Britain’s ‘happiest places to live’ in 2024 revealed

Woodbridge in Suffolk has topped an annual list of the happiest places to live in Britain for the first time.

Residents of Woodbridge scored it particularly highly for feeling that they are able to be themselves in the area, the community spirit and friendliness of the people, and access to essential services such as doctors, or schools, according to Rightmove, which compiled the report.

The London borough of Richmond upon Thames was placed second, having been top last year, while Hexham in Northumberland, a previous winner, was ranked third.

Hexham Weir on the River Tyne (Tom White/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Tom White

Mayor of Woodbridge, Councillor Robin Sanders, said: “The happy mood of residents is a reflection of the vibrant town centre.”

Jamie Curran, director at IP Properties in Woodbridge, said: “The amenities Woodbridge has to offer in my eyes are second to none; having boutiques, coffee shops, public houses and highly reviewed restaurants all within walking distance of each other is amazing.”

The study, now in its 13th year, was completed by more than 35,000 people across Britain, with residents being asked how they feel about their area.

A view of Stirling, which was identified by Rightmove as the happiest place to live in Scotland (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Andrew Milligan

Residents expressed opinions on topics such as how proud they feeI about where they live, their sense of belonging, community spirit, whether they can be themselves, whether they can earn enough to live comfortably in their area, public transport, sports and recreation, green spaces and artistic and cultural activities.

Monmouth was crowned the happiest place to live in Wales, while Stirling came top in Scotland.

Rightmove said its study indicates that, overall, residents in Scotland, Wales and the South West are most happy with where they live, while those in the East and West Midlands are the least happy.

The Gen-Z generation (18 to 24-year-olds) were the most likely to say that they thought they would be happier living in a different area, while those aged 55-plus were the least likely.

Zurich topped a global list (Anthony Delvin/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Anthony Devlin

Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “It’s the younger generation who are most likely to say they would be happier living somewhere else, many of whom have to travel to cities for education or to find their first jobs.”

The research also indicated that the type of environment that made residents most happy was a rural location by woodland or a forest, or being near a National Park or National Landscape.

Rightmove’s analysis found that feeling proud to live in an area was the biggest driver of overall satisfaction with a home and community out of the factors it looked at, while living near to family and friends was the smallest driver.

On Tuesday, consultancy business Mercer named Zurich as being the top of an international 2024 quality of living city ranking.

Zurich was followed by Vienna and Geneva in second and third place, respectively. Copenhagen took the fourth spot, with Auckland placed fifth.

London was placed 40th position, with Edinburgh in 50th place, Glasgow at 53, Birmingham at 57, Aberdeen at 62 and Belfast placed 66th.

The index evaluates living conditions in more than 450 cities worldwide to help businesses calculate allowances for people working internationally.

Zurich rose to the top of the list due to its outstanding public services, low crime rates, lively cultural scene and commitment to sustainability, Mercer said.

Here are the happiest places to live in 2024, according to Rightmove, followed by the average asking price for a home and the average asking rent per month:

1. Woodbridge, East of England, £441,569, £1,478

2. Richmond upon Thames, London, £939,329, £3,131

3. Hexham, North East, £313,147, £840

4. Monmouth, Wales, £320,974, £1,335

5. Harrogate, Yorkshire and the Humber, £394,312, £1,439

6. Skipton, Yorkshire and the Humber, £263,479, £1,030

7. Sevenoaks, South East, £881,061, £2,924

8. Leigh on Sea, East of England, £465,542, £1,796

9. Cirencester, South West, £384,013, £1,495

10. Wokingham, South East, £590,949, £2,120

11. Winchester, South East, £578,760, £2,069

12. Stirling, Scotland, £214,441, £1,227

13. Stratford-upon- Avon, West Midlands, £413,115, £1,604

14. Horsham, South East, £458,641, £1,983

15. Kendal, North West, £285,645, £966

16. Kensington and Chelsea, London, £1,667,573, £5,345

17. Chorley, North West, £197,199, £883

18. Hove, South East, £555,193, £1,993

19. Wandsworth, London, £865,205, £3,159

20. Hitchin, East of England, £510,612, £1,730

And here are the regional rankings in the study, with the regional position followed by the overall ranking across Britain in brackets:

East Midlands

1. Chesterfield (63)

2. Nottingham (130)

3. Derby (133)

4. Northampton (142)

5. Lincoln (145)

East of England

1. Woodbridge (1)

2. Leigh on Sea (8)

3. Hitchin (20)

4. St Albans (50)

5. Clacton on Sea (52)

London

1. Richmond upon Thames (2)

2. Kensington and Chelsea (16)

3. Wandsworth (19)

4. Westminster (24)

5. Southwark (46)

North East

1. Hexham (3)

2. Newcastle upon Tyne (59)

3. Darlington (90)

4. Sunderland (143)

5. Durham (150)

North West

1. Kendal (15)

2. Chorley (17)

3. Altrincham (29)

4. Chester (34)

5. Macclesfield (49)

Scotland

1. Stirling (12)

2. Dumfries (35)

3. Perth (39)

4. Galashiels (45)

5. Dundee (47)

South East

1. Sevenoaks (7)

2. Wokingham (10)

3. Winchester (11)

4. Horsham (14)

5. Hove (18)

South West

1. Cirencester (9)

2. St Ives (23)

3. Dorchester (26)

4. Weymouth (33)

5. Cheltenham (43)

Wales

1. Monmouth (4)

2. Llandudno (22)

3. New Quay (28)

4. Llandrindod Wells (38)

5. Anglesey (48)

West Midlands

1. Stratford- upon-Avon (13)

2. Leamington Spa (21)

3. Lichfield (27)

4. Sutton Coldfield (36)

5. Worcester (58)

Yorkshire and the Humber

1. Harrogate (5)

2. Skipton (6)

3. Whitby (25)

4. York (30)

5. Leeds (70)