St Ives in Cornwall is the happiest place to live in Great Britain, said Rightmove.

The harbour town, which took top spot in 2020, takes the crown from this year’s fourth-placed spot, the north–eastern town of Hexham.

In fact, the two towns have alternated as the happiest place to live every year since 2019, according to the property portal.

St Ives residents scored the town highly for community spirit, how comfortable residents feel to be themselves, and the sense of belonging they have.

However, the average property price in the town is expensive, at £523,731.

Local estate agent, Paul Le Bas, said: “St Ives has a vibrant and active local community. All year round we are able to visit the amazing restaurants and cafés, most of which are highly rated in the national press, and the coastal walks are second to none. As the seasons change, so does the town. It becomes a winter wonderland of festive lights for Christmas. Even Father Christmas arrives on the Lifeboat!”

Rightmove’s property expert, Tim Bannister, added: “Our Happy at Home survey really shows that the things that make people happy to live in their area are not so much the physical aspects of that area but more the personal aspects, such as our sense of belonging, the community and the people.

“The last few months have undoubtedly been difficult for many, and as we learned during another difficult period in 2020, this is often when we look to our local area and community for support and happiness.”

Happiest places revealed

The rest of the top 10 happiest places to live in Great Britain are below:

1. St Ives, South West £523,731
2. Galashiels, Scotland £153,546
3. Woodbridge, East of England £481,978
4. Hexham, North East £262,265
5. Perth, Scotland £179,410
6. Harrogate, Yorkshire and The Humber £381,124
7. Anglesey, Wales £324,048
8. Bury St Edmunds, East of England £334,160
9. Stirling, Scotland £197,075
10. Cirencester, South West £382,065