Why pretty market town named best place to live in Derbyshire by Sunday Times Guide 2025 deserves crown
Wirksworth, Derbyshire has been named the best place to live in Derbyshire. Discover why I consider it a 'hidden gem' and what makes it a top destination.
Derbyshire is one of the UK’s beautiful counties. As a resident of Derby who is frequently out and about in Derbyshire, I am not surprised it continues to rack up awards to fill its bulging trophy cabinet.
The latest win for Derbyshire is thanks to Wirksworth.
The pretty market town is just 15 miles and a 30-minute drive away from Derby city centre.
Wirksworth has been named as the best place to live in Derbyshire, by The Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2025 guide.
To compile the 72-strong list, judges took into consideration factors based on infrastructure, community and culture including schools, house prices, transport, high street health and more.
The guide covers Britain and Wirksworth was named the jewel of Derbyshire crowned Best Place to Live 2025.
What is so special about Wirksworth, Derbyshire?
I find the pretty-as-a-picture market town, a hidden gem if you will, is a fabulous place to relax, shop and while the afternoon away.
It is easy to get to, but the main draw for me is the vibe.
It has a chilled out personality that is welcoming and immediately puts you at ease.
When I visited Wirksworth for the town’s annual book festival, I immediately fell in love with the place.
I think Wirksworth’s accolade is very well deserved as it celebrates community spirit and culture to create an atmosphere that has elevated it to my top places to visit in Derbyshire.
As a fan of books and writing, I loved the book festival that platformed local talent and gave them a chance to shine in the heart of the market town, one spring weekend.
There is more than a quaint bookish community in Wirksworth, cobblestone streets lead onto a thriving independent business area with inviting cafés where you can people-watch and enjoy the world go by.
I think the pace of life is one of the things that I love about Wirksworth.
It is relaxing yet buzzy, and I think its location, which is near the breath-taking Peak District, means it is also an ace tourist hotspot.
Why not base a staycation at the infamous Old Lockup?
The 19th century magistrate’s court and former police station is now an intriguing guest house and hotel.
Wirksworth is a charming place for a day out and staycation.
If a place feels like home - which it does - I think it truly deserves The Sunday Times’ accolade of being the best place to live in Derbyshire.
In case you were curious about other top places rated by The Sunday Times, here is the full list in alphabetical order.
Best places to live in the UK according to The Sunday Times 2025 guide
Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross
Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Ashburton, Devon
Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
Bloomsbury, London
Broughton, Hampshire
Chelmsford, Essex (regional winner, east of England)
Chew Valley, Somerset (regional winner, southwest of England)
Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
Crickhowell, Powys
Cullen, Moray
Dundrum, County Down (regional winner, Northern Ireland)
Easingwold, North Yorkshire
East Dulwich, London
East Neuk, Fife
Eccleshall, Staffordshire
Farnham, Surrey
Gower Peninsula, Swansea
Harborne, Birmingham
Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
Holywood, County Down
Hove, East Sussex
Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Ilmington, Warwickshire
Isle of Tiree, Inner Hebrides
Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
Knutsford, Cheshire
Horsforth, Leeds
Hotwells and Clifton Wood, Bristol
Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire
Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Malpas, Cheshire
Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Milngavie, East Dumbartonshire
Morpeth, Northumberland
Mossley, Greater Manchester
North Berwick, East Lothian
Norwich, Norfolk
Oakham, Rutland
Parbold, Lancashire
Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
Penryn, Cornwall
Petersfield, Hampshire
Portstewart, County Londonderry
Presteigne, Powys
Reading, Berkshire
Reepham, Norfolk
Rhiwbina, Cardiff
Ripon, North Yorkshire
Saffron Walden, Essex
Sevenoaks, Kent
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Sherborne, Dorset
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Southbourne, Dorset
Stockbridge, Edinburgh
Stoke Newington, London
Strathbungo, Glasgow
Telegraph Hill, London
Thame, Oxfordshire
The Heatons, Greater Manchester
The Shelfords, Greater Manchester
Twickenham, London
Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear
Vale of Clwyd, Denbighshire
Walthamstow, London
Wembley, London
Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Wivenhoe, Essex
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Woolton, Liverpool