The five happiest places to live in Yorkshire - including two in the UK's top 10

Last year, Skipton was named the happiest place to live in the UK by the online property giant, but the town has fallen to seventh in the list - and has even been overtaken by a Yorkshire rival.

Harrogate has placed second on the list this year, just missing out on top spot to Richmond upon Thames, while Cirencester in Gloucestershire was third according to the study, which collected responses from more than 24,000 people.

Richmond upon Thames has returned to number one after previously winning in 2023 and finishing second last year.

The leafy London borough ranked particularly highly across several aspects of local life, including access to nature and green spaces, essential local services, shops and restaurants, employment opportunities and desirable jobs, as well as residents’ pride in their area, Rightmove said.

Fans of hit TV series Ted Lasso will also recognise filming locations in Richmond.

However, while residents of Richmond will have to pay over £1m on average to secure a home in the area, for second-placed Harrogate, that number falls to a little under £400,000, while in Skipton the figure is just over £300,000.

Harrogate also ranked highly for access to nature and green spaces, as well as residents’ agreement with the statement: “I can be myself,” according to the study.

As for the Yorkshire list, Harrogate and Skipton secure the first and second spots, while York is third in Yorkshire and 32nd nationally, Hull is fourth and 68th nationally, and Halifax is fifth, in 76th place across the UK.

Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said: “That balance between greenery and everyday convenience runs through the wider findings.

“Even among people who would ideally choose a rural setting, access to amenities, parks and public transport remains important.

“This year’s results suggest that the places people rate most highly aren’t simply urban or rural, but often bring together some of the best elements of both.”

People took part in the research after being emailed via Rightmove’s database, so the survey was self-selecting.

UK’s top 10 happiest places to live in 2026, according to Rightmove, with the average asking price for a home and the average asking rent per month:

1. Richmond upon Thames, London, £1,021,256, £3,298

2. Harrogate, Yorkshire and the Humber, £395,776, £1,750

3. Cirencester, South West, £407,368, £1,633

4. Monmouth, Wales, £366,782, £1,395

5. Hove, South East, £476,115, £2,086

6. Chorley, North West, £234,387, £1,011

7. Skipton, Yorkshire and the Humber, £304,033, £1,110

8. Llandrindod Wells, Wales, £234,417, £531

9. Horsham, South East, £470,577, £1,933

10. Hexham, North East, £317,332, £1,329

And Yorkshire and the Humber’s top five happiest places to live, according to Rightmove:

1. (2) Harrogate

2. (7) Skipton

3. (32) York

4. (68) Hull

5. (76) Halifax