Revealed: the happiest places to reside in Great Britain
St Ives has been named the happiest home in Great Britain.
The Cornish seaside town beat Skipton in North Yorkshire and Leamington Spa in Warwickshire to the top spot in Rightmove’s Happy in your own home Index.
Here Which? takes a look at the UK’s happiest towns and offers suggestions about finding the best place to live.
St Ives may be the happiest town in Great Britain
St Ives topped the chart’s in this year’s Happy in your own home Index, with residents waxing lyrical about the town’s green spaces, proximity to nature and friendly vibe.
The idyllic coastal town is really a world-renowned surfing hotspot, and by its property market, the secret's well and truly out.
Rightmove says demand for properties in St Ives has grown by 120% year-on-year, and house prices are also following an upward trajectory.
The average asking price of a home is lb413,414, up 5% year-on-year and 19% around the figure recorded 5 years ago.
Jessie Wright of Bradleys estate agents in St Ives says: ‘The lifestyle is actually using this world; it's like we've our very own little hub and micro-climate and exactly how of life this is a large amount of people's dream.
‘It's all regulated very relaxed – the Cornish word is “dreckly”, which means “at some point” – so it's fair to state that we've honed a very stress-free and stress-free vibe, that we think is area of the charm.’
Top five happiest places to live
St Ives may be the happiest home in the united kingdom, but let’s check out the remainder of the top five towns in Rightmove’s rankings.
Skipton (Yorkshire & The Humber)
The charming market capital of scotland- Skipton is situated in North Yorkshire.
It has been referred to as ‘the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales’, and has a 900-year-old castle and historic cobbled high street.
- Average property selling price: lb226,130
- Average monthly rent (two-bedroom): lb549
Leamington Spa (West Midlands)
Royal Leamington Spa (to make use of its full name) is situated just a few miles from Warwick in the West Midlands.
The town’s stunning architecture and award-winning green spaces show why it's consistently rated among the best places for standard of living.
- Average property asking price: lb335,008
- Average monthly rent (two-bedroom): lb878
Llandrindod Wells (Wales)
Llandrindod Wells is a spa town found in the Powys district of Wales. It’s noted for its picturesque setting and thriving local community, and handle fifth in last year’s rankings.
- Average property selling price: lb150,963
- Average monthly rent (two-bedroom): lb422
Perth (Scotland)
Perth is situated an hour away from Edinburgh and Glasgow, and it is often referred to as ‘the gateway towards the Highlands’.
The city is situated on the banks of the River Tay and is known for its thriving food scene, having a range of award-winning restaurants.
- Average property asking price: lb163,303
- Average monthly rent (two-bedroom): lb556
Top 20 happiest places in Great Britain
The table below shows the top 20 happiest places in Great Britain, based on Rightmove’s survey.
Towns within the South West of England featured most prominently, creating seven from the top 20.
The priciest area within the top 20 was Richmond upon Thames in Greater London (lb888,864), as the cheapest was Llandrindod Wells (lb150,963).
The good news for bargain hunters is the fact that only nine from the top 20 areas have prices greater than the UK average (lb322,025).
The happiest towns in your region
To find out the top 5 happiest towns in your town, simply hover over your region on the interactive map below.
What constitutes a town ‘happy’?
Rightmove’s Happy at Home Index gauges how residents experience their local area, and asks them to rank ten happiness factors.
These include friendliness of neighbours, quality of local amenities, sense of belonging, and the quality of nature.
Rightmove says the 2021 answers are slightly diverse from usual due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with a third of residents saying they now appreciate their towns a lot more than before the lockdown.
The property portal also found that people living in rural and coastal areas tend to be happier with their current address compared to those in cities and concrete areas.
COVID-19 and changing plans for buyers
Rightmove’s data shows how movers are adapting their priorities considering a frightening year.
It says of these seeking to move in the following Twelve months, 56% are actually placing greater importance on nature and green space. This really is most typical among younger movers aged below 35.
This backs up research earlier this year from the estate agency Savills, which found home movers were increasingly attracted by having extra space and better conditions to work from home.
Finding the best place to live: top tips
The more thoroughly you research an area, the greater your chances will be to find somewhere you like.
Here are a few things to look for when comparing areas.
1. Shops and facilities
Does the area match your lifestyle? For example, look for local restaurants if you enjoy eating at restaurants regularly, or gyms if you like to workout.
Also look into the local services, would you easily get to the bank or perhaps a doctor’s surgery?
2. Transport connections and traffic
If you don’t drive, research how frequent (and crowded) buses or trains are, and how much fares cost. If you’ll be commuting in to a city, fares tend to be expensive the even further away you reside, but property prices are generally cheaper.
Living somewhere with great schools, bustling town centres or popular venues can be a big bonus, but it is worth going to the area at peak times to check on what the visitors are like.
3. Schools and catchment areas
If you've (or are planning to have) children, check out the catchment areas to find the best local schools on your local authority’s website.
Some school boundaries change from twelve months to the next, so double-check if you have a specific school in your mind.
4. Neighbours and community
If you can, spend time chatting to potential future neighbours before you make a deal. They might be in a position to tell you about any previous issues with the property and give you a look in to the local community.
You may also check with the council to see if there has been any complaints made on that street.
5. Environment and air quality
Being downwind of sewage works, or having hordes of holidaymakers passing your front window during summer months can turn an ideal location right into a nightmare. Speak with locals about whether there’s whatever you should be aware of prior to making a deal.
Air pollution may also impact your wellbeing, so check if the rentals are on or near an active road with a lot of traffic. You'll find air pollution forecasts around the government’s UK Air website.
