How happy is YOUR town? Interactive map shows life satisfaction ratings across Britain (and Rushmoor in Hampshire is the place to be)
- Rushmoor residents said they are 8.35/10 happy in latest ONS well being study
- The national average is 7.7/10 in the regular survey of life satisfaction in Britain
- Fenland in Cambridgeshire was the least happy place in the UK, the data shows
Rushmoor in Hampshire is the happiest place in the UK, a new survey of life satisfaction in Britain reveals today.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has upgraded its regular survey of well being to take account of health, access to services and crime levels.
Overall, Britons rated their life satisfaction at 7.7 out of 10 and happiness at 7.5 out of 10. Anxiety is scored at 2.9 out of 10.
Rushmoor was the happiest place with residents saying they felt 8.35 out of 10 – a sharp contrast to Fenland in Cambridgeshire, which scored just 6.7.
Scores for each area of Britain can be explored on an interactive map produced by the ONS.
Rushmoor (pictured) was the happiest place with residents saying they felt 8.35 out of 10 – a sharp contrast to Fenland in in Cambridgeshire which scored just 6.7.
At a country level, average ratings of feeling the things done in life are worthwhile have improved in Scotland, from 7.81 in the year ending March 2017 to 7.88 in the year ending March 2018.
Northern Ireland reported the highest average life satisfaction, worthwhile and happiness ratings, and the lowest anxiety ratings, when compared with the UK and the other constituent countries of the UK.
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Silvia Manclossi, head of Quality of Life Team, Office for National Statistics, said: ‘An important part of our work is looking beyond the economic health of the country to how its people are faring and inequalities in society.
‘Today, for the first time, we have identified how factors such as health, access to services and crime levels may affect how people rate their well-being in different parts of the UK.
‘This can help local authorities and other organisations to better understand where services could be targeted to help improve the well-being of people in their area.’
Fenland, which is just north of Cambridge (pictured), scored lowest for happiness in the survey
WHY IS RUSHMOOR SO HAPPY?
One reason why Rushmoor may be the happiest place in the UK could be because of its life expectancy – even though it does not top the charts.
Baby girls born today in North Hampshire – where Rushmoor is – can expect to live until they are 83.4 years old, compared to England’s average of 83.1.
And baby boys are expected to reach 80.2 years old – above the 79.5 average for England, data shows.
In comparison, Fenland – ranked the unhappiest place in the UK – scored worse than the average for England in both life expectancy charts.
Rushmoor also has very low rates of unemployment and good wages.
The most recent Government figures from March show just 2.5 per cent of people living in the authority were unemployed. The overall rate for the UK is 4.3 per cent.
And full-time workers can expect to earn in the region of £551.40 each week – similar to the UK average of £552.7.
Rushmoor, which covers Aldershot and Farnborough, also had the highest levels of feeling worthwhile and life satisfaction across the UK.
The Conservative-run borough is home to around 95,000 people.
Kensington & Chelsea, considered one of the UK’s most exclusive postcodes, was the second unhappiest place across the home nations.
People living in the borough of London had an average happiness of 6.82 out of 10, just lower than the 6.83 of South Holland in Lincolnshire.
Copeland in Cumbria clinched the silver medal of the happiest local authorities in the UK, scoring 8.24 out of 10.
It just pipped Newry, Mourne & Down in Northern Ireland, which had an average happiness score of 8.22.
Broxbourne in Hertfordshire reported the most anxiety in the UK – while Lisburn and Castlereagh came in the at the other end of the scale.
Broxtowe, Nottinghamshire, had the lowest life satisfaction and the London borough of Bromley scored worst for residents feeling worthwhile.
WHERE ARE THE 10 UNHAPPIEST PLACES IN THE UK?
6.70 Fenland, Cambridgeshire
6.82 Kensington & Chelsea
6.83 South Holland, Lincolnshire
6.84 Shepway, Kent
7.11 Camden
7.11 Knowsley, Merseyside
7.12 Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
7.13 Hammersmith & Fulham
7.14 Dudley, West Midlands
7.14 South Northamptonshire
The number is the average rating of happiness out of 10 by residents living in the local authority
WHERE ARE THE 10 HAPPIEST PLACES IN THE UK?
8.35 Rushmoor, Hampshire
8.24 Copeland, Cumbria
8.22 Newry, Mourne & Down, NI
8.15 Causeway Coast & Glens, NI
8.11 Blaby, Leicestershire
8.08 Na h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland
8.07 Bolsover, Derbyshire
8.06 Ribble Valley, Lancashire
8.06 Christchurch, Dorset
8.05 Rochford, Essex
The number is the average rating of happiness out of 10 by residents living in the local authority
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