'Wouldn't live anywhere else': The 14 best places to live in the North East with good value family homes

Garrington Property Finders have rated 1,447 towns, cities across England and Wales on five criteria to provide an overall ranking of the best places to live in 2026.

According to its findings, Marple, in Greater Manchester, is the best place to live nationally, while Whickham, in Tyne and Wear, is the best place in the North East.

But when it comes to the places offering the best quality and best value family houses, Killingworth, in North Tyneside tops the table in the North East and is fifth best nationally.

Killingworth is just 20 minutes by car and half an hour by public transport from Newcastle city centre. It boasts good schools, plenty of amenities, a strong community feel and pretty open spaces, incuding the picturesque Killingworth Lakes.

One person called it a ‘lovely place to live’, adding that they had been there all their lives and would ‘not be leaving until they carry me out in that big wooden box’.

Another person described it as a ‘great family place to live’, while a third said: “I've lived here for 31 years, and my kids grew up here. I wouldn't live anywhere else.”

The average family house in Killingworth costs £312,060, according to Garrington, having soared by nearly 20% in the last year.

Killingworth is one of five places in the North East ranked in the top 20 nationally for house price, quality and value.

Below are the 14 best places to live in the North East when it comes to the quality and value of family houses. They are listed in reverse order, with the best last.

If you’re after more North East property news, you might be interested in this article about the areas within the region where house prices are rising fastest.