A Berkshire town has been ranked the most miserable place to live in Britain, according to an annual happiness study by Rightmove.
Slough, which is equidistant between London and Reading, came last in its annual list of the happiest places to live in 2024, a list comprising around 220 places.
The study, now in its 13th year, was completed by more than 35,000 people nationwide.
Questions included whether they felt proud to live in their area, whether they had a sense of belonging, and whether they felt they could “be themselves.”
Being able to afford to live comfortably, good public transport links, sporting and recreational activities and a sense of community spirit were also important.
While many places in Britain clearly regard their local area fondly, some residents in Slough do not appear to hold that view, according to Rightmove’s analysis.
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Rightmove’s Happy at Home index asks residents how they feel about their area based on various happiness factors; It was completed this year by more than 35,000 people.
Despite this perception among residents, Slough is not a cheap place to live.
The average asking price of a property in Slough is currently £411,820, according to Rightmove, while tenants face average rental prices of £1,824 per property.
Both are above the national average. The typical asking price is £366,592, while for renters the average rent outside London is £1,348 a month.
However, for all the things that Slough scores poorly on, there will be few who can dispute its strong transport links.
On its website, Slough Council notes that a 10-minute drive from Slough is the M25, the busiest road in Europe.
The Council also says that Slough is a 10-minute drive from Heathrow Airport and a 20-minute train ride from Paddington station in central London. Apart from that, Slough also has the largest shopping area in Europe.
The next most miserable city to live in in the UK, according to Rightmove’s happiness index, is Bradford in Yorkshire and the Humber.
But once again, it’s not all doom and gloom for Bradford residents. The city has been selected as a UK City of Culture for 2025.
It will host more than 1,000 new performances and events, according to the Invest in Bradford website.
Bradford is also much cheaper than most areas of the UK. The average asking price is £181,791, according to Rightmove, while renters can get a property for £940 a month on average.
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My kind of town – you’ll know exactly where you’re heading as Slough is equidistant between London and Reading.
The third most miserable place to live in Britain is Barking and Dagenham, according to Rightmove.
The east London borough is one of the most affordable areas of the capital, with average asking prices just slightly above the UK average at £375,970.
However, its residents clearly feel that you get what you pay for, as this appeared in the Rightmove index.
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The Least End: Barking and Dagenham were ranked 218 out of 220 areas in Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home index.
Other miserable hotspots include four other greater London boroughs. Croydon, Brent, Newham and Bexley.
Brent residents may feel they are not getting good value for money, given that average asking prices in the north-west London borough are £610,182 and the average rental house charges £2,393.
Three areas of the West Midlands also feature in the top 10 most miserable places to live in the UK.
Dudley, Walsall and Birmingham feature on the list. All three offer property prices below the UK average. The average asking price in Birmingham is £255,410.
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Repentant? Walsall finished 215th out of 220 areas in Rightmove’s annual Happy at Home index.
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At the opposite end of the scale, Woodbridge in Suffolk topped Rightmove’s annual list of the happiest places to live in Britain for the first time.
Woodbridge residents scored especially high for feeling able to be themselves in the area. They also liked the community spirit and friendliness of the people, and the access to essential services such as doctors and schools.
Woodbridge is located near the River Deben in Suffolk. It is also located on the edge of the Suffolk and Essex Coast and Heaths National Landscape.
In the index as a whole, residents who said they lived near a National Landscape, formerly known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, said they were happier in their area than those who did not.
The average sales price of a house in Woodbridge is £441,569, while the average advertised rent is £1,478 per calendar month.
Smug: Woodbridge in Suffolk topped Rightmove’s annual list of the happiest places to live
Robin Sanders, Mayor and Chairman of Woodbridge Town Council, said: “It was a pleasure to hear that Woodbridge has been rated the happiest place to live.”
“The good mood of the residents is a reflection of the vibrant town centre, which encompasses numerous listed buildings occupied by many independent shops, pubs and restaurants, a long-established and renowned independent cinema in the film industry and, not least, a thriving historic and unique riverside area to enjoy views of the beautiful internationally designated and protected environment of the River Deben Estuary.
“City residents with children have access to excellent city public and state schools, well-managed sports facilities and all residents enjoy and participate in frequent cultural events organized and supported by the council in parks and public open spaces.”
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames came second after topping the rankings last year, while previous winner Hexham in Northumberland came third.
Monmouth is once again the happiest place to live in Wales, while Stirling tops the list in Scotland.
| Range | Place | Average sales price | Average rent (per month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | wooden bridge | £441,569 | £1,478 |
| 2 | Richmond on Thames | £939,329 | £3,131 |
| 3 | Hexham | £313,147 | £840 |
| 4 | monmouth | £320,974 | £1,335 |
| 5 | harrogate | £394,312 | £1,439 |
| 6 | Skipton | £263,479 | £1,030 |
| 7 | sevenoaks | £881,061 | £2,924 |
| 8 | Leigh at sea | £465,542 | £1,796 |
| 9 | Cirencester | £384,013 | £1,495 |
| 10 | Wokingham | £590,949 | £2,120 |
| 11 | winchester | £578,760 | £2,069 |
| 12 | Stirling | £214,441 | £1,227 |
| 13 | Stratford-on-Avon | £413,115 | £1,604 |
| 14 | HorshamEdit | £458,641 | £1,983 |
| 15 | Kendall | £285,645 | £966 |
| 16 | Kensington and Chelsea | £1,667,573 | £5,345 |
| 17 | Chorley | £197,199 | £883 |
| 18 | hove | £555,193 | £1,993 |
| 19 | Wandsworth | £865,205 | £3,159 |
| 20 | Hitchin | £510,612 | £1,730 |
| Source: right movement |
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