Salisbury ranked in the top 20 happiest places to live in Great Britain

Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home Index has ranked Salisbury in the top 20 happiest places to live in Great Britain.

The Happy at Home Index was conducted among over 21,000 people across Great Britain and asked residents how they feel about where they live, as well as asking them to rank ten happiness factors.

The study found a sense of belonging, the friendliness of the locals, and being able to be yourself were the most important factors in feeling happy in the area in which you live.

The residents of market towns were happier than any other area due to a sense of community spirit and feeling of belonging in the area.

A third (seven) of this 2021’s top 20 happiest towns were market towns, typically being smaller towns with weekly markets bringing the local community together.

This is also true for Salisbury, a city with a thriving Charter Market that has been held in the city’s Market Place for almost 800 years.

Those in villages were more likely to be happy in their area than those in towns or cities, as they were more likely to feel the sense of community in their area, and have access to nature and green spaces.

Ranking just below Exeter in 16th place and above Horsham in 18th, Salisbury has been crowned the 17th happiest place to live in Great Britain.

In the South West, Salisbury is the 3rd happiest place to live, with only St Ives and Exeter ranking above the medieval city.

See the full list below:

1. Hexham
2. Richmond upon Thames
3. Harrogate
4. Hove
5. Llandrindod Wells
6. Stirling
7. Monmouth
8. St Ives
9. Anglesey
10. Leamington Spa
11. Perth
12. Hitchin
13. Woodbridge
14. Kendal
15. Macclesfield
16. Exeter
17. Salisbury
18. Horsham
19. St. Albans