A Kent town has been named as the best place to live in the south east.

The Sunday Times newspaper has compiled its annual list of the prime spots across the country and, having been selected as one of the best places in the region in 2021, its judging panel have given Sevenoaks the top award in the region this year.

Judges behind the Best Places to Live guide - published online today and due to be in Sunday’s paper - assessed a wide range of factors, from schools, transport and broadband to culture, green spaces and the health of the high street.

They aim to celebrate improving towns, villages or city centres, with well-designed homes and locations with community spirit – which the Covid pandemic has shown to be vital.

Sevenoaks, where the average sale price of a home has risen to £685,500, a growth of 7% from 2020, is praised for “the combination of convenient commutability, top-class schools and an abundance of greenery”.

For the second successive year, Sevenoaks Bookshop is singled out for praise. The shop on the High Street last year won a host of awards, including being named UK and Ireland Independent Bookshop of the Year at British Book Awards and south east of England Independent Bookshop of the Year at the same awards.

Popular attractions in the Sevenoaks area include Knole Park, Emmetts Garden, Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, Ightham Mote manor house and Bradbourne Lake Park.

Sevenoaks was not the only Kent town to make the list in the south east, with Deal also featuring.

Popular attractions in Deal include the town's beach and the Pier, Deal Castle, Deal Museum and Betteshanger Park.

There, the average price of a home is just £363,000 - almost half the price of average house prices in Sevenoaks. In total, 70 locations were included nationwide.

Among those living in Deal are people termed as "DFLs" - which stands for Down From London and is the token term given to a person who's moved out of the city to live in southern England - although while most people using it may not intend to cause offence, some former London residents in the area say they find it insulting.

Last month, Stephen Snow, 72, told KentOnline: "It's an insult and I take it personally, when actually those that move here bring a lot with them."

Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times property editor, said: “The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective. Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place.

“For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling.

“Is the pub dog-friendly, for example? Can you live car-free? What are the schools and houses like? Is it multicultural and multi-generational, and can it offer a good way of life to lots of different sorts of people?

“Ten years ago, when we launched the inaugural list, London’s gravitational pull was strong, the WFH (work from home) revolution had not yet reached our doorstep and high streets were stacked with chains.

“How times have changed - and how welcome that change is.

“This year, we have discovered new best places to live from resurgent city centres in the North, rejuvenated suburbs across the country, hidden villages in the Southwest, and a commutable Scottish island.

“We hope there is something to suit everyone.”

The news comes as sponsors of the guide, Halifax, released its March 2022 house price index.

Nationwide the average house price has risen to £282,753 while the south east of England recorded a big increase, with house price growth at 11.6% and an average price of £385,790.

To see what the judges thought of all the towns in The Sunday Times Best Places to Live, click here.