Woodbridge in Suffolk pipped posh Richmond-upon-Thames, southwest London, to the title of happiest place to live in Britain, following research carried out for Rightmove
A riverside town with rich history – with links as far back as the Neolithic Age – has been crowned the happiest place to live in Britain.
Woodbridge in Suffolk has been lauded for its community spirit and friendliness, and access to essential services such as doctors and schools. The town, which is on the River Deben, beat affluent Richmond-upon-Thames, southwest London, to the title, following research conducted for property site Rightmove.
Hexham in Northumberland comes third in the list, put together after residents in towns and cities across the country rated local amenities, transport links, community spirit and other factors. The tag, though, reflects the relatively expensive property prices in Woodbridge with an overall average of £420,412 over the last year.
Mayor of Woodbridge, Councillor Robin Sanders, said: “The happy mood of residents is a reflection of the vibrant town centre.” Boutiques, coffee shops and pubs line the town centre streets.
Deben Rowing Club and Deben Yacht Club are among the various sport and recreation clubs in Woodbridge, which is approximately 74 miles northeast of London.
Jamie Curran, of estate agent IP Properties in Woodbridge, said: “The amenities the town has to offer are second to none; having boutiques, coffee shops, public houses and highly reviewed restaurants all within walking distance.”
The study, in its 13th year, was completed by more than 35,000 residents across Britain, with questions about how proud they feeI about where they live, their sense of belonging, the community spirit and whether they can be themselves – as well as about amenities.
Monmouth was crowned the happiest place to live in Wales, while Stirling came top in Scotland. 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.
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.
