Wokingham has been ranked as the tenth happiest place to live in the United Kingdom – down from its fourth placed position in the same survey in 2023.
The survey from property portal Rightmove is now in its 13th year. It surveyed more than 35,000 people to find out exactly what they love (or don’t love) about where they live.
The town of Woodbridge in Suffolk was crowned the happiest place to live in Great Britain, topping the ndex for the first time.
Wokingham retained its second place in the happiest towns in the south east – against being beaten to top spot by Richmond.
Wokingham real estate agent Mark Rath rold Wokingham Today: “Its very surprising to see Wokingham falling down the league table.
“I speak to very few people who appear to be unhappy with our town.
“Our buyer enquiries come from all over the country, its not just local people moving within the town and its certainly rare to be selling for people who are leaving Wokingham.”
A spokesperson for Rightmove said: “Each year, we invite people to share how they feel about the area they live in.
“Our 13th annual Happy at Home Index aims to uncover the factors that contribute to happiness in different places, and what truly makes a community feel like home.
“The survey measures how residents feel about their local area across 15 key happiness factors. These range from the sense of togetherness within the community and access to green spaces, to the feeling of belonging that a place fosters.
“This year, more than 35,000 people from towns, cities, and villages across Great Britain shared their thoughts about what matters most to them in their local areas. Using their scores, we’ve compiled a list ranking the happiest places to live.”
Property expert, Tim Bannister, said: “For over a decade we’ve been asking residents what makes them feel happy about where they live, as feeling happy is about more than the home itself.
“First placed Woodbridge appears to have a lot of the factors that people are looking for from an area, including being close to a river, and a National Landscape.
“It’s the intangible factors of feeling proud to live in an area, feeling a sense of belonging, and feeling able to be yourself that are the biggest drivers of happiness.”
So, what does it take to make people happy with where they live? According to the survey, it’s a mix of things, like:
A welcoming community where you can truly be yourself.
Access to nature, such as local countryside, or national parks.
Practical things, like nearby schools, doctors, and shops.
People living in Scotland, Wales, and the south west of England were the happiest overall, while on average, East and west Midlands residents didn’t score their areas as highly.
And while the majority of Gen Z (18-24-years-old) indicated they felt that moving somewhere new might make them happier, people aged 55+ were more likely to love where they are.
Tim added: “There are some interesting trends revealed by this year’s study, such as how those who live in a rural location are more likely to be happy than urban dwellers, who often live in busy cities.
“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.”
