Wokingham has been named as the second happiest area in the UK in a new study.
The report, commissioned by goSmokeFree, looked at factors including crime rates and economic indicators from the Office of National Statistics.
Rates and percentages were transformed into an index to create a score over 100, thus crowning the happiest local authorities in the country where people are more likely to be stress and anxiety-free.
Lancashire’s Ribble Valley comes in first based on ranking highly in categories such as green spaces, weekly earnings and more.
Wokingham and Mole Valley were ranked in second and third place, thanks to a low unemployment rate and high economically active percentages.
Ribble Valley scored 78.95 out of 100, with Wokingham achieving a respectable 71.94.
The authors of the report noted how Wokingham strikes a balance between economic vitality and environmental sustainability.
It said the town can count on favourable factors such as a low unemployment rate of 2.3%, and one of the highest weekly earning averages of £785.80.
Further down on the list, West Berkshire takes the fourth spot, with an overall score of 70.16 over 100, while Bracknell Forest closes the top five with a score of 70.11.
A spokesperson for GoSmokeFree said: “The study highlighted the multifaceted nature of happiness and well-being and emphasises the importance of considering various factors in assessing quality of life.
“This data also underlines that this top 10 coincides with the areas where the population can conduct a life which is more stress-free than others, making, in turn, more likely a reduction of the risk of criminality, smoking and drug use, as well as depression and other mental health conditions.
“While this is not an absolute rule, it’s important to give credit where credit is due, recognising the significance of these places’ commitment to provide a happy environment to live in.”
