It may not have the bright lights of London or Edinburgh, or even the celebrity or notoriety of some of the Great Britain’s better known villages and towns.
But in one respect, Woodbridge in Suffolk seems to trump them all: it is the happiest place to live in Britain. At least that is the conclusion of a survey by the property website Rightmove.
Its study, now in its 13th year, was completed by more than 35,000 people across Britain, with residents being asked how they feel about their area.
Residents of Woodbridge scored it particularly highly for feeling that they are able to “be themselves” in the area, the community spirit and friendliness of the people, and access to essential services such as doctors and schools.
The analysis found that feeling proud to live in an area was the biggest driver of overall satisfaction – while living near to family and friends was far less important.
On the banks of the River Deben, eight miles from the coast, Woodbridge dates back to 1086, when the Domesday book recorded a small settlement there. It is also close to Sutton Hoo, the site of one of the most important archeological finds of the Anglo Saxon era – a ship that was used as a burial chamber. The ship has been described as the richest intact early medieval grave in Europe.
The mayor of Woodbridge, Councillor Robin Sanders, said the happy mood of the town’s residents was “a reflection of the vibrant town centre”.
Jamie Curran, the director at IP Properties in Woodbridge, said: “The amenities Woodbridge has to offer in my eyes are second to none; having boutiques, coffee shops, public houses and highly reviewed restaurants all within walking distance of each other is amazing.”
The London borough of Richmond upon Thames was placed second, having been top last year, while Hexham in Northumberland, a previous winner, was ranked third.
In other findings from the report, Monmouth was crowned the happiest place to live in Wales, while Stirling came top in Scotland.
London came a lowly 40th in the rankings, with Edinburgh in 50th place, Glasgow at 53, Birmingham at 57, Aberdeen at 62 and Belfast placed 66th.
Rightmove said its study indicated that, overall, residents in Scotland, Wales and the South West were most happy with where they lived, while those in the East and West Midlands were the least happy.
The Gen-Z generation (18- to 24-year-olds) were the most likely to say that they thought they would be happier living in a different area, while those aged 55-plus were the least likely.
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s property expert, said: “It’s the younger generation who are most likely to say they would be happier living somewhere else, many of whom have to travel to cities for education or to find their first jobs.”
The research also indicated that the type of environment that made residents most happy was a rural location by woodland or a forest, or being near a National Park or National Landscape.
Home sweet home: the 20 happiest places to live
Here are the 20 happiest places to live in 2024, according to Rightmove, followed by the average asking price for a home and the average rent per month:
Woodbridge, East of England, £441,569, £1,478
Richmond upon Thames, London, £939,329, £3,131
Hexham, North East, £313,147, £840
Monmouth, Wales, £320,974, £1,335
Harrogate, Yorkshire and the Humber, £394,312, £1,439
Skipton, Yorkshire and the Humber, £263,479, £1,030
Sevenoaks, South East, £881,061, £2,924
Leigh on Sea, East of England, £465,542, £1,796
Cirencester, South West, £384,013, £1,495
Wokingham, South East, £590,949, £2,120
Winchester, South East, £578,760, £2,069
Stirling, Scotland, £214,441, £1,227
Stratford-upon-Avon, West Midlands, £413,115, £1,604
Horsham, South East, £458,641, £1,983
Kendal, North West, £285,645, £966
Kensington and Chelsea, London, £1,667,573, £5,345
Chorley, North West, £197,199, £883
Hove, South East, £555,193, £1,993
Wandsworth, London, £865,205, £3,159
Hitchin, East of England, £510,612, £1,730
• This article was amended on 5 December 2024 because the Sutton Hoo ship was not a Viking vessel as an earlier version mistakenly said, but an Anglo-Saxon ship.
