The UK’s Top 20 Greenest Cities Revealed – Edinburgh Takes the Crown

• Edinburgh named the UK’s most eco-friendly city, with Brighton and Bristol close behind.
• Sheffield ranks 4th in the country for the most sustainable place to live, swapping its coal and steel heritage for EVs and solar panels.
• Nottingham, Newcastle and Belfast take the bottom spots as the UK’s least sustainable cities.

Brits are more eco-conscious than ever, and where you live can make all the difference. Clean energy solutions experts, egg, reveal the ‘UK’s Most Sustainable City’ ranking — looking at everything from air quality and green spaces, to solar power adoption and EV charging. The ranking also compared the average house prices, to see whether living in a more sustainable city comes at a cost.

The top 20 most sustainable cities in the UK to live in:

1. Edinburgh
2. Brighton
3. Bristol
4. Sheffield
5. Cambridge
6. Oxford
7. Reading
8. Swansea
9. Norwich
10. Coventry
11. Cardiff
12. Plymouth
13. London
14. Birmingham
15. Manchester
16. Leeds
17. Glasgow
18. Newcastle
19. Nottingham
20. Belfast

Edinburgh secured the top spot as the most eco-friendly place to live, scoring best for its overall air quality and the amount of green spaces available in the city. House prices in Edinburgh only rose by 1% in the last year, compared to the UK average of 1.9%, making it an attractive move for those looking to live in a more sustainable city.

Seaside hotspot Brighton takes second place, thanks to its low levels of pollution and over 400 electric vehicle charging points. However, Brighton’s green street cred comes at a cost, with the average house price in Brighton being nearly 63% more than the UK average.

Gavin Morse, energy expert at egg, said, “The ranking identifies that sustainability has become a significant factor in property decisions. The egg ‘UK’s Most Sustainable City’ ranking highlights the cities best positioned to support the UK's green ambitions while balancing affordability and sustainability. With the government's ongoing push towards net zero targets, cities that invest in clean energy, sustainable transport, and carbon-neutral developments are not only benefiting the environment but also attracting more interest from future-focused homeowners”.

Coming in at number 20 is Belfast. Despite seeing the biggest increase in property prices at 6.9%, Belfast ranks as number 20 for its air quality, green spaces, and the amount of solar power generated by residents.

Of the cities ranked, Cambridge and Plymouth are currently the biggest adopters of solar power, with residents creating a combined total of over 50 megawatts of solar power: enough to power 7 football stadiums.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in the ranking is Sheffield’s position. Coming in at a respectable 4th place, Sheffield is swapping its coal and steel production heritage for EV charging stations and solar panels, while offering low house prices.

Sources of Data:

*Top 20 Urban Areas in England ranked by ONS population data

• Air Quality: UK Air Quality Index, DEFRA
• Green Spaces: Ordnance Survey (OS) - Green Spaces Data
• EV Charging Stations: Zap-Map and Charge Map
• Solar Panel Power: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero - Solar PV Deployment Data
• House prices: Zoopla House Price Index: February 2025