Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home Index reveals that a market town in Northumberland has once again been crowned the happiest place to live in Great Britain.
This year’s index found that residents of Hexham were happier than any other area, taking back the top spot having last been crowned the happiest place to live in 2019 – and is also popular with residents for its access to nature and green spaces, and how friendly and polite people are.
The average asking price for a home in Hexham is £297,088, an increase of 6% compared to last year (£280,128) and an increase of 20% compared to five years ago (£246,919). This is lower than the current national average of £342,401.
The Happy at Home Index, in its tenth year, was conducted among over 21,000 people across Great Britain and asks residents how they feel about where they live, as well as asking them to rank ten happiness factors.
Richmond upon Thames came second overall in this year’s study, marking a rise up the national rankings, as well as being the happiest place in London for the seventh year running.
Stirling is this year’s happiest place in Scotland, while Llandrindod Wells, fifth place overall, is the happiest place to live in Wales.
Community is key
This year’s study found a sense of belonging, the friendliness of the locals, and being able to be yourself were the most important factors in feeling happy in the area in which you live.
It shows how important having a sense of community is to overall happiness. A third (seven) of this year’s top 20 happiest towns were market towns, typically being smaller towns with weekly markets bringing the local community together.
This importance of connection carries over into this year’s study following the lockdown periods and builds on the findings from last year, where people felt they had reconnected to their area and the local community.
From city to coast
The importance of togetherness can also be seen in the types of settlements that made people most happy. Those in villages were more likely to be happy in their area than those in towns or cities, as they were more likely to feel the sense of community in their area, and have access to nature and green spaces.
Those living in a coastal village were the happiest of all, and those living in a coastal town or city were more likely to be happy in their area than someone living in a similar home inland.
Get moving, get happy
The record-breaking housing market over the past year means that Rightmove predicts by the end of the year 1.5 million transactions will have taken place. The results of this year’s study show that those who have made a move are happier in their area than those who haven’t, regardless of where they have moved to.
More than two-thirds (69%) of people who moved in the last year, chose to move to a different area. Nearly two-thirds of these people (64%), said they are happier in the area they now live, compared with where they moved from. One in five (21%) said they were just as happy in their new area.
Being happier in a new area was highest amongst those who moved from a town to a village, with 81% saying they were happier where they now live, and 11% were just as happy as to where they lived before.
Interestingly, the study showed people were more likely to stay in the same type of settlement or make a ‘single stage’ move in the search for happiness.
Those that lived in a city, were more likely to move to a town than a village, while those who lived in a town, were more likely to move to a village than a city. Those who lived in a village were more likely to move to a town than a city.
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s Director of Property Data comments: “It’s been an incredibly busy year in the housing market, with a lot of people deciding that now is the right time to move. It is fascinating to see that people who moved in the last 12 months were more likely to be happy in their areas than those who did not. Whether it may be a couple looking for a small change in the same area, tenants looking for more space, or a family completely changing their lifestyle and moving from the city to the coast, this has been the year that people have really seized the opportunity to move, and turned ideas into action.”
Derek Kennedy, Mayor of Hexham, adds: “Hexham is thrilled to be awarded the happiest place to live in Great Britain. We are a small town with great history, Hexham Abbey and other historical buildings and our Market Place is 800 years old. There is a wonderful community spirit, people are very supportive of one another. There are lots of community interest groups that gets people working for the greater good. Excellent schools ensure good educational standards. Lots of organised sports including a weekly Park run, cricket, tennis, squash, golf and rowing and other water sports on the mighty River Tyne. The open countryside is wonderful with Hadrian’s Wall on our doorstep.
“The Town Council recently introduced a free live music event twice a week in our glorious Bandstand, drawing around 200 people to every session. Our events such as Spook night, Remembrance Day, Farmers Market and Christmas Market draw lots of people from across the region to the town. We have big ambitions to progress our sustainable development and we work with interested groups to enhance the town. We all know how great it is to live in Hexham but to win this accolade is fantastic, thank you.”
Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home Index asks residents how they feel about where they live based on ten happiness factors and found that this year, residents of the Cornish town of St Ives are happier than any other community with their local area’s nature and green spaces.
Residents in St Ives also rated their neighbours as the friendliest in Great Britain.
The average asking price of a home in the picturesque seaside town is £413,414, which is 5% up on this time in 2019, and 19% higher than five years ago. Demand for property in St Ives has also more than doubled (+120%) compared to this time last year.
The 2020 study, with over 21,000 respondents, found that coastal areas, in general, are where people feel happiest where they live.
Five of the top 20 happiest places this year are coastal locations. As well as St Ives, these are Falmouth, Weymouth, Plymouth, and Poole – all places in the South West.
Furthermore, people living in rural and coastal areas were found to be happier with where they live than respondents living in cities and urban areas, which reflects a nationwide trend of people desiring better access to outdoor spaces.
The study also discovered that people living in rural and coastal locations were more likely to have developed a greater affinity with their local area during the initial lockdown period, with our study suggesting that access to green spaces made people more appreciative of where they live.
Of the people who plan to buy or rent in the next 12 months, over half (56%) claimed they now place greater importance on access to nature and green spaces when deciding on the area and home they want to live in.
This trend is most notable amongst younger home-movers in the 18-34 age group.
Overall, the experience of spending more time at home and in their local area this year has positively impacted how much people like where they live. Over one third (36%) said they now like their area more, 46% said there’s been no change in how they feel, and only 18% said they now like their area less.
The Rightmove study, now in its ninth year, asks residents to tell us how they feel about where they live, as well as asking them to rank ten happiness factors.
The ten factors range from how friendly the neighbours are and how good the local services are, to the sense of belonging and the quality of nature and green spaces in the area.
Richmond upon Thames finished tenth in this year’s national table, whilst also being named London’s happiest place to live for the sixth consecutive year.
Llandrindod Wells was named the happiest place to live in Wales and also returned the highest score across Great Britain for residents feeling able to be themselves.
Perth tops the Scottish list and boasts one of the strongest community spirits, according to the study.
Overall, the 20 happiest places to live in Great Britain in 2020 are St Ives, Skipton, Leamington Spa, Llandrindod Wells, Perth, Kendal, Stratford-upon-Avon, Dorchester, Harrogate, Richmond upon Thames, Falmouth, Hexham, Weymouth, Shrewsbury, Tonbridge, Plymouth, Poole, Northwich, Barnstaple, and Guildford.
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s Director of Property Data, comments: “Our latest research shows that despite all the challenges that this year has brought, many people have been able to reconnect with their local area and community which has had a positive effect on how they feel about where they live.
"Overall, I think lockdown has enabled people to rediscover what’s on their doorstep, and spending more time in their local areas has made people value their surroundings and communities so much more. This year’s study shows a greater appreciation for green spaces and nature and a strong correlation between people living in coastal and rural areas and how happy people are where they live.
"Since lockdown, we’ve since a trend towards more people looking to live in smaller communities, and so it’s very fitting to see that the picturesque town of St Ives has taken the top spot in 2020.”
