In pursuit of happiness? Steer clear of London and move to Harrogate, officially the UK’s happiest town

There must be something in the water in Harrogate. A recent survey has revealed that residents of the northern spa town are the happiest in the UK, followed by Stockport, Ipswich and Exeter

By
published

Fed up with looking at drab interiors, dealing with nosy neighbours and forking out on costly council tax bills? Well if you move to Harrogate the chances are you won't have to - the Yorkshire town has been officially named as the happiest place to live in the UK.

A new survey conducted by property website, Rightmove asked nearly 40,000 homeowners how they felt about the safety and neighbourliness of their area and the size and condition of their property, among 12 measurements of happiness.

building with brick walls and garden area

(Image credit: Andy Drysdale/ Rex Features)

The findings of the survey revealed Harrogate won the top spot, with residents feeling happy across a broad range of factors. Stockport, Ipswich and Exeter followed closely behind.

East London was given the lowest scores, followed by Croydon, east central London and Ilford.

******

Lincoln
was the most house-proud town, while Hereford was safest. Swansea
residents were the happiest in Wales, and Aberdeen came top of the list
in Scotland.

lake with stones

(Image credit: Phillip Silverman/ Rex Features)

Average
asking prices for houses in Harrogate are up 5.6 per cent year on year,
outperforming the national average of 1.2 per cent.

Want to see how your area fared? Check out the list below to see the happiest places to live in the UK.

1. Harrogate

2. Stockport

3. Ipswich

4. Exeter

5. St Albans

6. Kingston upon Thames

7. Bath

8. Worcester

9. Bromley

10. Truro

clock tower with red brick walls and sash windows

(Image credit: Barry Phillips/ Associated Newspapers/ Rex Features)

So why is London such a miserable place to live? According to a spokesman for Rightmove the quality of life, size of people's properties and cost of living are all factors making people unhappy.

Want to consult the list before you buy your next home? Take a look at the unhappiest places to live in the UK...

1. East London

2. Croydon

3. East central London

4. Ilford

5. South-east London

6. Enfield

7. North-west London

8. West London

9. Dudley

10. North London

Looking for more property advice? Take a look at our guide to the best places to live in the UK. For more tips and advice why not follow us on Twitter or find us on Facebook?

Stephanie Hendries
Latest