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Where's the happiest place to live in the UK?

Where should you start your home search? What makes an area a great place to call home is ultimately down to you, but we can help you start your exploration.

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When you’re looking for a new place to live, your search might be far and wide — or it might be a little closer to home. Some people know exactly where they want to live, while others are open to exploring new areas to find a new place to call home. There’s not a right or a wrong way to search for properties, but if you are looking a little further afield, it can help to decide what you’re looking for and using that to limit your search.

And it might be obvious — maybe you want to live closer to good schools, maybe you want to live closer to family, maybe you have to live within a commutable distance from your job. But some people are just looking for a place where they can be happy, no matter where that is. So where are the happiest places to live in the UK?

The truth is, you see various “Happiest Places to Live in the UK” headlines every year. There are different rankings based on different criteria, so it’s hard to definitively say one town or city that is the “happiest”. Still, it’s interesting to dig a little deeper into some of these rankings to get a sense of what areas come up again and again. Let’s take a look at five areas that generate a lot of press for their great quality of life.

If you’re open to adventure, these places may be a good place to start your search. "

St Ives

St Ives was one of the most recent areas to make a splash, coming in first in the Happy at Home index. Residents love the happy, friendly feel and the green space — and of course, the idyllic Cornish coast doesn’t hurt. 

Skipton

Skipton came in at number two in the Happy at Home index and has previously appeared in The Sunday Times’s Best Places To Live list. Basically, there a lot of reasons to love it — including the amazing Yorkshire Dales on your doorstep. 

Sunderland

If work/life balance is important to you, Sunderland was ranked the best city to work and live in in the UK. And it’s full of lots of hidden gems, whether you’re a first-time buyer or looking for a family home — in fact, we’ve come up with a list of the areas that you don’t want to miss

Hexham

Hexham is another locale that regularly appears on “Happiest Places to Live” lists. It actually took the top spot in a recent list compiled by Rightmove and it also appeared on the most recent Happy at Home index. Perfect for culture and history buffs, there’s lots to explore (especially if you love Vikings) and no shortage of stunning green space.

Leamington Spa

Leamington Spa has previously topped the Rightmove list of Happiest Places to Live, as well as taking number three in the Happy at Home index. Affordable, commutable, beautiful — there are plenty of reasons Leamington Spa comes up again and again. And with a growing digital scene, it’s an entrepreneurial hub with a lot to offer. 

The happiest place to live is always going to be the happiest place for you. Everyone has different things they’re looking for and different things that make a place feel like home. Still, looking at the different lists of happy places — and seeing what areas tend to come up again and again —  can be a great way to get a sense of what makes somewhere a nice place to live. So if you’re open to adventure, these places may be a good place to start your search.

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