Revealed: the UK’s best city to live and work in

A rough reputation hides the true nature of this affordable, well-connected seaside city

Plymouth is officially the UK’s greatest city to live and work in… really.
It was crowned by PwC, which took into account factors including job opportunities and housing affordability. Cities across the South West, including Exeter and Bristol, also came high on the list for their great work-life balance and access to nature.
Plymouth’s title has raised eyebrows, however. The city suffers from a rough reputation of anti-social behaviour and drug-taking; many dismiss it as just another derelict seaside resort that time has forgotten. It was pummelled in the Blitz, with much of the city flattened then rebuilt rapidly in the post-war period.
A walk through Plymouth’s city centre does little to assuage these fears. A mix of boarded-up shops, crumbling grey buildings and generic high-street chains, such as ShoeZone, Card Factory and CEX, line broad walkways and roundabouts which hardly teem with life, giving the impression that this is not the hub of economic activity PwC thinks it is.
But the figures do bear it out: last year, average earnings increased by 16pc, the third-highest of any town or city in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics. The city’s unemployment rate was 3.4pc in May, lower than the national average of 4.1pc. And according to statistics website CrimeRate, Plymouth is the third safest city across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We went to Plymouth to see how the city is viewed by its residents – and to find out if it really is the UK’s best city to live in.
Just by the city centre is the Hoe, a vast green that has views of the sea, nearby cliffs and Drake’s Island, which is known for its wildlife and military history. Locals of all ages are sprawled sunbathing and in the water below, people are splashing about. Many workers come on their lunch breaks to swim in the sea.
Beverley Alley, 72, is from Canada, but moved to Plymouth from Stroud to be closer to her daughter. “I absolutely love it here, I love being right by the sea. I’ve gone swimming twice this week, and I’ve got a neighbour who goes every morning without fail. I can’t believe nobody seems to realise how wonderful this place is.
“The city is a good size – I like that I can walk anywhere that I need to. I don’t have a garden, but my flat is right by the sea and the Hoe, so I just come here instead.”
Plymouth’s position on the south coast means it enjoys some of the country’s best weather. Its proximity to beaches and spots of natural beauty – along with a slower pace of life than can be found in most other cities – attract those who crave a calmer lifestyle, but still want access to an urban centre.
Ian Clark, 62, and his partner Jill Sacker, 60, are also soaking up sun on the Hoe, lounging in deck chairs. “The city used to be much more industrial – scrap yards and workshops – but that’s disappeared, and lots of flats are being built. It’s definitely become a nicer place to live,” says Clark.
A short walk along the sea from the Hoe is the Barbican, Plymouth’s old port. It has cobbled streets, independent local shops, and restaurants and pubs overlooking the moored boats.
Plymouth’s Royal William Yard, once a Royal Navy depot, has been developed into a polished new neighbourhood that comprises apartments, restaurants and independent shops – all a five-minute drive from the city centre. It’s buzzing; families and couples sit outside eating while young people work on laptops in deck chairs on the green. It’s a world away from the drab city centre that greets arrivals from the train station.
Dion Hogarth, 40, who works part-time in Cathy’s Flowers, a shop in the city centre, has lived here all her life. “It’s a great place to bring up kids; it’s really safe here. The schools are quite small and the quality of teaching is good. I walk along the sea with my kids, and I think how lucky we are,” she says. “The only downside is that Plymouth doesn’t have an airport. The nearest one is Exeter.”
Property in Plymouth is cheap: the average house price was £224,000 in July 2024, 22pc lower than the national average of £289,000. This is far lower than the average for the county, of £326,000.
It means you can find real value for money here. Alley’s roomy coastal apartment – 1,700 sq ft – cost her just over £300,000 when she bought it earlier this year.
It also offers great opportunities for young people trying to get out of rented homes while also living in a city. The average price for first-time buyers there was £198,000, while the average for England was £256,000.
Ruby Reeves, 22, moved to Plymouth from Bristol a few years ago. She works as a manager in Block, a co-working space in the city’s modern Royal William Yard quarter. In November, she bought a two-bedroom house for just £175,000 in North Prospect, a five-minute drive from the city centre. 
“I love Plymouth; it offers a different lifestyle to Bristol. It’s pretty, everybody is really friendly, it just has a better feel to it,” says Reeves. “Young people who want to get on the property ladder should 100 per cent consider Plymouth. There’s no way I would have had the opportunity to buy a home if I’d stayed in Bristol.”
Her colleague, Ben Tiller, 26, went to university in Plymouth, and loved it so much he moved here permanently three years ago. “I bought a three-bedroom terraced house in St. Budeaux [an area in the North East of Plymouth and a 10-minute drive from the city centre] for under £170,000,” he says. 
“My brother bought a place in Bournemouth for £220,000, and it has one fewer bedroom and he doesn’t get his own garden.”
While many Plymothians are fond of their city, some are not afraid to share their gripes. Most agreed that one of its best qualities is that it is near other, better places. 
Sam Brader, 48, who works in renewable energy, moved here from Australia earlier this year with his partner and two children – but he hasn’t been taken by it and intends to move back. 
“I just haven’t fallen in love with the place. It was hit in the war quite badly and it has been rebuilt very quickly. There’s a lot of poverty, a lot of homelessness. Parts of the city have problems with drug-taking,” he says.
“But to be honest, I’ve never loved cities; they all have these problems, they’re not unique to Plymouth. It’s not all bad … you’re right by Cornwall and the people are really friendly.”
Aliza, 22, a policy researcher from Washington DC, moved here after her boyfriend signed for Plymouth Argyle Football Club, which competes in the second division of English football.
“There isn’t much to do here compared to the cities that I’m used to. There’s a lot of potential, but things are missing,” she says. “The dog walks are nice and I love the independent restaurants, but it feels limited. I used to live in Manchester, and there was much more going on.”
Sophie Ward-Marchbank, 20, who grew up here, disagrees. She is currently studying in London, but returns to Plymouth at any opportunity, picking up shifts at local independent cafe Rockets and Rascals.
“I think it’s the most beautiful place on the planet, but I only realised when I left,” she says. “Unfortunately, I think people tend to view Plymouth as a bit of a joke, like it’s not quite Cornwall.”
“People who have never been here don’t take it seriously,” adds Jason Green, 33, the cafe’s manager. “But then they come here, and they realise it’s actually rather nice – and there’s so much around, like Dartmouth and Cornwall.
“The winter is brutal, though. It feels wetter than everywhere else in the UK.”