South Essex towns and village best places to live in UK

Muddy Stilettos' curated top 260 best places to live in 2024, with areas ranked by counties, has been revealed.

Among the best places to live in Essex, Leigh ranked third, Stock ranked fourth and Brentwood ranked ninth.

Here is why each are among England's loveliest villages, towns and cities, according to Muddy Stilettos.

Leigh

Lovely Leigh - the Old Town (Image: Marie Gofted)

Trendy Leigh has made the list for the second year running thanks to its small-town seaside charm and buzzy café culture.

Muddy explains: "Chic coffee houses, cool bars and a beach lined with pretty cockle sheds: meet Leigh, Southend’s smaller, trendier sister. Home to a steady stream of relocating Londoners, it blends small-town seaside charm with hip hospitality offerings. There’s even an artisan vegan-friendly gelato house – you won’t get more Shoreditch-in-Essex than that!"

GP surgeries "in abundance" was one of the reasons for Leigh coming out on top, as well as the town being a haven of quirky independent businesses with shops in The Broadway, Broadway West and Leigh Road.

The Crooked Billet, The Peterboat, The Sand Bar and The Boatyard all got a special mention among the places to grab a bite in town.

Stock

Open space - Swan Wood in Stock (Image: Barbara Abbott)

A lesser-known village between Billericay and Chelmsford, Stock is described as "pretty special" with an "iconic" windmill, posh spa hotel, award-winning florist and gourmet pubs listed among the village's gems.

It says: "With an exclusive village vibe, Stock is pretty special. It’s got all the necessaries, like a primary school and hot property, but with enviable extras, such as gorgeous gastro pubs and a fabulous red brick windmill. It’s also close to Chelmsford, Ingatestone and Billericay, with their great transport links, shops and schools."

Downham Hall got a shout out as the Muddy Stilettos' 2024 best boutique stay winner, award-winning The Hoop is highlighted as an "upmarket" gastropub and shoppers are urged to head to the multi award-winning Stock Florist for the freshest of flowers. 

Brentwood

Blend of town and country - Weald Country Park in Brentwood (Image: Deb Gardner)

With its speedy connections to London, buzzing high street and stunning green spaces, the magazine describes Brentwood as "on the up".

The website explains: "It may be TOWIE heartland, but don’t let that put you off. This sprawling, leafy suburb of a town is the perfect blend of town and country. It’s also commuter catnip with the spinky spanky new Elizabeth Line making the daily shlep into Paddington or Liverpool Street a little more bearable."

The town is hailed for its mix of chains as well as indie retailers including Chicken and Frog, Hey Joe Music and Coffee and French Quarter. In terms of attractions, Muddy says Thorndon and Weald country parks offer acres of green space for picnics and walks, while Old MacDonald’s Farm is a "perfect day out for little ones".

In terms of places to eat, family-run trattoria Tarantino, Felix, Alec’s, The Brentwood Kitchen and The Fat Turk all get a special mention.