Six great things about living in York
Ever wondered what it’s like living in York? If you’re considering a move to the northern city, we say – do it. It’s a place that’s full of history, culture, and a short distance from some of the country’s most beautiful countryside. Here are our six favourite things about living in York.
One of the biggest pros of York as a City is its size. When compared to the city of London, coming in at 1,572km2, York is a tiny 272km2. In terms of population density, it’s only 687/km2 compared to London’s 1,510/km2 - meaning it’s lively enough without table reservations and overcrowding on public transport being an issue!
The size of York means can easily walk to most of the city’s districts and neighbourhoods, without too much effort required. If you want to venture further afield, the transport options are excellent. The York Travel website outlines walking routes, cycle routes and bus timetables, as well as the latest updates on the completed e-scooter trial that ended last year.
Leeds International Airport is also only 50 minutes from York City Centre, and reachable by bus, so the rest of the world is within easy reach as well.
Stepping outside of the historic city takes you to rolling green hills and quaint villages that are desperate to be explored.
If you’re looking for a day outdoors, we recommend visiting Thornton-le-Dale. Little thatched cottages, a freshwater stream and the nearby Dalby Forest offer up plenty opportunity for adventure. There’s also a quaint chocolate factory for your mid-afternoon refreshment.
If wandering through independent shops followed by an exceptional English Sunday roast are more your thing, we say go to Middleham. More of a town than a village, it has its own castle, a market and ample choice of traditional pubs serving up well-crafted, traditional fayre.
Is York a friendly city, we hear you ask? The North of England has long been known for its hospitality and its people. You could argue that the friendliness of its inhabitants is what it’s most famous for. And it’s not without evidence. York itself has been voted amongst the friendliest cities in the UK, and once or twice in the world, on numerous occasions. With kindness and strong relationships being key to our day-to-day happiness, this surely should be a weighty consideration when deciding where to live.
York has shown, fairly consistently, some of the lowest unemployment levels in the UK. Whilst tourism plays a huge part in this, it’s a city that also employs high numbers in the arts, research (agricultural and industrial biotech), rail and agriculture.
These continuous high levels of employment, in turn, make York a more vibrant, safe and healthy city for all who live there.
The city of York dates back to the year 76AD, making it one of the UK’s oldest documented cities. This fact alone brings with it a range of rich, cultural opportunities – castles, museums, the city walls, and historic sites – they’re all within easy reach from the city centre.
But perhaps one of the jewels in York’s crown is its food scene. Known for its abundance of independent restaurants and quality dining experiences, York is full to the brim with choice. Bars, restaurants, brunch spots and Michelin star dining: the city has it all. And what’s more – it’s widely regarded as being far more reasonable than other cities like London. We’ve rounded up some of the best options here.
In 2020, national crime statistics (listed by crimes per 1,000 population) showed that York was the safest city or town in England and Wales. That’s a huge achievement, fresh off the back of being voted the safest city in the world by short break tourists in 2015. The survey, carried out by Post Office Travel Insurance, voted the northern city as the safest in the world, showing that it’s not just its residents that feel safe walking the streets.
You’ll find the streets in York well-lit in the evening, most areas well-populated and availability of taxis and public transport fairly abundant. Everything you need to feel safe in your city.
So, in answer to the question - what’s it like living in York – we hope we’ve given you a flavour of the city. The Lendlease development, Hungate, is a collection of premium apartments and homes located moments from York’s key sites, like the Shambles and the Universities. If you’d like to find out more about our next phase which launches later this year, visit the Hungate development page.