Located in the county of Hertfordshire, Harpenden offers would-be homeowners a quieter place to live whilst being within half an hour of the city by Thameslink train.
The town is best known for its sprawling green measuring at 238 acres, making it bigger than Hyde Park, along with its links to famous poets and straw hat making.
The Hertfordshire town was recently hailed by The Telegraph as the UK’s most desirable place to live, ahead of Cobham in Surrey, due to its strong quality of life, excellent transport links and village-like atmosphere.
Working in conjunction with Savills, the list was comprised using data that analysed places across the country using a wide range of social, economic and lifestyle factors.
The list was made up from factors such as the proportion of residents in professional and managerial roles, levels of educational attainment, overall health, access to amenities and transport connections.
Harpenden stood out as the overall winner, with experts highlighting its highly educated population, excellent road and rail links, and the balance it strikes between countryside living and being close to the city.
According to the list, Harpenden’s appeal lies in its combination of village charm and modern living with its leisure facilities, pubs and transport links.
The town’s road links were also highlighted, with easy access to both the M1 and A1 providing connections to London and the Midlands.
Harpenden’s history stretches back to pre-Roman times when the area was used for agricultural purposes, while Roman artefacts and remains have been discovered nearby, including at Rothamsted.
But the town has also became famous for its links with writers.
An area of the town known locally as Poets’ Corner features roads named after some of England’s most famous writers, including Shakespeare, Byron, Wordsworth, Tennyson and Kipling.
Several notable literary and artistic figures have lived in or passed through Harpenden over the year’s including poet Ralph Chubb, artist John Keane and comedian Eric Morecambe.
Today the town is home to a mix of historic buildings dating back to the 13th century, with its St Nicholas’ Church being an example of one of its oldest buildings dating back to this period.
For centuries, the area remained largely rural, but the emergence of the railway in the 19th century changed that by opening a rail link between Harpenden and London, making the area become a lot more desirable to live for city-goers.
One of Harpenden’s most distinctive features is the sheer amount of green space surrounding and cutting through the town.
Harpenden Common, which stretches for more than a mile south of the town centre, covers 238 acres – bigger than London’s Hyde Park.
Awarded a Green Flag for its quality, the common plays host to a range of leisure activites from cricket clubs, a golf course, walking routes and open grassland.
The common is also home to one of the largest free classic car events in Europe – Classics on the Common.
Held each summer, the event attracts more than 10,000 visitors and around 1,300 vehicles every year, with everything from vintage sports cars to rare American models on display.
Organised by Rotary in Harpenden, the event transforms the common into a huge open-air exhibition and has become a major fixture in the town’s calendar and raises money for charity.
The Nickey line, a former railway route turned walking and cycling path, links Harpenden with neighbouring towns, while nearby Nomansland Common offers even more countryside views and wildlife.
Each summer, the Harpenden Lions Highland Gathering takes over Rothamsted Park, attracting thousands of visitors and claiming to be the largest event of its kind outside Scotland.
But the town also has its fair share of cultural fixes including the Eric Morecambe Centre, a modern performance venue hosting everything from live music and comedy to theatre.
Harpenden’s food and drink scene was another reason it impressed the judges, with the town being home to a plethora of pubs, restaurants and cafes.
One example is The Silver Cup; listed in the Michelin Guide, this restaurant on the edges of the common has received multiple awards for its modern British cuisine.
There are historic pubs such as the Cross Keys, known for its rare pewter bar and listed interior, and The Old Cock Inn, which also offers boutique accommodation.
Harpenden Museum offers insight into the town’s past, from early settlement through to its role as a commuter hub.
According to data from Savills, the average house price reached around £950,000 in the year to August 2025, an increase compared with the previous year.
