Happy at home in Hexham

Rightmove’s index is based on a survey of 22,000 people, who rate their town on 12 ‘happiness’ factors.

Hexham, which acts as a gateway to Hadrian’s Wall, topped this year’s table.

The market town got high marks for sense of community, earnings, and essential services such as healthcare and good schools.

Richmond upon Thames was voted the happiest place in London for the fifth year in a row, while Galashiels topped the table for Scotland, and Llandrindod won in Wales.

House prices and rents in the happiest towns

Perhaps surprisingly, five of the top 10 happiest towns in Britain have property asking prices below the national average of £302,808.

That includes Hexham, where sellers list for an average of £254,237. Bargain hunters could be in luck, too – asking prices have fallen by 5% here in the past 12 months.

Unsurprisingly, the most expensive place in the top 10 is Greater London’s sole entry, Richmond upon Thames, where asking prices average a whopping £815,717.

Happiest regions of Great Britain

The South West of England was voted the happiest region in Great Britain, followed by the South East.

While the winning town was in the North East, the region as a whole finished in a decidedly low table spot in the survey.

Well known for its high property prices, Greater London finished second-worst, in ninth position, while the West Midlands claimed the wooden spoon.

How does your town rank?

Rightmove’s survey focused on 194 areas right across Great Britain, so there’s a good chance your area will appear somewhere in the list, even if it’s not threatening the leaderboard.

You can use the interactive table below to find out how your town fared.

Simply select your region from the drop-down list, and you’ll then be able to compare how your town ranks both within the region and in Great Britain as a whole.

How is happiness measured?

Rightmove’s survey measured levels of happiness around Great Britain based on the following 12 indicators:

How to find the best place to live

Choosing the right place to buy a home can be tricky, especially if you’re looking to move to a new area.

And while some of the factors listed above may influence your decision, different things matter to different people.

For example, you might be looking for a place where the value of your home is likely to grow and allow you to progress up the property ladder, or you might want to lay down roots for the long term near the best school for your children.

We’ve created an area-comparison tool which can help you to sift through different areas and weigh up important factors, including local house prices and the Ofsted ratings of local schools.

Simply type in the name of an area or a postcode to start your comparison.