Wiltshire offers historic cities, handsome market towns and postcard villages—plus quick access to Bath, Bristol, the Cotswolds and the South Coast. House prices remain below many neighbouring hotspots yet have risen year-on-year in 2025 (see figures below). If you’re comparing the best places to live in Wiltshire, here’s where to start.
2025 at a glance (facts & figures)
- Average house price (Wiltshire, May 2025): £334,000 (provisional, ONS). That’s up from £312,000 in May 2024—around +7.0% YoY.
- UK-wide prices in May 2025 were ~£269,000 (provisional), showing Wiltshire tracks above the national average.
- Planning & growth: Wiltshire’s emerging Local Plan and 2025 Local Development Scheme outline where future housing, infrastructure and employment land are headed. Expect village/market-town growth focussed on sustainability and flood resilience.
ONS House Price Index – July 2025 release (covers May 2025 prices and methods).
For families: space, schools, parks
Salisbury (Harnham, Laverstock, Bishopdown)
Why it’s one of the best places to live in Wiltshire for families: walkable neighbourhoods, city-centre culture, the Cathedral Close, and improving flood resilience/public realm via Salisbury River Park—a major scheme nearing/at completion in 2025 that opens green corridors, boardwalks and pocket parks.
Future plans: The River Park sits at the heart of Salisbury’s Central Area Framework—expect ongoing public realm and climate-adaptation benefits.
Chippenham (Monkton Park, Pewsham, Cepen Park)
Rail to Bath/Bristol/London, riverside parks and solid schooling make Chippenham a perennial “best places to live in Wiltshire” contender. Neighbourhood Plan policies (made in 2024) now shape local growth/design.
Future plans: The long-running Future Chippenham proposals continue to influence where housing and road capacity could go next (southern-only scheme discussion; check council updates when moving).
Marlborough (town + villages such as Ramsbury/Mildenhall)
Great state/independent schooling options nearby and a lively High Street. Consistently cited in lifestyle round-ups of the best places to live in Wiltshire.
Future plans: The Marlborough Area Neighbourhood Plan is progressing, guiding local development and amenities.
Devizes (plus nearby villages)
Handsome market town, canal walks, festivals and family amenities.
Future plans: The much-talked-about Devizes Gateway station remains under active discussion—recent work suggests a standalone station is poor value unless delivered as part of a wider county rail upgrade; the council/town still lobby for better connectivity.
For professional couples: character, commute, café culture
Bradford-on-Avon
Stone cottages, indie shops and the River Avon make it one of the best places to live in Wiltshire for lifestyle and WFH.
Future plans: After reassessment in 2025, a large permanent flood scheme is deemed unviable for now—so the focus shifts to property-level flood resilience and community measures; a neighbourhood plan review is also underway.
Corsham
Honeyed stone streets, arts scene and MOD/tech employment. The Spring Park Ark Data Centres campus underpins a growing digital ecosystem; expansion proposals continue to appear in planning news.
Why it’s among the best places to live in Wiltshire: quick access to Bath, characterful housing, and strong employers.
Affordable period terraces and rail to Bath/Bristol.
Future plans: Future High Streets Fund projects (Town Hall restoration, safer streets, public-realm upgrades) are completing in phases through 2025, with final works currently wrapping up.
For retirees: walkability, healthcare access, quiet
Warminster & villages (e.g., Sutton Veny)
Close to Salisbury Plain and Longleat for green space; good road links for hospital access (Salisbury/Bath).
Pewsey Vale villages (Pewsey, Upavon, Woodborough)
Slower pace, big skies and Kennet & Avon Canal walks—often highlighted when people shortlist the best places to live in Wiltshire for retirement.
Malmesbury & surrounding
Historic core, riverside trails and market-town amenities—popular for downsizers seeking character homes without losing convenience. (Frequently named in “best places” round-ups.)
Big county-wide issues to watch (2025+)
- Local Plan review & delivery: The 2025 Local Development Scheme and associated documents set the timetable for Wiltshire’s emerging Local Plan—covering housing numbers, infrastructure and environmental policies into the late 2020s. For movers comparing the best places to live in Wiltshire, this shapes where new estates, schools and roads are likely.
- National infrastructure: A303/Stonehenge remains a live planning/policy story—local safeguards and guidance continue evolving. Always check the latest before buying near key corridors.
Typical buyer profiles & price notes (mid-2025)
- Families lean to 3–4-bed semis/detached in Salisbury, Chippenham, Marlborough and Devizes, where school catchments and parks are strong.
- Professional couples often target Bradford-on-Avon, Corsham and Trowbridge for heritage, cafés and commutability.
- Retirees favour quiet, walkable market towns/villages with healthcare access (Malmesbury, Pewsey Vale, Warminster).
- Budget sense-check: Wiltshire’s average (£334k, May 2025) sits above the UK average; hotspots (Bradford-on-Avon, Marlborough cottages, Corsham period homes) command premiums typical of the best places to live in Wiltshire.
Moving to one of the best places to live in Wiltshire?
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