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Fancy country life while working in the city? (Picture: Getty Images) If you’re planning on leaving London in search of quieter, *slightly* cheaper pastures, let this be your inspiration. We have a comprehensive list of 48 of the best places to live in the Home Counties in 2026, determined by their great schools, foodie scene, close communities, and convenient commutes to your job in the big smoke. Compiled by lifestyle site Muddy Stilettos, there are seven to eight villages, towns or cities in each county surrounding the capital, and we’ve got the lowdown on all of them. Let us know where you settle… At a glance: This Home County has royal roots with its historic Windsor Castle and offers picturesque countryside along with the prestige of Ascot horse racing. Whether it’s a village along the Thames or a trip to Legoland, you’ll find it all here. Berkshire has plenty to offer, but it isn’t cheap (Picture: Getty Images) Berkshire’s top places to live: Caversham (village) Cookham (village) Kintbury (village) Pangbourne (village) Sonning (village) Sunninghill (village) Twyford (village) West Ilsley (village) A map showing where in Berkshire each village is (Picture: Metro) The cheapest place to relocate to on Berkshire’s list is Kintbury, where the average house price is £476,097, according to Rightmove. It’s known for its canal, so boating is a popular pastime, and there’s a thriving local community. It may be smalltown but you have everything you need – a village shop, doctors surgery, primary school, an indoor leisure centre with a tennis club, and a station which has a direct service hour-long into London Paddington. Another place worth checking out is Caversham, with a village feel but walking distance from Reading town centre. House prices are a little steep at £523,538 on average, but it has a great selection of independent cafes, pubs and restaurants, and even a Sunday market. St. James the Less church tower showing above a row of cottages in Pangbourne (Picture: Getty Images) The downside is you’ll need to travel into Reading to get your 45 minute train to Paddington, but you’re spoiled will schools to choose from if you’re a young family. For a similar price tag of £551,377, you can settle in Twyford and indulge in its Stanlake Park Wine Estate and nature reserve, or visit the nearby Windsor Castle. Sunninghill (£742,865), Pangbourne (£766,281), West Ilsley (£793,000), and Sonning (£807,722) are all on the pricier side when it comes to buying a home. Cookham is the priciest but it rivals Chipping Norton (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto) If you like horse racing, polo and and independent high street then Sunninghill will satisfy you; Pangbourne offers rural charm and great schools; a close knit community and quiet village life will find you in West Ilsley; and Sonning is home to the likes of George and Amal Clooney… need we say more. But, the priciest village on the list is Cookham, where you’ll need to fork out £886,704 to live in one of its 18th century homes. It’s got a celeb count that Muddy Stilettos claims could rival Chipping Norton, as well as brilliant local pubs, indie shops and local festivals. Buckinghamshire At a glance: From chocolate box towns with medieval churches and and ‘olde-worlde’ feel, this Home County has been the backdrop to the likes of Midsomer Murders and the Vicar of Dibley. And, if you’re the outdoorsy-type the Chilterns offers the perfect antidote to city life. Marlow, Buckinghamshire, is very popular with former Londoners (Picture: Getty Images) Buckinghamshire’s top places to live: Amersham (town) Bourne End (village) Marlow (town) Milton Keynes (city) Penn and Tylers Green (village) Taplow (village) The Chalfonts (a group of four villages) Turville (village) Map shows where in Buckinghamshire these villages and towns are (Picture: Metro) Hear us out, yes, Milton Keynes was dubbed ‘Satan’s layby’ by some, but with a house price average of £363,602, it’s a great place to put down roots. The stunning Bletchley Park is just around the corner, and there’s plenty to keep kids entertained from Woburn Safari Park around the corner and the UK’s largest indoor snow centre. Did we mention it’s just 35 minutes into London? Nestled in the Chiltern Hills Turville is pricier at £524,046 for a house, but as the setting for films like 101 Dalmatians and Pride and Prejudice, you might be brushing shoulders with celebs on a daily basis. Milton Keynes is known for its grid road system (Picture: Getty Images) Bourne End (£587,038) – in the catchment for