Farnham has been named among the UK’s best places to live for 2027.

The Surrey market town was included in Muddy Stilettos’ list of the UK’s Top 260 Best Places to Live, published in late October.

Published annually, the guide picks out the best places to live in each county and looks at what they offer, from schools, commuting and house prices to where to eat, shop and spend a weekend.

Farnham is one of eight places in Surrey to make the list, alongside nearby Godalming and Haslemere, as well as Guildford, Esher, Oxted, Ripley and Walton-on-Thames.

Why Farnham made the list

The guide says Farnham is “known for its picturesque Georgian streets, handsome Tudor and Georgian stone buildings and easy access to the rolling hills of Surrey”.

“This historic market town has much to offer,” it adds, with a high street “laden with independents” and “a burgeoning arts scene”.

It calls Farnham “a popular place to live for young professionals and families, especially those looking to escape the big smoke for a rural idyll”.

The Third Monkey was “crowned Best Restaurant in Surrey at the 2026 Muddy Awards”, the guide notes, and The Wine Yard in Lion and Lamb Yard was its Best Bar winner.

The long red-brick buildings of Farnham Maltings beside the River Wey, with a riverside path
Farnham Maltings and the River Wey. Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph

Farnham Maltings is “at the heart of it all”, according to the guide, hosting theatre, workshops, markets and festivals.

It describes Farnham as “a town that’s all about community”, from the autumn Farnham Food and Drink Festival to the Christmas lights switch-on.

“Not many towns have their own castle,” the guide says of Farnham Castle, built in 1138 by a grandson of William the Conqueror.

The ruined flint and brick walls of the keep at Farnham Castle, with a wooden stair up the grassy mound
The keep at Farnham Castle. Photo: Lewis Hulbert, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It points to Farnham Park, a medieval deer park “with ancient oaks and a magnificent kilometre-long avenue of trees”, and to Alice Holt Forest and Birdworld for days out.

For its “best kept secret”, the guide turns to JM Barrie, who “spent eight summers at Black Lake Cottage near Tilford”, where visits from the Llewelyn Davies boys helped inspire Peter Pan.

How much it costs to live in Farnham

The average house in Farnham sold for £622,292 in the past year, according to the guide.

Most homes sold were detached, at an average of £944,000, it says, while semis averaged £557,000 and terraced homes £426,000.

The fastest direct trains to London Waterloo take 52 minutes, and the guide calls the town “a very workable London base”.

What do you think makes Farnham a good place to live? Tell us in the comments.