York not ranked in top 50 towns and small cities by Savills

The Telegraph commissioned estate agents Savills to conduct research to determine the top 50 small cities and towns in England and Wales.

The estate agents used data from the 2021 census and Land Registry to allow them to rank the towns, with Harpenden, in Hertfordshire, coming in at first place.

But Savills did not find York to be in the top 50.

Read Next:

• New Italian restaurant set to open at York landmark
• York: 'Charming' Aldwark apartment on the market for £610,000
• York jewellers closes after 77 years - but will reopen with new owners

The Press questioned why York wasn’t included in the list, with it often being ranked highly in similar research findings. In fact, no towns in North Yorkshire were included at all.

We wondered if York was perhaps a touch too big to be included as a small city, with a population of around 202,000 according to the 2021 Census.

However, a Savills spokesperson explained to The Press: "Essentially, the rankings weren’t based on size at all, and were compiled on socio-economic, educational and health profiles of residents (from the 2021 Census) and then how house prices compare to other towns/cities in the same region.

"Apparently, on the basis of the parameters used it tends to favour smaller towns and cities and those close to London."

These included the proportion of residents in managerial careers, their level of qualifications, their health, and property prices.

In the Telegraph, Lucian Cook, head of residential research for Savills, said: “It’s worth noting that these locations are not second-home hotspots. 

“They are aspirational, ­affluent places that attract incoming wealth with good schools and a strong quality of housing stock where residents are economically active who are building up their property and personal wealth.” 

Savills top 50 small cities and towns in England and Wales (Image: Savills)

Out of the top 50 list, 28 of the towns and small cities were located in the South East, and just one, being Bath, in the south west.

A further eight were in the East of England, and two in the East and West Midlands, and Penarth was the only Welsh settlement sitting just outside the top 50 at number 51.

However, eight of these were found to be in the North West.

This left just two in Yorkshire, both being in West Yorkshire, and just one in the North East – Ponteland in Northumberland.

The Savills spokesperson added: “However, research has said that if we were to look at top towns across Yorkshire and the Humber alone, the top 10 would go:

•            Ilkley

•            Horsforth

•            Guiseley

•            Wetherby

•            Harrogate

•            Brough

•            Holmfirth

•            Knaresborough

•            York

•            Otley.”

Ilkley and Horsforth were the two West Yorkshire towns that made the top 50 list, at the 33rd and 42nd places respectively.