London borough is Britain's happiest, survey finds

Richmond upon Thames has been named as the happiest place to live in Britain in an annual survey.

Residents of the south-west London borough have easy access to central London and strolls along the Thames on their doorstep, as well as boutiques, cafes and opportunities to spot roaming deer in their local parks.

Richmond ranked particularly highly across several aspects of local life in Rightmove's "happy at home index", including access to nature and green spaces, essential local services, shops and restaurants, employment opportunities as well as residents' pride in their area.

But, living there comes at a cost, with the average asking price for a home in the borough standing at more than £1m.

Harrogate in North Yorkshire and Cirencester in Gloucestershire came in second and third places respectively in Rightmove's 15th annual "happy at home index".

In Wales, Monmouth was the highest ranked, while Kirkcaldy took the top spot for Scotland.

Richmond returned to number one after previously winning in 2023 and finishing second last year.

Mayor of Richmond upon Thames councillor Nancy Baldwin said: "This recognition is especially meaningful because residents highlighted their pride in the local area, our beautiful parks and green spaces, and the local services they rely on every day.

"Above all, it is our people and communities that make Richmond special."

Second-placed Harrogate also ranked highly for access to nature and green spaces.

Across Britain, four-fifths (81%) of people who took part in the survey said they were happy with where they live.

People took part in the research after being emailed via Rightmove's database, so the survey was self-selecting.

Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said: "Richmond stands out for offering a combination many people value: easy access to nature and green spaces, without having to give up local services, places to eat and shop, or employment opportunities.

"This year's results suggest that the places people rate most highly aren't simply urban or rural, but often bring together some of the best elements of both."

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