Happiest places to live in Great Britain in 2026

Now in its 15th year, our annual Happy at Home Index explores exactly what it is that makes people feel content about where they live, and highlights the happiest places in Great Britain for 2026.

More than 24,000 residents across 221 locations told Rightmove what they like about their area, rating everything from access to nature and green spaces to local services, amenities and employment opportunities.

Richmond upon Thames is the happiest place to live in Great Britain in 2026, according to Rightmove’s Happy at Home Index.

The area ranked most highly for access to nature and green spaces, essential local services, shops and restaurants, employment opportunities and desirable jobs, as well as residents’ pride in their area. The average asking price in the area is £1,021,256, 175% more than the Great Britain average of £371,015 (Rightmove House Price Index, October 2026).

Key findings

• Richmond upon Thames has been crowned the happiest place to live in Great Britain, reclaiming the top spot after winning in 2023 and finishing second last year
• In second place is Harrogate in Yorkshire and the Humber, and in third place is Cirencester, Gloucestershire in the South West
• Kirkcaldy is the happiest place in Scotland, and Monmouth tops the list in Wales
• Four in five (81%) people across Great Britain rate themselves as happy with where they live, compared with 9% who say they are unhappy
• On average, residents in the South West are the happiest, and those in Greater London are the least happy overall, despite Richmond taking the top spot

Here are the 10 happiest places to live in Great Britain for 2026:

Want to see how your local area fared? Take a look at the full Happy at Home 2026 rankings here.

How we measured the Happy at Home Index 2026

Rightmove’s 2026 Happy at Home Index is based on a survey of 24,375 people from 221 locations across Great Britain. Respondents rated how happy they feel about where they live, scoring factors such as access to nature and green spaces, local services, amenities and employment opportunities out of 10.

Scores of 7 to 10 were classed as happy, 1 to 4 as unhappy, and 5 or 6 as neither happy nor unhappy. Overall, 81% of respondents said they were happy with where they live, 9% said they were unhappy, and 10% were indifferent.

Why is Richmond upon Thames the happiest place to live?

Richmond upon Thames has reclaimed the top spot in this year’s Happy at Home Index, having previously won in 2023 and finished second last year. Residents of the south-west London borough gave their area the highest average happiness score of all the locations in this year’s study.

The Mayor of Richmond upon Thames, Councillor Nancy Baldwin, says: “It is wonderful to see Richmond upon Thames recognised as the happiest place to live in Great Britain. 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. I am proud to serve as Mayor and to celebrate everything that makes our borough such a happy place to call home.”

Richmond came out on top in Great Britain for several aspects of local life. Residents told us they feel proud of the area they live in, and rated it particularly highly for access to nature and green spaces, non-essential amenities such as restaurants and shops, and essential local services such as doctors and schools.

Amy Reynolds, Head of Sales at Antony Roberts in Richmond upon Thames, says: “We see it every week. Families are drawn to Richmond for its excellent schools and green spaces, and they stay for the strong sense of community. With Richmond Park and the Thames on the doorstep, a thriving town centre and plenty of places to eat, shop and spend time, it offers a quality of life that’s hard to match in London.

“Add in the easy journey into central London, and it’s easy to see why people are so happy to call Richmond home.”

Which nations and regions are happiest?

The South West has the highest average happiness score of any region, while Greater London has the lowest.

However, the differences between regions are small, and it’s often the specific location, rather than the region, that makes the real difference. Much like last year, the happiest places to live are spread right across the country, with no more than two of the top 10 coming from any single region.

That’s certainly true of London. Despite ranking lowest overall, the capital is home to this year’s happiest place. Richmond upon Thames is joined near the top of the table by Kensington and Chelsea (12th nationally) and Kingston upon Thames (13th).

Northern England performed strongly once again. Alongside Harrogate, which placed second, Yorkshire and the Humber is represented in the top 10 by Skipton, last year’s happiest place, in seventh. Chorley leads the North West in sixth, while Hexham in the North East placed 10th for the second year running.

In the south, third placed Cirencester is joined in the top 10 by two places from the South East: Hove in fifth and Horsham in ninth.

Neither of the Midlands regions features in the top 10. Lichfield is the happiest place in the West Midlands, ranking 14th nationally, while Loughborough leads the East Midlands in 45th. In the East of England, Woodbridge, fifth last year, ranks 15th.

Wales had a particularly strong year. Monmouth is the happiest place in the nation and fourth overall, with Llandrindod Wells also making the top 10 in eighth. Kirkcaldy is the happiest place in Scotland, ranking 18th nationally.

