists for warmth and welcome, often praised for their people's humor, hospitality, and community spirit, though some sources highlight smaller towns or specific northern cities for genuine helpfulness.
Cambridge emerges as a beacon of hospitality, boasting the title of the most polite city, alongside its top ranks in safety and cleanliness. Cities like Manchester and London face challenges in these regards.
York revealed as UK's friendliest city. Aviva research finds the nation's community spirit is strong – but millions are without access to pubs and gyms. 24 June 2025, LONDON: The United Kingdom is more united than people may think, according to a new study from Aviva.
What's the friendliest town in the UK? | Bird's Eye View
Where is the cheapest but nicest place to live in the UK?
The nicest but cheapest places to live in the UK often combine affordability with access to nature or culture, with top contenders including Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Hull, Burnley, and County Durham for low housing/rental costs, offering seaside access (Sunderland), rich history (Hull), or proximity to natural beauty like the North York Moors (Middlesbrough). Carlisle also stands out for its proximity to the Lake District and affordability.
The city with the lowest White British population as a percentage was Leicester (40.9%) – also the only city below 50% – while the lowest for unitary authorities was Slough (34.5%), followed by Luton (44.6%).
Key Takeaways. Safest overall: Based on a 2024 crime-index study of 105 UK towns and cities, Harrogate, Wokingham, Chester, Sevenoaks and Horsham occupy the top five spots, with crime index scores between roughly 17 and 23 (lower scores indicate safer areas).
The World's Friendliest Nations, According To Scientific Study
South Africa tops our list of the friendliest nations, scoring an impressive 34.63 out of 40 on the 'agreeableness' trait of the Big 5 Personality Test.
Greeks were found to be the second-friendliest people in the world, scoring 33.71 on the test.
Politically, too, New York may be more like England than any other American state. In both England and New York, geographically small, densely populated urban islands stand out from the expanses of countryside around them.
There isn't one single "most run-down" town, as it depends on the metric, but recent reports frequently cite Walsall (West Midlands) as Britain's most deprived for overall quality of life (Good Growth for Cities Index 2025), while Jaywick (Essex) is repeatedly named England's most deprived neighbourhood by government data. Other towns often mentioned for significant decline due to economic hardship, unemployment, and urban decay include areas in Blackpool, Hastings, and Middlesbrough, alongside places like Portsmouth and Aldershot facing specific challenges.
Although less than 10% of the total UK-born population lived in London, the city was home to one-third of the total foreign-born population in the country. Northern Ireland, the North East, and Wales were the least popular destinations for migrants.
Beaconsfield, in Buckinghamshire was identified as the least affordable town, with an average house price of more than £1 million – costing more than 15 times average household earnings. Postal towns with 5,000 homes or more were analysed.
Chester voted most welcoming place in the UK. Chester has been voted the most welcoming place in the UK in a recent survey based on traveller reviews. The rankings were drawn up by travel website, Booking.com, with entries identified based on the number of Traveller Review Awards each has.
The latest Expat Insider 2025 ranking reveals the world's least friendly countries for foreigners, with Kuwait once again taking the top spot. Expats cite challenges in making local friends, difficulties integrating into the culture, and a generally unwelcoming social environment.
