Revealed: the happiest places to live in Great Britain in 2022

St Ives in Cornwall has reclaimed its crown as the happiest place to live in Great Britain in this year's Happy at Home Index from Rightmove.

The picture-postcard town, which is no stranger to topping the annual Rightmove survey, beat Galashiels in Scotland and Woodbridge in Suffolk to claim top spot for 2022.

The Happy at Home Index asked more than 21,000 people across Britain how they feel about various aspects of where they live – ranging from a sense of belonging, to whether there is access to green space.

Here, Which? takes a look at Great Britain's happiest towns and analyses the key home-moving trends.

St Ives voted 'happiest place' in Great Britain

Having previously headed the charts in 2020 before losing out to Hexham last year, St Ives has retaken the title of Britain’s happiest place to live. Hexham, meanwhile, has dropped to fourth place.

According to Rightmove, the average house price in St Ives is £523,731 – a 6% rise on last year, and 43% higher than the national average of £366,999.

Elsewhere, Anglesey is the happiest place to live in Wales, while Richmond upon Thames has topped the London list for the eighth year in a row.

Galashiels’ appearance in the British top three marks the first time since 2016 that Scotland is represented on the podium. 

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The top five happiest places to live

Rightmove compiled the statistics based on answers from residents who ranked their town on 10 'happiness factors'. The top five places are:

1. St Ives (South West)

The quintessential Cornish town – known for its fishing harbour and narrow cobbled streets – is arguably the county’s star attraction.

From turquoise seas in the summer to choppy waves pounding the beaches in winter, the idyllic coastal stretch is one of Britain’s top seaside resorts.

St Ives scored highly in this year’s survey for its community spirit, sense of belonging among residents, and how comfortable residents feel to be themselves.

Average property asking price: £523,731

Average monthly rent: £1,152

2. Galashiels (Scotland)

With a population of about 15,000, historic Galashiels boasts a wide variety of housing types, ranging from classic period properties to new builds.

The surrounding countryside and its commutable distance to Edinburgh make the largest Border town a popular destination for families, and those with an interest in rural pursuits.

Having not even made the top 20 last year, it's the biggest climber in the Happy at Home Index rankings.

Average property asking price: £153,546

Average monthly rent: £530

3. Woodbridge (East of England)

Woodbridge is a port and market town in Suffolk, set on the River Deben 8 miles from the sea.

Known for attractions including the Anglo-Saxon site Sutton Hoo and Britain's oldest tide mill, Woodbridge also has an array of independent shops, pubs and restaurants.

The town, which is less than 10 miles from Ipswich, has climbed 10 places since last year’s survey.

Average property asking price: £481,978

Average monthly rent: £1,196

4. Hexham (North East)

Having previously taken top spot in 2019 and 2021, Hexham in Northumberland has had to settle for fourth place this time around.

Known for its historic buildings, including an 800-year-old market place and the famous Hexham Abbey, the town sits on the south bank of the River Tyne.

It has key transport links to both Newcastle and Carlisle, as well as an abundance of independent restaurants, bars and cafés.

Average property asking price: £262,265

Average monthly rent: £810

5. Perth (Scotland)

Centrally located and with excellent transport links to Scotland’s other cities and the Highlands, it’s little surprise that Perth is high in the rankings.

The ‘Fair City’ is steeped in history, and was formerly the frequent residence of the royal court.

Average property asking price: £179,410

Average monthly rent: £812

Top 20 happiest places in Great Britain

The table below shows the top 20 happiest places to live in Great Britain.

Out of the 11 regions, the South West is the happiest region overall, with Cirencester and Falmouth joining St Ives in the top 20.

The only region not to have a town listed in the top 20 is the East Midlands. Its highest ranked finisher is Loughborough, which came 66th.

Richmond-upon-Thames is by far the most expensive area, while Galashiels offers the cheapest rent and average house price.

Nine of the top 20 areas have asking prices higher than the UK average (£366,999).

The happiest towns in your region

To find out the top five happiest towns in your area, simply hover over your region on the interactive map below.

Cost of living is impacting moving choices

Rightmove’s research found that one in five renters are planning to move in the next 12 months, with an aim to get better value for money in their area. One in six buyers are looking to move for the same reason.

One in 10 renters said they wished to relocate in an effort to reduce soaring energy costs, rising to one in eight of home buyers.

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Sense of belonging is key happiness component

Rightmove says a sense of belonging in the community is the most important factor contributing to a resident's happiness.

Tim Bannister of Rightmove said: 'This year’s survey really shows the things that make people happy to live in their area are not so much the physical aspects of that area but more the personal aspects, such as our sense of belonging, the community and the people.

'The last few months have undoubtedly been difficult for many, and as we learned during another difficult period in 2020, this is often when we look to our local area and community for support and happiness.'

• Find out more: what's happening to house prices?