Where you live can have a huge impact on how you feel. Everyone knows that. But it can be difficult to figure out where you’re going to feel your best.
Some prefer to be in bustling cities, others are more partial to cabins in the woods, but there are some places where people just seem to be happier than others, and who better to figure out where those places are than Rightmove, the property website which knows everything about moving away?
Last year, Rightmove declared the London borough Richmond-Upon-Thames the nation’s happiest hometown, which makes sense – we’d all probably be pretty chuffed if we could afford to spend £1 million on a canal-side townhouse – but this year the tides have changed. Richmond is out, and Woodbridge in Suffolk is in.
But let’s slow down a bit. How does Rightmove actually discover where the cheeriest spots in Britain are? Well, this year the company surveyed more than 35,000 people across the nation, and asked them to rate their town based on the community, access to services like schools and hospitals, pastimes, and natural beauty. Then, Rightmove did some maths, gave each town a rating, and ended up with the list.
Which brings us back to Woodbridge. This town, just off the south-east coast, ranked highly thanks to its ‘bustling high street, as well as its close access to stunning natural scenery and countryside’ according to Rightmove. Although it’s not technically on the sea itself, it is very close, and locals loved its strong sense of community and ‘friendly vibe.’
It’s also a lot more affordable than last year’s winner, with the average house price sitting at £441,569 rather than more than £900,000. Richmond hasn’t fallen far, though, as it still claimed the number two spot, so it’s still a pretty lovely place to be.
Rounding out the top three was Hexham, in Northumberland, which was also the cheapest place to live in the top ten, with an average rent of only £840 a month. That’s a small price to pay for joy.
You can have a look at all of Rightmove’s findings here to discover exactly where you should relocate to. Now that’s a good New Year’s resolution.
Staycations according to Time Out
If you fancy checking out one of these towns before committing to the move, a staycation may be in order. If none of them take your fancy, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our favourite UK road trips, and some of what we consider to be the most beautiful places in the country. We’ve also got guides to the most romantic locations in the UK, and some pretty cool castles you can stay overnight in.
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