four outstanding grammar schools, it’s Marlow but without the price tag – and Taplow (£604,480) – with the Elizabeth Line on your doorstep and organic farm markets – are slightly pricier, as is Amersham (£723,426). But it’s Marlow that’s expensive with a £746,280 house price average. It’s Michelin-star foodie offerings (thanks to Tom Kerridge) and quick London commute make it perfect for those looking to leave the capital. At a glance: There’s more to this Home County than Towie and fake tans. It’s an escape from the capital, with the longest coastline in England boasting seaside resorts, and a deep Roman history. It’s even home to the oldest recorded town in the country. Essex has plenty to offer (Picture: Getty Images) Essex’s top places to live: Bocking (village) Bradwell-on-Sea (village) Buckhurst Hill (town) Chelmsford (city) Leigh-on-Sea (town) Little Oakley (village) Saffron Walden (town) Stock (village) Where in Essex would you like to move? (Picture: Metro) If your budget is a little lower then look to Essex, particularly Bocking. A house will cost you on average £327,148, and you’re surrounded by good schools, listed buildings, and plenty of Roman history. You’ll need to make the seven minute drive to Braintree to get the hour long train into London, though. Little Oakley is just a mile from the coast, so you’re likely to see seals from your cute thatched cottage while you can buy for just £332,263. It’s selling point is its outdoor offerings, but Harwich is just down the road for food, drink and shopping. The River Can in Chelmsford city centre (Picture: Getty Images) Chelmsford simply offers everything you need on your doorstep, from doctors surgeries to schools and gyms to shopping, all for £412,374. Bradwell-On-Sea (£421,400), Saffron Walden (£450,471), and Leigh-On-Sea (£456,420) are all in a similar price range, while house prices in Buckhurst Hill have an overall average of £641,417. If you’ve got the cash, you might want to settle in Stock, where homes cost an eye-watering £961,667 on average, but you’ll be spoiled with a posh spa hotel, florists, and gourmet pubs. Spitting distance from Chelmsford you get the chocolate box village life, with everyone just a stones throw away. The High Street in the Old Leigh area of Leigh-on-Sea (Picture: Getty Images) Hertfordshire At a glance: Market towns, Barbour jackets and Roman ruins, Hertfordshire has a reputation for being… posh. A hotspot for footballers with luxurious five-star stays like The Grove, and offering quaint towns with thatched roofs – it leaves little to be desired. The Cathedral and City of St Albans in Hertfordshire (Picture: Getty Images) Hertfordshire’s top places to live: Berkhamsted (town) Bishop’s Stortford (town) Hitchin (town) Knebworth (village) Much Hadham (village) St Albans (city) Ware (town) Welwyn Garden City (town) Where in Hertfordshire should you settle? (Picture: Metro) A 40-minute train from London, you’ll find Ware. At £424,412 for a home, it’s picturesque riverside location makes it feel like a steal. With lively bars and a cute market square, there’s plenty of live music and art workshops in this town. There’s no shortage of schools either. Packed with green spaces, Welwyn Garden City is 35 minutes from Kings Cross and you can bag yourself a home for £439,207. It’s major selling point is Tewinbury Farm, a four star hotel featuring its own farm shop, cafe, bar, live music events, and cookery school. Minutes from Stanstead airport, Bishop’s Stortford (£475,173) boasts a country park and restaurants offering oysters and craft beers. If you’re a golfer, there’s not one but two clubs nearby, as well as leisure centres with swimming pools and cafes – schools are in abundance, too. Hitchin is a bustling market town (Picture: Getty Images) Influencer Molly Mae’s hometown, Hitchin, is a market town with winding streets, coffee shops, and even a Speakeasy. For £516,247 you can have the lavender fields on your doorstep and watch countless plays at the four theatres in town. Knebworth will set you back £562,230, while St. Albans is pricier at £642,297, but the steep price tag is worth it. With the oldest pub in Britain on the lakeside (and more pubs per square mile than anywhere else), it’s got great shopping in its town centre, countless great schools, and it’s just a 20-minute train into St Pancras. The chocolate box village of Much Hadham (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Berkhamsted offers a smalltown life for a big price tag (£668,940) but walks along the canal, a very large Waitrose, and a quaint high street makes it a delightful place to