Wokingham residents have reacted on social media following the news that the town has ranked as one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ retirement spots.
Wokingham has been named one of the healthiest and happiest places to retire in England, according to the latest Growing Old Index, published this month and backed by The Sunday Times.
The study analysed dozens of towns and cities across the country, looking at factors that matter most to people in their retirement years. These included average life expectancy, access to healthcare, A&E waiting times, orthopaedic referral speeds, availability of care home beds, and overall happiness levels based on the latest Office for National Statistics data.
While affluent areas such as Windsor and Maidenhead topped the list, Wokingham also featured strongly. Residents here enjoy one of the longest average life expectancies in the country and scored highly across multiple health and wellbeing measures.
The findings challenge the idea that ideal retirement spots are limited to rural villages or coastal retreats. Instead, well-connected towns like Wokingham, which offer both community amenities and proximity to major cities, are proving to be among the best places to grow old in the UK.
The news divided residents, with some welcoming the study’s findings and others expressing scepticism.
Some comments on social media disagreed with the study. One commenter said: “What nonsense. I only travel through it and then online if I have to. Last week I was visiting family in Midhurst which I’d certainly prefer to live in if I had to choose between the two.”
Another resident added: “I re-visited Wokingham last year, I grew up there. I was saddened to see how Wokingham is now one massive housing estate. Loads of green space has gone for good, and the town looks run down. Most of the charm has gone. The rot that set in when Limmer Hill was built has continued apace.”
Another said: “Much better place when the doctor surgery and the community was a lot less and closer. Place is a mess these days, as is most of the UK now.”
One more resident said: “Really? With horrendous road works and a town that is dying. We need decent shops in the town, cheaper car parking. Another clothes store gone, it’s very sad to see.”
However, there were also some positive reactions to the study.
One person said: “I love Wokingham. I don’t live there, it has changed but it is still a lovely place to visit and live,” while another said “it’s a wonderful place to live.”
“One resident commented: “I’m a home grown Wok girl, and I’m all for change but Wokingham isn’t the market town it used to be, it’s massive and growing year on year – shame.”
Another said: “We’ve got easy access to countryside walks and parks, and a fantastic community. I’m proud to call Wokingham home.”
