5 best places to live in Milton Keynes

Roughly halfway between London and Birmingham, Milton Keynes is one of England’s best-connected towns. In this round-up of its top-rated new developments, we’ll take you through some of the best places to live in Milton Keynes. Discover what makes it such a draw for newcomers, and what makes them stay.

Milton Keynes occupies a growing segment of North Buckinghamshire. The founding site was designated in 1967 as part of the third wave of planned ‘new towns’. The goal was for Milton Keynes to grow to a population of 250,000, which it reached in 2011. Now it’s the fastest growing town in England, and that figure is set to double to over half a million by 2050.

5 Best places to live in Milton Keynes

The following are the top-rated new homes developments in Milton Keynes. These rankings are based purely on the verified ratings given on HomeViews by genuine residents of those developments. If you want to know more, click on any development to view its dedicated page.

*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how many reviews a scheme has and how recently those reviews have been submitted, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. Buildings with a larger number of more recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance.

1. The Almere, MK9

Native
4.90 (103 reviews) 4.90 (103 reviews)
Area guide to Milton Keynes
Image of The Almere, MK9

Still at number one after several years in the rankings, and located at the heart of Milton Keynes, The Almere is a development that comprises one, two and three-bedroom rental luxury apartments, with on-site customer and maintenance services and a relaxed communal lounge. The apartments are a 12-minute walk to Milton Keynes Train Station, with trains direct to the capital and other UK hotspots. The Almere is also a pet-friendly development.

Read reviews and details of The Almere, MK9

2. Solstice Apartments, MK9

Grainger
4.50 (38 reviews) 4.50 (38 reviews)
Area guide to Milton Keynes
Image of Solstice Apartments, MK9

Our second spot for the best places to live in Milton Keynes is Solstice Apartments, by Grainger. Residents here give the development top marks across the board for its facilities, location, design management and value for money. All properties benefit from on-site management, a 24-hour fitness area, residents’ lounge and a rooftop terrace. Solstice Apartments is also within easy walking distance of the dining, cultural and shopping attractions of central Milton Keynes.

Read reviews and details of Solstice Apartments, MK9

3. Shakespeare Park, MK4

Taylor Wimpey
4.40 (14 reviews) 4.40 (14 reviews)
Area guide to Milton Keynes
Image of Shakespeare Park, MK4

In third, Shakespeare Park by Taylor Wimpey is located in Kingsmead, to the southwest of Milton Keynes. The development has a collection of high standard two-bedroom apartments and three to four-bedroom houses. As well as offering a range of sizes, all properties have well-thought-out designs that are bright and open. In addition, residents benefit from a variety of local amenities and nearby transport links, creating a community for young professionals and growing families.

Read reviews and details of Shakespeare Park, MK4

4. Enigma Square, MK9

Grainger
4.59 (9 reviews) 4.59 (9 reviews)
Area guide to Milton Keynes

Taking fourth is Enigma Square, a rental-only development with brand-new apartments fitted with stylish interiors, integrated white goods and excellent storage. Located in the heart of Milton Keynes, residents also benefit from a range of on-site amenities such as co-working spaces, a residents lounge and an outdoor terrace.

Read reviews and details of Enigma Square, MK9

5. Brooklands Park, MK10

Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes
4.20 (58 reviews) 4.20 (58 reviews)
Area guide to Milton Keynes
Image of Brooklands Park, MK10

Coming in at number five, Brooklands Park continues to attract favourable reviews with its well-designed two to five-bedroom homes that make the best possible use of the generous space provided. The development benefits from good transport links, allowing commuters to reach central London in just 33 minutes. Ample parking is another welcome feature of Brooklands Park.

Read reviews and details of Brooklands Park, MK10

Is Milton Keynes a good place to live?

There are many great reasons to choose to live in Milton Keynes. You can live in a terraced house for less than £300,000 and still be at your desk in London, Birmingham, Oxford or Cambridge in around an hour. Prices have stayed low thanks to the city’s rapid expansion, leading to a reliable availability of affordable housing.

If you’re a cyclist, Milton Keynes is something of an unexpected delight. The city has a network of segregated cycle routes and plenty of green space to bike through. This is understandably a big hit with fitness enthusiasts and those looking for a bit of personal space in a busy city.

When it comes to road and rail connections, Milton Keynes is hard to beat. The M1 offers easy access north and south, while the city itself has six rail stations, providing reliable routes in every direction. The quickest rail link will get you into London in under 35 minutes.

Is it expensive to live in Milton Keynes?

Living costs in Milton Keynes are slightly higher than the national average, but are generally about a quarter lower than London. Consumer prices in Milton Keynes are 27% lower than London, and (crucially) rental prices are 46% cheaper. Milton Keynes is slightly more expensive than Birmingham though, with rental prices 10% higher and consumer prices 1% higher (minus rent). Estimated monthly living costs for a single person in Milton Keynes are around £800, not including rent.

Property prices in Milton Keynes are slightly above the national average, but much cheaper than London. The average price of a property in the year to February 2024 was £336,000, according to data from Zoopla. This is a full £400,000 cheaper than London’s current average of around £736,000.

Oakgrove Village houses near pond in Milton Keynes.

What is Milton Keynes famous for?

Milton Keynes is perhaps most famous for its US-inspired grid system of city design. This is why it’s also famous for having so many roundabouts!

In terms of historical sites, Bletchley Park is Milton Keynes’ greatest cultural treasure. This is where Alan Turing and his colleagues broke the Enigma Code during World War Two. Today the park is open for the public to visit.

There’s also a good smattering of historic villages within the greater Milton Keynes area.

What is HomeViews?

For more details on the different areas and features of Milton Keynes, explore our area guide. Here you’ll also find all of our listings for both sales and rental properties.

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes
Just 50 miles to north east of London, Milton Keynes was devised as a ‘new town’ in the 1960s and continues to evolve and grow today. Famed for its roundabouts and district grids, the town has benefitted from a steady flow of new residents Read more about Milton Keynes

HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, landlords and the Government to recognise high performers and help to improve standards in the built environment.

written by

Jan Moys

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