bed down. The most expensive on the list is Much Hadham. You’ll need to cough up £706,136 to settle here, but this chocolate box village has bundles of character and a close knit community. If you enjoy polo, croquet, bowling, and tennis, you’ll fit right in in this close-knit community. At a glance: Rolling hills, vineyards and vibey coastal towns the ‘garden of England’ leaves you wanting for nothing. With rail links into London, it’s a world apart from life in the capital, but its foodie scene and outdoor lifestyle is very tempting. Kent has plenty of outdoor offerings to give you a break from the capital (Picture: Getty Images) Kent’s top places to live: Cranbrook (town) Faversham (town) Marden (village) Plaxtol (village) Ramsgate (town) Sevenoaks (town) Tunbridge Wells (town) Wye (village) All the villages and towns in Kent that made the list (Picture: Metro) The cheapest offering in this whole list, Ramsgate homes cost a respectable £273,419. It’s hard to believe, given that you have sandy beaches, a bustling marina and great independent shops on your doorstep. It may be cheap but the 75 minute commute into London is the real price you pay, although the town makes up for this with its excellent schools and maritime history. Faversham is more of an investment with house prices at £347,333, but it’s up and coming. A growing foodie scene with a 10,000 sqft Macknade food hall, serving local produce and pop-up foodie stalls, is a hit. The Royal Ramsgate Marina in Ramsgate (Picture: Getty Images) There’s countless nurseries and schools, making it a great place for young families, and a train to St Pancras takes an hour and 10 minutes. Wye (£481,139), Marden (£496,622), and Cranbrook (£504,710) are all in a similar price range, with Tunbridge Wells being slightly more expensive at £547,411 for a home. But it’s picture-perfect Plaxtol, with quaint streets, a village shop with its own coffee machine, and a country club, that has a steep £808,236 price tag. Sevenoaks High Street, England, with stores and restaurants (Picture: Getty Images) For all your weekly shop needs you’ll need to head to nearby towns, and the same goes for schools, but you’ll certainly lead a peaceful life. The priciest though, is Sevenoaks. Houses here cost £859,689 on average and are surrounded by countryside, yet it’s just 30 minutes into London. From gluten-free cafes to breweries and distilleries, there’s a fabulous foodie scene, as well as local festivals and open-air theatres. At a glance: With a reputation for Range Rover-driving ‘yummy mummies’ and footballer residents, Surrey is the well-to-do picturesque place former Londoners flock to. From market towns to breath-taking countryside, not to mention proximity to two airports, you truly have the best of everything. Surrey is popular with former Londoners (Picture: Getty Images) Surrey’s top places to live: Brockham (village) East Molesey (village) Farnham (town) Godalming (town) Haslemere (town) Oxted (town) Ripley (village) Weybridge (town) A map of Surrey shows where these towns and villages are in relation to London (Picture: Metro) A stunning historic market town on the River Wey, Godalming has a fabulous independent high street, and homes typically cost £563,071. With Guildford just four miles away, and an endless list of community events to get involved in or golf clubs to attend – it’s a winner. Farnham with its Georgian streets and Tudor buildings will cost you £610,905 if you’re looking to buy a home there, while Oxted (£659,917) has great schools and leisure centres at the foot of the North Downs. Haslemere is surrounded by National Trust countryside, with homes costing £676,189 on average, while Weybridge offers cosmopolitan living with a gated estate which is home to the rich and famous, and house prices are around £681,302. Farnham is a gorgeous place to retreat from London life (Picture: Getty Images) The small village of Brockham has £733,153 postcard homes, a local green with a stunning church, and a convenience store and butchers. Did we mention the walks over Box Hill? You’ll need to drive to Dorking station to get to Waterloo, though. If you thought Ripley was expensive with an average house price of £785,229, then East Molesey will make you spit out your tea. At £972,891, homes here sit right near the famous Hampton Court Palace and Bushy Park. Right on the Thames, getting into London takes just 40 minutes, and on your days off you can indulge in the boutiques, cafes, restaurants, while taking in the copious amounts of Tudor history that surround you. 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