What makes a place happy?

Access to nature and green space play a big part in what makes a place happy, with eight of this year’s top 10 also ranking highly for access to them.

Richmond upon Thames leads the way, ranking first for access to nature as well as for essential local services, shops and restaurants, and employment opportunities. Second-placed Harrogate also scores highly for access to nature and green spaces.

But greenery alone isn’t enough. What people really want is balance.

While 52% say they would ideally live somewhere rural, 66% want shops and amenities nearby, 62% want green spaces and 61% want good public transport. In other words, many of us want the feel of the countryside with the convenience of a town.

Graham Price, Director at Randall Price, says: “What makes Richmond upon Thames such a happy place to live is the balance it offers. There’s a real sense of community, plenty going on locally, and people can enjoy the best of both worlds: a great place to call home while still feeling well connected. It’s the kind of area people put down roots in, and once they’re here, many don’t want to leave.”

Are rural, coastal and urban places happier?

The seaside has a strong pull in many parts of the country. In the UK’s happiest region, the South West, three of the five happiest places are on the coast: St Ives, Weymouth and Torquay. Two of the top five in Wales are coastal, New Quay and Swansea, as are two in the South East: Hove, which ranks fifth nationally, and Hastings.

In Scotland, the nation’s happiest place, Kirkcaldy, sits on the Fife coast, while Hull is the only coastal location in Yorkshire and the Humber’s top five. However, none of the top five places in the North West, North East, East Midlands, West Midlands or East of England are coastal.

Nature and green spaces are undoubtedly important. However, when it comes to rural and urban living, there’s no clear winner. Some of the highest-ranking places in each region are busy towns and cities, while others are more rural.

Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, says: “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.

“That balance between greenery and everyday convenience runs through the wider findings. Even among people who would ideally choose a rural setting, access to amenities, parks and public transport remains important. 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.”

Does happiness with where you live change with age?

According to our survey results, happiness with where we live tends to grow as we get older, echoing last year’s findings. More than a third (35%) of people aged 75 and over give their area a perfect 10 for happiness. That’s more than double the 16% of 18-24-year-olds who say the same.

The pattern continues across the age groups, with average happiness rising from 7.3 out of 10 among 18-24-year-olds to 8.2 among those aged 75 and over.

Are the happiest places expensive?

Not necessarily. Property prices vary widely across the country, but a happy home doesn’t have to come with a premium price tag.

Exactly half of this year’s top 10 have an average asking price above the national average of £371,015 (October 2026), while the other half come in below it.

Richmond upon Thames is by far the most expensive of the top 10, with an average asking price of £1,021,256. It also has the highest average asking rent, at £3,298 per calendar month.

At the other end of the scale, Chorley in the North West is the most affordable place in the top 10, with an average asking price of £234,387. Llandrindod Wells in Wales is just £30 behind at £234,417. Both are around £137,000 below the national average.

How have the happiest places changed since 2025?

Half of last year’s top 10 have held onto the higher slots this year. Richmond upon Thames climbs from second to take the top spot, while last year’s winner, Skipton, has slipped slightly to seventh.

Harrogate rises from fourth to second, and Cirencester makes the biggest jump among the returning places, climbing from ninth to third. Hexham, meanwhile, holds steady in 10th for the second year running.

Joining them are five new entries: Monmouth (4th), Hove (5th), Chorley (6th), Llandrindod Wells (8th) and Horsham (9th). Two of these are in Wales, which had no places in last year’s top 10.

Making way are Camden, Woodbridge, Altrincham, Macclesfield and Stirling. Camden sees the steepest fall, from third last year to 60th, while Stirling, last year’s happiest place in Scotland, drops to 52nd. Woodbridge now ranks 15th, Altrincham 20th and Macclesfield 28th.

How do you decide where to move next?

While these rankings can be a good place to start when thinking about what makes an area great, everyone wants something different from their next move. We’ve got lots of different tools to help you make your next move. Just some of these include:

• Draw a search: Create your own personal search area, by drawing exactly where you want to be on a map.
• My Places: See how far properties are from key locations such as family, friends, the gym, train stations, schools and more. Available on all property listings.
• AI Keywords: Use our app to search for homes using smart AI prompts. We’ll then show you the available homes that fit your needs.
• Shared Lists: Collaborate with friends and family on your search journey by sharing a lists of saved homes with others. You can create property lists and share them in a My Rightmove account.