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The London borough of Richmond upon Thames has been crowned the happiest place to live in Great Britain in the 12th edition of the Happy at Home Index from Rightmove.
The affluent borough immortalised on TV's Ted Lasso has risen from 11th place in last year's survey and marks the first time a London location has finished top. However, moving there might be a struggle as the area has some of the highest house prices in the UK, averaging £952,305.
Winchester in Hampshire took second place in Rightmove's survey, while Monmouth in Wales ranked third - the first time an area from Wales has reached the top three since 2018. Last year's winner, St Ives, dropped to ninth place, while second-placed Galashiels fell to 15th.
Read on to find out which towns topped the table in your area.
The Happy at Home Index asked more than 26,000 people across Britain how they feel about various aspects of where they live, ranging from a sense of community to access to green space.
Rightmove compiled its statistics based on answers from residents who ranked their town on 13 'happiness factors'. The top five places are:
Richmond upon Thames is made up of 14 neighbourhoods, including the towns of Richmond, Twickenham, Hampton, Barnes and Kew.
It's best known for its green spaces. These include the 2,500-acre Richmond Park, the largest of London's Royal Parks and home to herds of deer, and Kew Gardens.
Residents scored Richmond upon Thames highly for feeling a sense of belonging and being comfortable to be themselves.
Average property asking price: £952,305
Average monthly rent: £3,148
The city of Winchester in Hampshire is the highest new entrant in this year's charts, having not made the top 20 last year.
Perched on the edge of the South Downs National Park, Winchester is known for its famous Cathedral and the oldest school in England, Winchester College.
The city combines the best of ancient architecture, modern amenities and easy access to beautiful countryside.
Average property asking price: £571,613
Average monthly rent: £2,097
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Located in the Wye Valley two miles from the border with England, Monmouth is known for its iconic 13th-century bridge and its royal connections.
The Welsh town features beautiful Georgian architecture, independent shops and its own annual music festival.
It was also named the UK's first 'Bee Town' in 2020, in recognition of the council's work to make the town a better place for pollinators.
Average property asking price: £349,312
Average monthly rent: £1,214
Located around seven miles from Reading, the Berkshire town of Wokingham has risen to fourth in Rightmove's rankings.
Historically, Wokingham is known for its bell foundry and production of silk during the Tudor period.
These days, the town provides the perfect combination of being surrounded by rolling countryside and a direct train line into London.
Average property asking price: £572,992
Average monthly rent: £2,074
The vibrant market town of Cirencester, Gloucestershire, is famous for its Roman history.
In more modern times, it's home to beautiful independent boutiques and a twice-weekly market.
Known as the 'capital of the Cotswolds', Cirencester combines close proximity to picturesque villages with great transport links.
Average property asking price: £394,216
Average monthly rent: £1,477
The table shows the top 20 happiest places to live in Great Britain according to the survey.
The East of England is the happiest region overall, with five towns featuring in the top 20.
The only region not to have a town listed in the top 20 is the East Midlands. Its highest-ranked place is Chesterfield, which came 73rd.
Table-topping Richmond upon Thames is the second most expensive area in the top 20 after Kensington and Chelsea, while Galashiels in Scotland is the cheapest.
Eleven of the top 20 areas have average asking prices above Rightmove's UK average (£361,153).
| Rank | Place | Region | Average asking price | Average asking rent (pcm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Richmond upon Thames | Greater London | £952,305 | £3,148 |
2 | Winchester | South East | £571,613 | £2,097 |
3 | Monmouth | Wales | £349,312 | £1,214 |
4 | Wokingham | South East | £572,992 | £2,074 |
5 | Cirencester | South West | £394,216 | £1,477 |
6 | Skipton | Yorkshire and The Humber | £259,692 | £875 |
7 | Hemel Hempstead | East of England | £424,649 | £1,703 |
To find out the top five happiest towns in your area, simply hover over your region on the interactive map below.
Rightmove's survey found that people living in rural areas were generally happier than those in cities.
This was especially the case for those who lived near a national park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Its analysis found that people cared more about having access to nature and green spaces than public transport, shops and restaurants.
The survey also analysed why people might want to move home.
37% of respondents said they were looking to move somewhere that would make them happier.
Moving to a bigger home (28%), looking for better value for money (27%), and wanting a lifestyle change (24%) were also popular reasons.
Perhaps surprisingly, just 9% said they were looking to move somewhere new to take advantage of remote working.
