So you want to move to Nottingham? Excellent choice. But the big question is, where should you live? Fortunately, you have a variety of options, each with unique benefits. In this post, we’ll break down some of the best areas in Nottingham to live for your needs.
Sherwood: Best for families
While many areas in Nottingham suit family life, Sherwood is our pick because it offers an affordable, safe and friendly place for families to live in Nottingham. The namesake of Nottinghamshire’s famous forest, Sherwood is barely a mile north of the city centre.
Residents commonly describe Sherwood as a pleasant and quiet area with a welcoming vibe. It wasn’t commonly thought of as one of Nottingham’s most interesting areas. But that’s all changed in recent years. Locals rave about the Indian street food at Rikshaw, the Crimson Tree’s home-cooked menu and Rakki Rakkas’ Turkish flavours. There are many more unique places for food and drink as well as all the essential amenities. For fitness lovers living in Sherwood, there’s The Gym, a high-rated and affordable gym that’s open 24 hours a day. You’ll also find several places of worship and the Nottingham City Hospital close by.
There are many primary schools in the area as well as two secondary schools, Nottingham Academy and Nottingham Free School. The latter was awarded a Good rating by Ofsted this year. The Sherwood Community Centre offers a variety of daytime and evening activities for children and adults. Within a 5-10 minute walk down Mansfield Road is the Forest Recreation Ground which is also popular with families and hosts outdoor sports, fairs and play areas.
The average price for a property in Sherwood is £235,879 in 2023. Terraced houses are the cheapest on average at £183,325, with detached properties costing £404,836.
Although we’ve chosen Sherwood as the best place for families due to its all-around appeal, we’d be remiss not to mention Wollaton as another great location. It’s the place to live if your priority is to live close to an excellent school. Local Bluecoat Wollaton Academy is rated Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted. Snobe.co.uk ranks it as the best school in Nottingham and the best Church of England school in Nottinghamshire. Wollaton is less affordable than Sherwood, though, with an average property price of £357,301 over the last 12 months.
West Bridgford is also worth a mention as a great place to raise a family. Considered one of the safest areas in Nottingham, West Bridgford has excellent schools and many green spaces. It doesn’t have the trendiness of other areas, so it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. And as a popular area with a big reputation, prices are much higher than the Nottingham average. Rightmove has the average house price at £396,420 in the last year.
Lace Market: Best for a city lifestyle
The Lace Market in Nottingham city centre is known for its distinctive look and historic feel. It was once an indispensable part of the British Empire’s lace industry. But beyond its red-brick Victorian aesthetics, its location makes it ideal for city life. Everything Nottingham has to offer is on the doorstep of the Lace Market. Transport links are plentiful, with the train station just a 5-minute walk away and bus and tram stops sitting close by. Local favourites Annie’s Burger Shack are Happy Dough Lucky mere steps away, in addition to other fantastic eateries. All the unique shops of Hockley are also right around the corner.
Young professionals or anyone looking for somewhere to live in the city centre could do much worse than the Lace Market. Although it’s sometimes noisy at night, it’s a safe area with charm and history. In 2023, properties in the Lace Market had an average price of £151,511, most of which were flats. Rent costs in the Lace Market vary, but the average is about £900-£1000pcm.
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Dunkirk & Arboretum: Best for students
Students are arguably the backbone of Nottingham’s impressive economy. With over 60,000 students setting up camp in the land of Robin Hood, their presence is certainly felt. When it comes to housing, students usually keep themselves to a select few pockets of the city. If you’d like to live in private accommodation rather than in university halls, here are two places we’d recommend.
For Nottingham Trent University students, Arboretum is the pick of the bunch. It’s just a few minutes walk to the student union and the city campus. There’s a real buzz here and the sense that there’s always something going on. It’s definitely the place to be for Trent students.
If you’re a student with an eye on the University of Nottingham, Dunkirk should be your top pick. More of a student bubble than Lenton, Dunkirk has the big benefit of being just a few minutes away from the main campus.
Rent for students in both areas can vary anywhere from £50 to £200+ per week for students. It’s always best to thoroughly research what’s on the market and try to arrange your accommodation well in advance. You’ll find everything from one-bedroom apartments to 6-bedroom shared houses in Dunkirk and Arboretum.
Beeston: Best for commuters
Beeston always tops lists as one the best places to live in Nottingham because it’s got just about everything. Even though it’s a town in its own right, many people see Beeston as a part of Nottingham due to its short 3 ½ miles distance to the city centre. The large suburb still has its own distinctive character and feel and is more relaxed than the frantic city centre.
Overall, it’s a town that suits all types of people. Families and retirees but particularly those who need to commute to work. This is thanks to Beeston’s easy access to the M1 and its railway station. The latter links up nicely with Leicester, London and Birmingham. Beeston also has a wide variety of cycle paths and makes full use of Nottingham City’s Transport’s excellent bus network. Buses run throughout the night, and most bus stops feature live electronic timetables.
When it comes to house prices, Beeston properties have an average price of £301,267, according to Rightmove. It makes it one of the more expensive areas in Nottingham but still lower than in-demand suburbs like Wollaton and West Bridgford. Of course, there are bargains to be had anywhere. With a little bit of luck, you could snatch up your ideal Beeston property for less than you expected to pay.
