Richmond upon Thames named Britain's happiest place to live in Rightmove survey

Top spot returns to Richmond

Richmond upon Thames, a borough in south-west London, has been named the happiest place to live in Britain in Rightmove's 15th annual Happy at Home Index, published on 11 November. The property portal asks residents how they feel about their area, covering local services, shops and restaurants, green spaces and employment. More than 24,000 people took part, and around four-fifths of them (81%) said they were happy with where they live. Richmond had topped the index in 2023 and finished second last year, so this result restores its lead.

The rest of the rankings

Harrogate in North Yorkshire took second place, with Cirencester in Gloucestershire third. According to The Independent, Monmouth in Wales and Hove in the South East completed the top five in fourth and fifth place. Last year's winner, Skipton in North Yorkshire, slipped to seventh. Kensington and Chelsea (12th) and Kingston upon Thames (13th) are the only other London boroughs in the national top 20. At the other end of the table, Barking and Dagenham is the least happy London borough, ranked 221st nationally, while Lewisham, Havering, Harrow and Croydon fill the rest of the capital's bottom five. In Scotland, Kirkcaldy came top, and The Scotsman reports it ranked 18th across the UK overall.

What the price tag looks like

Living in the borough costs a great deal. The Independent reports an average asking price of £1,021,256 in Richmond upon Thames, with average rents of £3,298. The Guardian puts the UK-wide average asking price at about £378,000, so the gap is substantial.

Richmond upon Thames1,021,256

UK average378,000

Richmond upon Thames

1021256 GBP

UK average

378000 GBP

Data from the article text

What the mayor and Rightmove say

Mayor Nancy Baldwin pointed to residents' pride in the area, the parks and green spaces, and the local services they rely on every day. She said:

“Above all, it is our people and communities that make Richmond special.”

Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said the borough offers a mix that many people value:

“Richmond stands out for offering a combination many people value: easy access to nature and green spaces, without having to give up local services”

Rightmove added that even people who would ideally choose a rural setting still rate amenities, parks and public transport highly.

Visiting the borough

The Independent's guide recommends Richmond Park's deer, the Victorian glasshouses at Kew Gardens, the Museum of Richmond and Strawberry Hill House. Fans of the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso can look for filming locations such as The Prince's Head. Writing for inews after a weekend visit, the reporter walked through a portion of 2,500 acres of parkland, where a herd of red deer gathered in tall grass, and saw a protected view from King Henry's Mound towards the dome of St Paul's Cathedral. Inews also flagged plans for a third Heathrow runway, noting that Richmond Park itself would fall under a flight path if it were built.