For the last 14 years, property website Rightmove has compiled an annual ‘Happy at Home Index’. By gathering the views of thousands of UK residents on their hometowns and the wider community, the index looks to reveal the happiest places to live in the UK.
In 2025, Skipton in North Yorkshire was crowned the happiest place to live, with Richmond-upon-Thames second, and Camden third.
But what makes a community a happy one, and what do UK homeowners value most about their hometown?
Keep reading to find out.
Skipton in Yorkshire has featured highly before, but London boroughs perform well, too
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal winds through the market settlement of Skipton, which sits just south of the Nidderdale National Landscape nature reserve.
The historic Yorkshire town is certainly picturesque. And access to nature is one of the criteria on which it has regularly scored so highly. According to the Guardian, the town finished second in Rightmove’s 2020 index and was sixth in 2024. It was also named the 2014 “best place to live in Britain” by the Sunday Times, and the wider area was named as the happiest in the country by the Office for National Statistics in 2017.
Canal paths are perfect for dog walks and lunchtime strolls, and then there’s the Pennine Way and rolling moors, too. But nature isn’t the only important criterion for a happy town.
There’s also easy access to essential services and the friendliness of residents to consider. Skipton locals believe it has a true sense of community, where people can be themselves and everyone genuinely looks out for one another.
Richmond-upon-Thames topped the Rightmove index in 2023 and shares its mixture of open green spaces and proximity to water with Skipton and third-place Camden. This marks the first podium finish for the latter in the 14 years the survey has been running.
The southwest was found to be the happiest place in Britain, with East Midlanders the least happy. Stirling is the happiest place in Scotland, according to the survey, while Anglesey tops the Welsh happiness index.
Access to nature and essential services like schools is important to overall happiness
Skipton is often thought of as the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, but it also scored well for affordability, benefiting from lower-than-average house prices and good access to services like schools. The town also boasts a medieval castle.
According to Sky News, the town fared less well in terms of access to employment opportunities and desirable jobs.
The southwest is generally the happiest place to live in Britain, scoring highly in the above job-related categories, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that two London boroughs rounded off the top three.
Richmond scored highly for access to nature and essential services, as well as non-essential services like shops and restaurants. Camden, meanwhile, benefited from its proximity to Camden Canal’s scenic towpaths and the liveliness of Camden Locks, as well as the open green space of Regent’s Park.
2 key factors for keeping you happy at home… and how to make the most of them
1. Access to nature
As recently as last October, we wrote about the benefits of getting out into nature and of the autumnal beauty of walks along the Thames Path and the grounds of Richmond’s Ham House.
Fresh air and exercise in nature not only provide a physical health benefit, but a mental wellbeing one too. Whether you’re lucky enough to live near the open green spaces of Richmond or you’re considering relocating to the Yorkshire Dales, make the most of the surrounding nature where you live.
If you’re walking alone, try to be mindful of your surroundings, taking in the sights and smells. It can be all too easy to take the beauty of regular haunts for granted, so slow down, breathe deeply, and really immerse yourself.
Equally, if you’re walking with a friend, make the most of the opportunity to catch up and stay sociable, which can be harder in winter.
2. A sense of community
After a lifetime of work, retirement can seem daunting – and even lonely – so living in an area that fosters a tight-knit community can make all the difference. Maintaining existing social bonds (through meetups with ex-colleagues, say) and using community groups to forge new ones can help to keep you socially active and engaged with your local area, wherever you live.
Taking up new hobbies, revisiting old ones, or simply getting out with friends can all help you uncover the smaller groups of like-minded individuals that make up the wider community. And in places like Skipton, Richmond, and Camden, there’s no end of possibilities.
And, of course, if there isn’t a group for the activity you enjoy – a book club, knitting group, or walking football team, for example – then simply start one!
Get in touch
Please email hello@globeifa.co.uk or call us on 020 8891 0711 to discuss how Globe IFA’s expert financial advisors can help you manage your dream retirement in the community where you live.
