The 20 happiest places to live in the UK in 2020 revealed
The beautiful coastal town of St Ives in Cornwall has been crowned the Happiest Place to Live in the UK for 2020, according to Rightmove's annual Happy at Home Index.
The peaceful town, famous for its surfing and pretty harbour, has come out on top after the research showed that residents of the Cornish town are happier than any other community. Locals rate the area’s nature and green spaces and also report St Ives as having the friendliest neighbours in Great Britain. How lovely.
The Index also takes into account house prices, which calculated the average home in St Ives to be worth £413,414. Demand for property in the area has doubled compared to this time last year.
And that's a trend we see across many coastal towns. In fact, four of the top 20 happiest places to live this year, in addition to the winner, are coastal locations in the South West: Falmouth, Weymouth, Plymouth and Poole. In contradiction, there was only one London location on the list: Richmond-upon-Thames.
Overall, people living in rural and coastal locations were found to be happier. This is no surprise following a year when people have put access to outdoor spaces top of their priority during the pandemic. The Rightmove study found that access to green space made people more appreciative.
Easily accessible open space has also become a non-negotiable for home-movers, especially within the 18-34 age group.
How has lockdown affected how happy the nation is with where they live? Positively, it seems, with over one third (36%) saying they now like their area more, 46% saying there’s been no change in how they feel, and only 18% said they now like their area less.
The study asked 21,000 participants multiple questions about where they live and asked them to score them against 10 happiness factors. These included statements like 'I feel a sense of community,' 'I can be myself' and 'Essential local services'.
Planning a move next year? Take a look at the places which made the top 10...
10 happiest places to live in the UK
St Ives, South West
Skipton, Yorkshire & The Humber
Leamington Spa, West Midlands
Llandrindod Wells, Wales
Perth, Scotland
Kendal, North West
Stratford-upon-Avon, West Midlands
Dorchester, South West
Harrogate, Yorkshire & The Humber
Richmond-upon-Thames, London
Falmouth, South West
Hexham, North East (last year's winner)
Weymouth, South West
Shrewsbury, West Midlands
Tonbridge, South East
Plymouth, South West
Poole, South West
Northwich, North West
Barnstaple, South West
Guildford, South East
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