Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, The Shape of You singer described Suffolk as a “close-knit community”.
He opened up about how he can visit local shops without being pestered for selfies, saying he’s “part of the furniture”.
Sheeran, who has recently purchased two homes along the Suffolk coast, said that if you live in the county “you think it’s the best place on the planet”.
Ed Sheeran at Portman Road (Image: John Walton/PA)
The 34-year-old also spoke about his love for Ipswich Town Football Club, and how a move to America made him realise just how much the team means to him.
He said: “I think this is why I love being an Ipswich fan, and why I was drawn to that, because I sort of had a point in my life where I drifted. Like, I was an Ipswich fan up until probably about the age of about 10 or 11, and then I picked up the guitar and didn’t care about anything else, like at all.
Sheeran explained that once music took over his life, his focus on football shifted.
“So I was just pure music, music, music, guitar. Didn’t watch movies, TV shows, football I was just completely censored and focused on music,” he added.
“And it wasn’t really having a great deal of success internationally, and moving to Los Angeles, thinking that was the thing I wanted to do, and sorting all of that, not going that well mentally for me, and then moving back to Suffolk, and then finding a community.
Ed Sheeran spoke about what he loves most about the county (Image: Ian West/PA)
“This is probably when I was about 23 or 24, where I was not treated as a popstar, and I was treated as if I’m an Ipswich fan.
“When I’m at the stadium, it’s very much like I am one of the crowd rather than someone that sticks out, and Suffolk is very much like that as a county for me as well.
“Like, I went to the co-op to pick up food, and not a single selfie. You just sort of walk in and go and get the milk and veg and go to the counter, and it’s just kind of normal because I am part of the furniture here, and I feel like that is why Suffolk is special for me anyway, as I feel normal is the wrong word. I feel just part of something here rather than, I don’t know, apart from it, I guess.”
Sheeran, who started off holding small gigs in Ipswich, rose to international fame in 2011 after releasing his first single The A Team.
In 2012 he picked up a pair of Brit Awards, where he was not only named Best British Breakthrough Artist but he also won the gong for Best British Male Solo Artist.
In July The Shape of You singer performed three sell-out shows at Portman Road ahead of his new album Play, which is being released on September 12.